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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that the school logo is not very inclusive?

187 replies

weakestlink · 04/09/2011 13:23

We have been looking at all the local primary schools as DS2 may be on the Autistic Spectrum and he may not get all the support he needs at the school we originally chose for him.

We have found a really lovely primary for him which has a really positive attitude to SEN and has a Good Ofsted report as well.

BUT DH is really not keen on the schools logo which appears everywhere, in colour, including on sweatshirts, polo shirts, book bags etc.

The logo is of two parents and a child reading a book. The bodies of the people are in blue/green but the heads (just ovals no features) are all white/pale beige colour. DH is black and says he is a bit Hmm about the logo and it would have been better if they had kept the heads the same colours as the bodies (blue & green) rather than putting a white family on the logo.

Is he being over-sensitive? I am white and we live in a mainly white, rural area.

I do always notice that the local Sure Start Newsletter is filled with photos of a wide range of ethnicities so they have obviously made a real effort to do that.

What do you think?

OP posts:
Original poster
weakestlink · 04/09/2011 13:59

Uniform is navy but because it's a massive logo across the whole front in that iron on type stuff in a big circle any colour can be used IYSWIM?

There is nothing I have seen that makes me think the school won't be inclusive - will look at books in the library though thanks for the tip!

DS will probably be the only non-White child in the school or at least one of only a handful whichever school we choose...

OP posts:
Claw3 · 04/09/2011 14:00

I said i DIDNT think yellow figure must equal Chinese family. My point being i wouldnt think green/blue/beige must equal white family.

Empusa · 04/09/2011 14:01

weakest A dark colour against navy will, from a distance, not be visible. So making one of them darker, would actually make one of them look like they didn't have a head. Which would be a bit of a strange logo. Grin

ShirleyKnot · 04/09/2011 14:01

Whatever. Hmm

MissTinaTeaspoon · 04/09/2011 14:02

But you do clearly think yellow face = Chinese, whether that bothers you or not, you still make that connection.

magicmelons · 04/09/2011 14:03

Is your DH perhaps being sensitive because you are the only mixed race family? Perhaps reading a little too much into it Or not? perhaps its not the school for you if there aren't other families your dh feels he can identify with. Just because it ticks all the other boxes perhaps he feels he should feel ok with it but still isn't comfortable?

halcyondays · 04/09/2011 14:05

He's being over sensitive. The important thing is that your son gets the support he needs.

Claw3 · 04/09/2011 14:05

I was making the comparsion for this thread. OP's dh saw beige oval and thought white family, i was saying i WOULDNT make the comparsion.

Original poster
weakestlink · 04/09/2011 14:05

I think DH is being oversensitive too. May be linked to unfortunate incident last week when he took DC to park and two girls (aged 10/12ish) apparently would not believe the DC belonged to DH since they were too White Hmm Did explain to him only kids etc but think he was a little hurt!

OP posts:
MumblingRagDoll · 04/09/2011 14:07

I think claw that Chinese people don't like being called yellow. Its a bit like saying paki.

blackeyedsusan · 04/09/2011 14:07

I am surprised. schools are generally very good about these things.

MrsRhettButler · 04/09/2011 14:08

Tbf if it were an inner city school he'd have a point but it's not and if you live in a predominantly White area then there are certain things that while they don't appear to be inclusive probably doesn't mean that they are not willing to include just the fact that it's not an issue usually.

Did that make sense at all? Blush

Crosshair · 04/09/2011 14:08

I dont like being called beige, mainly because its true. :o

MumblingRagDoll · 04/09/2011 14:09

But Mrs Rhett its not fair then is it? If only inner city people get these little details thought of, then it's just not fair.

Original poster
weakestlink · 04/09/2011 14:12

For the record he does suggest black ppl on the jumper but green or blue - also a bit Hmm and whoever asked no they don't have hair - maybe to keep them asexual?

OP posts:
Claw3 · 04/09/2011 14:12

For crying out loud, i was talking about sterotypes and comparing this to the OP's dh thinking. It would not enter my head that beige on a logo would = white family, black would = black family etc, etc, etc. I would just see a school logo.

magicmelons · 04/09/2011 14:12

I can understand that it must be hard for your DH given the circumstances but if you live in a predominantly white area i would imagine that perhaps you've chosen a very good school in that they have made an effort to make the faces blank.If youu don't have the choice of a more multi racial school i would choose the one that is best for ds's needs and then as others say become a parent governor and become very active in the school in order to help shape the ethos.

Just for comparison and i know it doesn't change your situation but friend has been told that the school that she sends her dd to would not be suitable for her autistic ds who has been deemed perfectly fine to go to mainstream, her dd is very happy there and she lives just down the road but now she has to drive him to a school 6 miles away.

MrsRhettButler · 04/09/2011 14:14

Weakestlink, my dd is very light and definitely not as dark as dp and I were expecting she actually came out looking like a little Chinese dolly :)

Dp is quite dark and a lot of people assume he's not her father (even though she looks just like him but people see colour not features)

I once straightened her hair (as a one off and just for fun) and dp said he didn't want to take her out alone because it would look like he'd just stolen somebody's White child! Grin

So I understand how he feels and it's hard to be in a minority but I think he should pick his battles or he will get known as that person who always pulls the race card.

MumblingRagDoll · 04/09/2011 14:16

Yes magic...that has also happened to a friend of mine but she's just glad she's got a suitable school.

OP I personally see your DHs issues....but I also think that he needs to pick his fights.

Easy for me to say..I'm white but I'm also a woman and know a thing or two about unequal opportunities and shitty representation in media.

I tink he should join the PTA along with you...get IN there...change it from the inside.

Crosshair · 04/09/2011 14:17

i was talking about sterotypes and comparing this to the OP's dh thinking. It would not enter my head that beige on a logo would = white family, black would = black family etc, etc, etc.

I might make the connection, I dont think its a bad thing and wouldnt make me think anymore or less of said logo.

KaFayOLay · 04/09/2011 14:18

I can just imagine the conversation to come in a number of years time ....

"Dad, why do I go to X school, when Y school is better/closer/etc".
"Because Y school has a great logo of course" Wink.

He could go down as they only man in history to choose a school for its logo and not its academic record Grin.

MrsRhettButler · 04/09/2011 14:18

Well sort of mumbling but I think it IS a bit silly for a school full of White people to have black people on the logo. It would look a bit try hard tbh.

I don't know, I just think there's a difference between blatant exclusion and something that's probably never been an issue. Confused

ChunkyPickle · 04/09/2011 14:20

Mumbling, it's not fair because asians make up a larger percentage of the small percentage of people in this country who aren't of white, european ancencestry.

Who's to say that that isn't a mixed race family on the logo? European and Japanese (very similar skin tones). I think YDH IDBU because not everyone who's white is of the same ethnicity, and not everyone who's not white is black, so to feel that it's not inclusive merely because there's not a black face is bordering on offensive

And I have been in the vast majority in some places I live, and the idea that they should modify their advertising to include me is downright ridiculous.

ChunkyPickle · 04/09/2011 14:21

vast minority obviously...

caughtinanet · 04/09/2011 14:23

Is your DH always so sensitive? Why would he be "hurt" that the children in the park in an area that you have said is very white haven't come across mixed race families before?

The area I live in is pretty racially unmixed and whilst my DCs are aware of mixed race families it would be unusual for them to see one in the park and they might well pass a comment in the way that children do. It doesn't make them racist or hurtful, just children. They would notice a very tall/small/thin/fat person in the same way