7yo Elliott Dearlove branded racist for asking question about child's brown skin.

[Marv]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...me-Africa.html

The mother of a seven-year-old boy was told to sign a school form admitting he was racist after he asked another pupil about the colour of his skin.

Elliott Dearlove had asked a five-year-old boy in the playground whether he was ‘brown because he was from Africa’.

His mother, Hayley White, 29, said she received a phone call last month to say her son had been at the centre of a ‘racist incident’.

She was then summoned to a meeting with Elliott, his teacher and the deputy head of Griffin Primary School in Hull.

Ms White, an NHS healthcare assistant, said: ‘When I arrived at the school and asked Elliott what had happened, he became extremely upset.

'He kept saying to me, “I was just asking a question. I didn’t mean it to be nasty” and he was extremely distressed by it all.’
[...]

‘I was told I would have to sign a form acknowledging my son had made a racist remark which would be submitted to the local education authority for further investigation,’ she said.

‘I refused to sign it and I told the teacher in no way did I agree the comment was racist. My son is inquisitive. He always likes to ask questions, but that doesn’t make him a racist.’

The school had launched an investigation after the younger boy told his mother about Elliott’s comment and she complained.
[...]

Karl Turner, Labour MP for Kingston upon Hull East, last night insisted that the school and Hull City Council had a statutory duty to take racism seriously.

‘However, having spoken to Hayley, I’m satisfied that her seven-year-old son, Elliott, was not being racist in his remarks but just inquisitive,’ he said.

‘It seems the matter has been taken out of all proportion and common sense seems to have gone completely out of the window.’
[...]

Vanessa Harvey-Samuel, head of localities and learning at Hull City Council, said: ‘There is a statutory duty to report any incident that is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person.’

Last year, it was revealed that teachers are branding thousands of children racist or homophobic following playground squabbles.

More than 20,000 pupils aged 11 or younger were put on record for so-called hate crimes such as using the word ‘gaylord’

[sheevaa]

Hypersensitive, a little? Come on, people. He's 7 and white. Might be that he hasn't been around too many black people before. Heaven forbid he try to learn something about someone else.

I was surprised, though. Usually with retarded cases like this the "victim's" family would be suing by now. No, not because they're black *insert eyeroll* because they're pansy bitches that can't take a little kids innocent question.

[malq]

Last year, it was revealed that teachers are branding thousands of children racist or homophobic following playground squabbles.

It's not just on the playground it is everywhere. I find it disturbing they are training little people to act like minorities are something to be feared and that it is basically illegal to say anything. A joke, the slightest subjective connotation, anything that can possibly be construed and racism or homophobia is taken to the maximum as long as it is scrutinized by the public. People in authority cannot be caught letting anything slide. Past knee jerk reactions like firing someone for a comment has created an atmosphere of elitism and speech paranoia by those that are in the minority.

As the resident homophobe, I will continue to make fun of them as long as they keep acting like babies and special entities from society. I do not buy they are on the same level as those that fought civil rights. If they truly want to blend in with the rest of the world, the should react the same way I do when I get called an asshole. Have no reaction. It will soon cease.

The minute people confuse curiosity and / or opinion with the intent to defame insult of verbally abuse someone, things have gone too far.

[Dakota Valkyrie]

My mom countless times told the story of the first time I saw a black man. I pointed and shouted "LOOK! A chocolate person!" Many years later, my own daughter (then 4yo) whispered to me "Mom! There's a Cosby!".

Little Elliott was just trying to put something different into his own frame of reference. It's far better that he asked rather than keep quiet and make up something in his mind. At least he knew enough to know it wasn't someone made of chocolate or a TV character come to play.

[DamagedGoods]

I'd hazard a guess that shit like this is more likely to contribute to future racism than it is to prevent it.

[OMalley]

My mom countless times told the story of the first time I saw a black man. I pointed and shouted "LOOK! A chocolate person!" Many years later, my own daughter (then 4yo) whispered to me "Mom! There's a Cosby!".

