to think that the school logo is not very inclusive?

[weakestlink]

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 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?

I like how you have put that camdancer :)

The school sounds right for your DS's needs and that is the issue.

It's more about the subconsious ideas we send out rather than explicit racism. If the only time you see a black face is in a picture of a child starving then you start to associate the two things. Regardless of what is said, or meant. There are plenty of ways to provide some balance.

Weakestlink, I don't think your DH is being over sensitive. Not to send your son to a school that meets his needs would, IMO, be an over reaction, but to notice it and feel it doesn't represent his (or many other) families, is perfectly valid. I'm surprised that any school would choose this as a logo given how few children live in White, nuclear families. I think he should tell the school how it made him feel - they've probably not thought about it. Hope your DS settles in well.

Cocoflower -

You seem to be going out of your way to misunderstand. In some schools where the population is largely white the norm is for books about white kids, posters featuring white kids and a single set of cultural norms etc... Actually, the norm in most picture books is for stories about middle class white kids.... Schools that are more inclusive think about reflecting all kinds of families in their materials - i.e. 'home' isn't always drawn as a house with a garden, it could be a flat in a high rise etc...

If you walk the halls looking for a picture of a black child you are most likely to find a picture of the child they are sponsoring, a red nose day appeal or some other charity focus. It it gives a very skewed picture.

No, Himayla Im going to have to say that is incorrect

Sorry but I have actually worked in many schools and what you think is not actually reality in modern schools at all.

More recently, DD has been reading a whole series of books from school featuring a black family.

Most schools are also twinned with another school with black pupils abroad somewhere are this involves visits and slide shows about this school giving a real and rounded view.

If your experience is as you describe you have seem to be very unfortunate with your school choice.

If it's any help, DD2's school logo is on this page - I don't identify myself with the 'parent figure', because the 'parent figure' is white faced, and my skin is peach. Seriously. But then I don't think I'm meant to think it's a picture of me...

Cocoflower I think Himalaya may have a point and as equally as you have classed her opinion as incorrect, she could equally say that maybe you are incorrect and your view is only based on your narrow field of experience.

I think this because as someone who has moved schools frequently in my life, I have found that it is all dependent on the type of area you live in.

Living in London, schools are so diverse and inclusive that I feel very comfortable that my mixed heritage child will not have too many problems in the future when it comes to feeling represented in her school.

However, having family with children who live in the west midlands, I think I would not feel as comfortable if I lived there too when it came to my child feeling represented in her school there IYSWIM.

I think it can completely depend on what type of city, town or area you live in, how multicultural the the area is and whether or not the school chooses to reflect this.

Maybe you are based in an area which is lucky enough to have schools that represent a multicultural society and Himalaya isn't.

Oh and actually I think the school logo the OP has described is not inclusive not only in regards race, but also when it comes to reflecting modern families generally.

Damned funniest OP I have ever read and that's saying something given some of the anal gravy that appears on the AIBU front page with depressing regularity!

"your view is only based on your narrow field of experience."

Stopped reading your post after this ridiculous and weird sentence

Oh lordy! OP really, you DP needs to stop looking to be "quietly offended" because I can guarantee none was meant - and in fact there is none there!

I am a single parent, should I be offended because there are 3 "parents" on the logo? It wouldn't cross my mind to take offence.

I think your DP needs to stop reading things into stuff that isnt there and get a tiny bit of a grip tbh