Should racist comments be belittled, ignored and cast aside!

Well, I had my first very sad experience on the road to being a teacher last month.

On the 29th February at precisely 9.38am in Education Studies, I heard my first racist comment from a trainee teacher. When 'she' heard where I was completing teaching practice the only comment she had was "there'll be a lot of darkies there" - Isn't that lovely I thought, before I replied 'I'm married to a darkie. My children are 'darkies'! And there it was....something I havent seen since leaving Europe. A blank, emotionless stare back at me as if she had said nothing untoward. No apology, no remorse, no shame., absolutely nothing. I wonder if this is the attitude that the next generation is being raised with.

What worries me, is that such racist comments are often excused and others make excuses for them making them seem less offensive than they are. Such is our society to try and excuse such comments or make little of them, but they are not innocent slips of the tongue nor are they insignificant comments. What made me more sad is that this is what our children are now faced with - bigotry and racism in our teachers. The so called 'darkies' were living on this land long before white skinned folk landed here. God help the future generations if this an acceptable attitude for a teacher who is only just starting out on their career. How will we ever learn to accept and love one another with 'people' like that loose on young minds. I do not profess to know everything or very much at all, but I know that I am very thankful for being in a mixed race, mixed ethnic, mixed religious family and thank goodness I'll be qualified to home school instead of sending my children off to school to be faced with prejudice which is born from total and utter ignorance. My children are already disadvantaged without even doing anything because a comment of 'darkies' reflects a more serious attitude - one children will pick up on.

So it is, I am lead to reflect on this experience ..... hmmm., after going home last night and speaking to some teachers I find that racism in schools is not uncommon. I am left flabagasted. Rather than focus on this experience as something negative maybe I should work towards a position where I am able to educate others about cross-cultural relations. Rather akin to what the educators in regard to bullies and bullying. My passion for equality for all has found a new niche in the school system - so I hope.

I think, it is important for us all to think critically about these discriminatory prejudicial ‘comments’ and confront them, as a general environment – especially workplaces – that tolerates them can be offensive, intimidating and upsetting. 

Stealing from the words of others now: 'There is a common view that such comments are not meant to be taken seriously and are entirely harmless - anyone who considers otherwise has no sense of humour and needs to lighten up. But comments like this actually tell us more about our societies than any other media as they highlight our hidden, unacknowledged prejudices. This clearly show us that, in spite of telling others and ourselves we are not racist and do not believe these views, we still carry those prejudices with us.

Racist comments are one thing, but racist humour another. It has become so acceptable that it is difficult to respond to, for fear of being labelled the ‘party pooper’, but a failure to respond fuels the problem. There are numerous ways it can be addressed, according to the situation; non-confrontationally, you could choose not to laugh or else leave the room before the punch line, which sends a signal that you will neither join in nor feel pressured to. If you are able to confront the teller, why not question them on why they find it funny? Once they start to work through the mechanisms of the joke and what prejudices it relies upon, perhaps they will see its harmful intent. Speaking your mind, whilst you will most likely be accused of being too politically correct, could also encourage the teller to think about the impact of joke, those targeted, where the boundaries lie and how they might feel if it was aimed at them.

Regardless of any arguement, there should be no place in life for bigots, racists or other prejudiced person. Everyone is human and deserves to be treated equally. No matter colour of skin, religion, culture, socio-economic background, race, creed, religion or other factor. Without this, we breed wars, hatred and discrimination - all of which are based on pure ignorance and fear'. Everyone in my eyes is equal, in all things and everyone has right to unbiais, non-racist education. Pushing these comments aside, ignoring them, belittling them or trying to justify them in some way as to make them less significant does nothing but make the perpetrator feel vindicated and justified saying it in the first place. This then supports the attitude however minor or large of race superiority and does nothing for education, community, society and global relations.

Make a stand, say no to racism!