Little Elliott was just trying to put something different into his own frame of reference. It's far better that he asked rather than keep quiet and make up something in his mind. At least he knew enough to know it wasn't someone made of chocolate or a TV character come to play.

WOW, DV, similar thing happened to me. I was walking down the street with my Aunt and pointed out the chocolate man (apparently loudly), and she immediately slapped me right across the face. I'd never seen a black person before...I didn't even know why she hit me. Nice, eh?

With my kids, they never asked any questions or mentioned anything about anyone's skin color. I've wondered whether they didn't really notice or just didn't care. Granted, they have bi-racial cousins and more diversity in their schools than when I was a kid. I've waited to answer questions but they seemed to take everything in stride. Same thing with their friend who has 2 mothers - hub and I talked about it, figured out how we'd respond to questions but they never asked a thing. One time son said, "my friend has 2 mothers" and that was it.

[DamagedGoods]

With my kids, they never asked any questions or mentioned anything about anyone's skin color. I've wondered whether they didn't really notice or just didn't care. Granted, they have bi-racial cousins and more diversity in their schools than when I was a kid. I've waited to answer questions but they seemed to take everything in stride. Same thing with their friend who has 2 mothers - hub and I talked about it, figured out how we'd respond to questions but they never asked a thing. One time son said, "my friend has 2 mothers" and that was it.

When I was a kid, I didn't see skin colour any differently than I did hair or eye colour, until I was essentially taught to.

[AngelFire]

My mom countless times told the story of the first time I saw a black man. I pointed and shouted "LOOK! A chocolate person!" Many years later, my own daughter (then 4yo) whispered to me "Mom! There's a Cosby!"

Same for me. I am from Puerto Rico where in every single family there are blacks, and then there are blondes. We all speak Spanish but just look different.

My mom always joked about how I described my parents. I was only 3 and would call my dad & mom "Mi Papi de chocolate y mi Mami de vainilla" which means "my Chocolate Daddy and my Vanilla Mommy". I didn't know about racism, I was only describing my parents in the only way I knew how.

People have really gotten overly sensitive these days.

[Alf]

Vanessa Harvey-Samuel, head of localities and learning at Hull City Council, said: ‘There is a statutory duty to report any incident that is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person.’

What a can of worms Ms. Harvey-Samuel opened with that statement.

I perceive Hull City Counsel and Griffin Primary School accusing a seven-year-old child of racism because he sought to learn more about another child's darker skin, in and of itself, to be racist.

--Al

[Marv]

What a can of worms Ms. Harvey-Samuel opened with that statement--Al

Vanessa Harvey-Samuel, head of localities and learning at Hull City Council, said: ‘There is a statutory duty to report any incident that is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person.’

@Alf A while ago I read an article on conduct in the workplace. In it, it said that - say for instance - a couple of people were chatting, or telling a joke, if another person took offence at what was said, then they could put in a complaint (perceived racism/sexism/ageism or any other ism I've missed). Even if none of the actual people involved in the discussion/joke were offended, if the person overhearing it took offence, or thought it might be offensive to someone else, then they could complain and the employer was duty-bound to investigate and possibly take action. I thought the same as you - a can of worms. Where does it end?

That was just covering the workplace but it looks like schools are bound by the same legislation.

I've looked, but can't find the article (it was in the Daily Mail, I know that).

But to me, it seems like it's the SCHOOL which has taken offence in this incident. The 'victim's' mother simply asked the school to educate the children that her child was not from Africa. Instead of taking that simple step, the school decided a 'racist comment' had been made, and it all gets blown out of proportion. Political Correctness gone mad.

It reminds me of that South Park episode, when the Nativity play was banned for being offensive to Jewish people. And then there was a big cleanse of anything to do with Xmas which anybody found offensive (mistletoe, fairy lights, stars etc!).

South Park gets it right every time!

