I've name changed as I'm so upset with myself and ashamed. I feel as if I've messed up completely.
I sit on a committee that allocates grants. I've met with hundreds of organisations in the last 5 years and there have been no problems.
Yesterday we met with a group who offer clubs to a particular ethnic group. The lady said that the group were trying to integrate children into British society. She said these children only went to schools aimed at their community, their parents wouldn't allow them to go to normal activities for cultural reasons and they weren't allowed to mix with other children not of their community. Her group offers weekend and after school activities but ONLY to children from this particular community.
I questioned how this would help children integrate and she became defensive. I then said "I'll be honest with you, I don't really like groups that cater to only one sector of society whether they be for example special needs, afro carribean, white or Asian". She became even more defensive and perhaps sensibly my colleague took over the questioning.
Afterwards I got ripped into by my colleagues. The woman has now written to my senior manager accusing me of acting like a member of the BNP, being racist, delibrately degrading and humiliating her and a host of other things.
I wrote and apologised last night as did feel I'd expressed myself badly and there had been misunderstandings on both sides. I offered to visit the scheme to learn more about it in my own time but she's emiled back saying I'd only upset the children and again accusing me of being a closet member of the bnp.
Feeling so angry with myself but also with hr. I've made it clear I'll stand aside from any further disucssion relating to her bid and ask colleagues to disregard my qeustions and comments yesterday in their considerations.
I've never done this before. I don't know what came over me, I'm crying buckets even now. It was just not me.
Probably worst place to post this, come and have a poke at me as well
Please or to access all these features
Please
or
to access all these features
AIBU?
To say I don't like community groups to delibrately segregate people?
41 replies
helpmegetthisrightplease · 12/06/2009 12:25
OP posts:
Please create an account
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.