Why aren't teachers allowed to teach "curse words" in Spanish?
Original question: why aint teachers allowed to teach us curse words in spanish? its unfair we have the rights to learn espiecially me!!
15 Answers
Perhaps they are waiting for their students to learn English first.
One reason that teachers don't is because it would be very difficult. To properly teach them would require doing so at a very advanced level. The proper/appropriate use of obscenities requires an intimate knowledge of the culture (its taboos, customs and prejudices). With most modern dictionaries, you can look up obscenities to your heart's content and find "translations". However, if you attempt to incorporate them into your speech, you will probably sound silly. More than any other single class of words, they are used for their emotional content (quite often the literal meaning makes no sense at all).
If you find confusing the (lack of) correspondence between 'gustar' and 'to like' or between 'to be' and 'ser'/estar', you will find understanding palabrotas even more difficult. If you attempt to use them without understanding them, instead of sounding 'cool' (which, I assume is your intention), you will sound 'weird'.
When I hear someone curse, I think to myself: "uncultured," "mal educado." It's not something I care for my students to learn or utilize, in any language. When a language can express so much that's beautiful, why use ugly words?
Because those are the words we end up teaching ourselves! But really I guess it would detract from the whole teacher-student professionality paradigm. Besides, many curse words are unique to countries. Spanish teachers (especially on, let's say, the high school level) shy away from teaching vocabulary and other language phenomenon that aren't mostly universal in the language (for instance I had never heard of 'vos' until I got off the plane in Costa Rica-and my teacher learned Spanish here!).
Now I agree with the above comment. If you really want to know some curses you could probably persuade your teacher after class. Better yet, go to a bar in a Latin country and pick a fight! You could ask the guy to repeat slowly so you can nail the pronunciation of his slurred and drunken profanity.
Either way, the important part is to have fun learning, and if cursing floats your boat I full-heartedly support you my smut-mouthed friend hahaha.
Somewhere, in a recent thread, a contributor said something in which I really believe: "Words are Power". That is one reason why I have made an effort to develop an adequate vocabulary in any language I learn, and why I relish learning new words, and new meanings to the words I know.
To me, the problem with curse words is not the words themselves. Many so-called "foul words" have rather harmless, innocent meanings. For example a favorite in Hispanic cultures, "Car@jo", is said to originally mean the lookout's basket in an antique ship - the crow's nest.
But we call them "curse words" because of the violent intention behind them; an intention to curse, to cause evil by the power of the word.
Therefore, in my opinion, curse words should not be taught at schools any more than hair-pulling, slapping, shoving or any other form of violence should be taught. Verbal violence is just as bad, or worse, than any form of physical violence (point in case, that poor girl that committed suicide because she could not stand the constant bullying from her school mates).
If you wish to learn to be a violent person, be the way of the word or by the way of the sword, fine - do so by your own means, in your own time, in your own space. But schools should not be the place to learn nor practice any kind of violence.
Not referring to what should happen on this site, but it is good to know when a word has a foul connotation. I can't recall what I was writing the other day , but one of the lesser used definitions was kind of pornographic. It would be embarrasing to use that word accidentally in public and perhaps not even know what may have really been said. I wouldn't mind seeing a list of words that could get you in trouble like that. Even without the undesired alternate definition I would probably look for a different word to avoid potential misunderstanding.
Our teachers never taught them in English; we had to learn them outside the classroom. So why should Spanish class be any different...you're on your own.
It's all about context.
If a phrase is in a Spanish novel then it should be taught with no censorship. Quite a few Spanish films such as those by Almodóvar use "street language" and I see no reason not to accurately translate the phrases.
Here in the UK and to a lesser extent in the US, phrases once considered as swear words are now routinely expressed on TV, in the press and so on.
However, to just teach them gratuitously seems pointless. An interesting thing I've noticed is that in Spain there are words very commonly used which would raise eyebrows in the more puritanical English homes. Probably that goes both ways.
What's important to me is to be sure of the "register" of such words and phrases. What might seem to be appropriate to shout at a Barca game, would not go down well at a job interview.
Speaking of register, it's worth knowing when you speak to the guy behind the counter at the local colmado, that there is a distinction between asking him ¿Tiene huevos? and ¿Hay heuvos?
More tea vicar?
Why should your Spanish teachers teach you curse words in Spanish if your English teachers don't teach you curse words in English? The answer is because they don't want to hear their students using this type of language. No one should be speaking it anyway. 
I've actually been waiting for Paralee to come out with Lesson 5.1: Palabrotas. Wouldn't that be a riot? 
But actually, wonder4 does have a point:
we have the rights to learn
Yes you do, young man! And we have the right to refrain from teaching you!
Why don't you take the money you would have used at the video game arcade and go down to your local Borders, or Barnes and Noble, or some other high end bookstore and buy a book that gives you the info you want?
There are tons of them, and tons more on Amazon.com
Buena suerte amigo. 
I'd support it, not necessarily from the angle of "Students, I'm going to teach you how to swear," but moreso from a preventative standpoint. I definitely think there's value to be found in informing people if there is a common second meaning to a word, or if someone else with less than polite language happens to say something to you, you'll know the strength of their words.
You could ask the teacher privately for he/she to teach you some "curse" words... 
(Just trying to help. Plz don't flag me~)
I am not sure if we should "teach" them - usually one way or another they seem to be the words that "stick" in the minds of students anyway.
But we should respond when asked by students but in a way that reflects the group we are teaching.
I took a risk (of being dismissed) with some young adults in an advanced class and spent the whole 90 minutes away from the standard material on the "F" word.
You have never seen such a motivated and animated classroom!!
The reason was that it was different and introduced all sorts of other language in a new way.
The participation level was fantastic, and they ALL turned up for the next class.
Yo como maestro me avergonzaría de decir las palabrotas frente a la clase aún si fuera "cultural". Quizá los alumnos mejor deban comprar un libro sobre el tema y estudiarlo por ellos mismos. Si el maestro enseñara palabrotas tendría a muchos padres de familia encima con reclamos.
Well, interesting question, should teachers actually teach curse words in Spanish lessons?
We do not teach or allow cursing in any language on this site, but the question is interesting.-