[Pete Bondurant]

http://www.bnp.org.uk/

[DamagedGoods]

Now, if only they'd put this kind of time and effort in to child protective services...

[TheMorningStar]

Better hurry up and change the names "Jungle Gym" and "Monkey Bars".

[nopatience]

FFS - now a kid can't even ask a question without being labeled?? So, I'm guessing I should have had my panties in a twist last year when my 3 y/o daughter was called Snow White? And here I told her that little boy must have thought she looked like a princess.

My oldest notices but doesn't care because we have stressed repeatedly that there will always be people who are different than you - whether it be physically or mentally. We have tried to teach our kids not to judge by someone's difference but by their actions. Ex: The little boy in my daughter's class last year who called her Snow White was black. She tried to play with him on several occasions but would always tell me that he called her names, didn't share and was just mean. At that point, she didn't judge him by his skin but because he was behaving like an ass.

[sheevaa]

Silly @nopatience, everyone knows it's not racist if you insult a white person :P

[nopatience]

Silly @nopatience, everyone knows it's not racist if you insult a white person :P

Finally near my computer :)

And you're right. How very naive of me!!

[malq]

Silly @nopatience, everyone knows it's not racist if you insult a white person :P

Funny you said that, i was just talking with a black friend on the front page. I asked her how is it that blacks can use the word nigger and white people can't. Then I asked just what you said. Why is it racism if a black person gets called a nigger but it is seemingly harmless when a black calls a white cracker.
I was not prepared for her answer. She said she didn't understand why white people would want to use that word. I had no reply for her. She was right. The only reason you would use it is to insult someone, or if you were trying to talk black..
Then she said The word nigger had a history while cracker doesn't

[Tundratot]

The mother of a seven-year-old boy was told to sign a school form admitting he was racist after he asked another pupil about the colour of his skin. . . .

Last year, it was revealed that teachers are branding thousands of children racist or homophobic following playground squabbles.

More than 20,000 pupils aged 11 or younger were put on record for so-called hate crimes such as using the word ‘gaylord’

What exactly does this admission cause to happen? Detention? Counselling? One strike on the road to prison? A permanent record of racist behavior causing the child to be forever banned from politics/public office/social service?

How about, if these things have long-term ramifications, we try to remember these are small children who are learning about their world and the culture they live in? Instead of looking for some punitive permanent record, you try to educate them. Answer their questions, give them exposure to plenty of different people. That's assuming they are actually racist or homophobic, but this kid's question was legitimate (if unwanted) and showed he had a grasp of the actual reason the child was "brown". Maybe he guessed wrong and the kid's ancestry was Indian, but so what? Kids can't always find the right words or most diplomatic way to ask a question, but that doesn't make them malicious.

[malq]

What exactly does this admission cause to happen? Detention? Counselling? One strike on the road to prison? A permanent record of racist behavior causing the child to be forever banned from politics/public office/social service?

How about, if these things have long-term ramifications, we try to remember these are small children who are learning about their world and the culture they live in? Instead of looking for some punitive permanent record, you try to educate them. Answer their questions, give them exposure to plenty of different people. That's assuming they are actually racist or homophobic, but this kid's question was legitimate (if unwanted) and showed he had a grasp of the actual reason the child was "brown". Maybe he guessed wrong and the kid's ancestry was Indian, but so what? Kids can't always find the right words or most diplomatic way to ask a question, but that doesn't make them malicious.

Homophobic! That has to be the dumbest term ever. I had to look up 'homophobic' and this is what the internets said:

Fear of or contempt for lesbians and gay men.

I know what fear means cause that's what makes twerps piss their pants when I'm in the room. But I looked up 'contempt' and it said:

The feeling or attitude of regarding someone or something as inferior.

So, then I looked up 'inferior' and it said:

Lower in place, rank, value, excellence, etc
So, here is the definition of homophobic, translated into normal fuckin' words:

Fear of or the feeling or attitude of regarding someone or something as lower in place, rank, value excellence, etc.