Genuinely don't know if I am being over sensitive and want to hear your views. I name changed because this will identify me to anyone who knows me. (don't mind if people I know see this and I will discuss in RL but some of my other threads/responses are a different matter!)
I live in an area where people are very careful about racism/sexism/homophobia etc. It is one of the reasons we chose to live here, multicultural and positive attitude to different ways of life.
Last year my DD came home refusing to take part in the Nativity play at school because it was racist. I asked for a copy if the script and it featured '3 Rastas" instead of 3 wise men (amongst others 'hilarious' adaptations), with comedy dreadlocks and Jamaican accents. They brought coconuts, jerk chicken and a bob Marley CD to baby Jesus. The parts were played by 3 white children and no one else seemed to have any problem with it. I asked the teacher organising and was told it wasn't racist so we just took our daughter out for the days of the play and ignored it.
Yesterday in the town square there was a woman (white middle aged hippy-type clothing) busking singing Bob Marley covers in a cod Jamaican accent. I found it really surprising that when I mentioned it to 2 friends I was with, the saw no problem with it. I asked them they would view it if it was an Indian or Chinese accent and they said that was different but shrugged and laughed when I asked why? (very lighthearted conversation they weren't being unpleasant)
I am genuinely not sure if I am missing something/being over sensitive because I spent my childhood between Jamaica and the Uk and have many Jamaican relatives who are diverse and fantastic people or whether there is an acceptance of racism (certainly not any form of attack or degradation - just a reinforcement of cultural stereotypes and oversimplification of a rich and diverse culture) against some groups and not others.
Sorry if this is ramble - I've been up half then night with a very elderly poorly relative and am probably over thinking things!
AIBU?
AIBU to think that this is racist?
usainboltsleotard · 15/10/2017 09:16
It's weird. I was prepared to say 'let it go' but actually it's inappropriate. If the school had a significant number of students of Jamaican/African-Caribbean background, it still wouldn't make sense. I don't see this particular nativity as a celebration of the African Caribbean culture at all. It's sailing close the wind, racism-wise.
I'm a white first generation American whose family came from Czechoslovakia and Eastern Germany. I wouldn't want to sit through a production or be part of a production where the students would be putting on mock German accents, pushing the butch Germanic woman with hairy armpits onto centre stage, goosestepping (they always slip that in there), making iron curtain jokes, stuffing cabbages down their lederhosen, or doing anything that fed into the stereotype of my family's culture. My mother is Irish and I loathe it when people (especially at home in the States) assume that she grew up with leprechauns and green beer!
What your child's school is doing is dumbing down and inadvertently mocking a culture, not celebrating it. I say inadvertently because the staff obviously has no insight into their decision.
Don't get me started on the Nativity itself. Either do the Nativity as it is or do something else. I can't stand these 'themed' Nativities. If they want to soften the religious overtones of the Nativity then perform Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer or something of that ilk. Funnily enough, I am not a particularly religious person anymore, but to me, the Baby Jesus is the Baby Jesus. No bells and whistles please. That's a whole other thread.
Phew. There's my Sunday morning rant, OP. 
Stand out bit of your OP. - your DD could see the Nativity as dodgy. And decide not to participate. 
parenting
Thanks for the rant 
And all the opinions. It's v interesting that so far seems to be fairly unanimous in here that it's a bit dodgy but no one else at school thought so - food for thought.
DD had picked up on the fact that I slip into a string accent and speak patois with my close Jamaican family/friends (the way I spoke growing up) but have a northern English accent the rest of the time. She's seen me refuse to 'do the accent' as a party trick and explain why it's not ok so I think that's why she felt so strongly.
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I asked for a copy if the script and it featured '3 Rastas" instead of 3 wise men (amongst others 'hilarious' adaptations), with comedy dreadlocks and Jamaican accents. They brought coconuts, jerk chicken and a bob Marley CD to baby Jesus. The parts were played by 3 white children and no one else seemed to have any problem with it
That is appalling 
Careful OP, there's a strong element of racism denial on MN 
I'm surprised no one has told you you're a) over sensitive and b) have a chip on your shoulder. That's Mumsnet Racism 101.
Of course it's racist to stereotype and imitate Jamaican people. You can't even argue that it's a ham fisted attempt at being inclusive - it's clearly supposed to be a joke and being Jamaican IS the joke.
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