School overreacted ?

I made an earlier point that I didn't think the poo comment was intentionally racist (though should still be punished).

My separate point was that a 7 yo should have some understanding of racism.

Completely agree with @BandicootCrash . Small children tend to be colour blind unless they have been taught about racism or exposed to it. At age 7 I would have noticed another child looking different to me, I would have been aware that their ethnic origins were from a different land but I would not have considered them lesser or greater than me anymore than I would have a child with a different accent or different eye colour. As I got older I became aware that one of my parents was a racist and said some quite horrific things about people of colour but I don't think I was aware until quite a bit older. However the 80s were a different time, children were less sophisticated then.

Yet another patronising response.

I assume most parents educate their children about such matters at the times they feel is appropriate or see it is necessary. My son’s school friends include children from Black and Asian backgrounds. I have developed great friendships with the parents of his friends and we spend lots of time together with or without the children. There have been no issues with racism, my son has never mentioned anything about skin colour, in fact, the only issues that we have ever had to deal with is far too much playfighting amongst the boys and football rivalry (my son didn’t even like football until he started school - he just wants to fit in with his friends). I am certainly not going to instigate conversations about race with my son and create issues that so far don’t exist within his friendship group. They are all great kids and my son is lucky to have such great friends.

My son is 6. If I don’t start teaching my son about racism by time he is 7 you said you would judge me as a parent. I don’t feel like it is my place to start discussing the skin colour of his friends without it being necessary. I am sure he has noticed, but as he has never mentioned it to me, I assume it is of no relevance to him. What is wrong with that?

She said he was “isolated from his class for two days” which I took to mean excluded from the classroom. I guess we won’t know exactly what it was unless OP comes back to explain.

But even two days with no breaks seems excessive.

My DS told another child he couldn’t join in a game because he had black skin - obviously completely unacceptable. He had to go to the HT who explained quite clearly why it was such a bad thing to say and how important it was it never happened again and that was the end of it as far as the school was concerned (obviously I had some conversations with him at home!). And our school is known to be quite strict. I can’t see that a more severe punishment for a single incident of unintentional racism serves any useful purpose. At that age the important thing is that they have an appreciation of what racism is and the significance and consequences of the words they use - the conversation is much more valuable than a punishment.

This is incredibly OTT. Yes kids should be taught about racism but I very much doubt most 6/7 year old, even if they have been told all about the prejudices other races suffer and Rosa Parks etc, would make the mental connection that calling a black kid 'poo' could be seen as racist.

My DN is also (just) 7 and goes to a very multicultural inner city school. His class is majority ethnic minority and he has friends whose heritage is Jamaican, Somali, Pakistani and Indian as well as various Eastern European countries. He himself is half traveller! My sister has had quite a few conversations about race, religion etc with him to make sure that he doesn't inadvertently say something offensive and understands, but guess what? At his recent birthday party the kids were all running around, getting overexcited and winding each other up as kids of that age often do (yes, even the ones who seem 'mature' and intelligent in any other setting...) calling each other poohead, bumface, silly willy etc etc. No differentiation between the races of those shouting the names and those on the receiving end. I get why teachers need to discipline such behaviour in a school setting but calling it racism? And such a harsh punishment? Really??

BTW for those PP who seem convinced that the OP's DS must have previous form of some sort, this doesn't sound to me like the kind of school who wouldn't raise that if it were true!

He wasn't excluded from the class room at all let alone for two days as far as the OP has told anyone. And that wouldn't be appropriate. He was in isolation. Which likely means lunch or play breaks. But children need to learn how hurtful their words can be to other minorities.

It's not for me to comment on appropriate punishment for children who's words and actions have been seen as racist, by the child they were aimed at. I've been subjected to racism all my life. And in turn my children have. Many people don't realise they are doing it. Ignorance is bliss.

What was worrying was a group of 6 year olds daring each other to call the older boys rude names which is what the original poster said. The original post didn’t say that they were all saying ‘poo’.

@Vivi0 Because we have a responsibility to educate our children.

He wasn't excluded. Op says he was "isolated" from his classmates, which, as this is primary school, I imagine means he wasn't allowed to play with his partners in crime at breaktimes.
Not that he spent two days alone in the Chokey.

Anything that makes us all step back and re assess the language we use towards others should be seen as a good thing. It's a learning lesson for your son OP. He now knows that sometimes we can upset people without realising the confirmations in our words. I don't think your child is racist, and in the future he will probably re consider how his words could be upsetting others and now knows a bit of the reasoning behind it.

Do you actually think a two day classroom exclusion is appropriate for an action which you you don’t actually think is intentionally racist?

Yes absolutely it should be an opportunity to learn but a 2 day exclusion seems way OTT for a young child using a very common mild taunt in a way that could be construed as racist.

Why?

Personally I would (to use a Mumsnet term) "judge" the parent of a 7 year old who didn't know about racism.

Don't patronise me. My response was very clearly to someone who was surprised that a 7 year old wouldn’t know much about racsism. Nothing more, nothing less.

But you do realise that many 6 and 7 year old children from Asian or Black backgrounds don't have the luxury of not knowing a huge amount about racism?

What's any of this fit to do with poo? Am I completely missing something? Isn't poo something kids especially boys just call people randomly? How is it racist? Is it a known racist thing? What about 'poopy pants' or 'big stinky poo-bum'?

Why doesn't he know about racism? I think my DD was 4 when she asked what a Black Live Matter sign meant

This is why I love Mumsnet. Someone’s always got to better the Fonz.

That’s nothing, when 2yo mine read Gone With The Wind, was absolutely appalled and promptly submitted a well composed essay to a National paper re the evils of racism. 4yo is really so very late to be having such in-depth discussions with parents and peers on racism!

I hope so. Are you telling us that they don't?

Yes, it was very clear. I read it differently to you, though, apparently.

I thought her OP was pretty clear. She certainly clarified very earlyin the thread.

Well, this is what op said in her original post -
On the playground daring each other to call the big kids rude words
so I interpreted it differently. If op intended it differently maybe she should have phrased it differently?

I’m going by what OP said earlier in the thread which was:

Literally shouting one word, not as part of a sentence. Other words used were willy and bum, apparently.

By 7 dc are certainly picking up racist messages from society, and I'd expect them to understand that there re some insults that are more hurtful than others. Definitely time to talk about racism if you haven't already.

My guess is that the school has picked up a racist undertone around, that this particular child is being subject to being called a "poo" more that children if other ethnicities.

Ultimately, he did it, and they followed the behaviour policy. I'm certain he will now understand that certain insults in certain contexts are more serious.

Ott. I’m mid 40s, did not know that could be a racism term. How is a child supposed to know this?

I'm sorry that you had this experience.

However to say that 6 year olds using 'poo' as an insult is worrying is just utterly barmy.

"You stupid poo-head" is one of the most common insults that kids use.

Where on Earth do you teach, if this isn't common in your classroom?!

They weren't just shouting rude words, though. They were calling the older kid's rude things, which is slightly different. "You're a xxx" is a deliberate insult.
Op's kid knows this now 🤷🏻‍♀️