for reporting my manager

[Jillyhere]

Advice very much appreciated. I work for an educational establishment. Last month we had a training session on managing students who mis-behave. My manager who i've always suspected was a racist made the following comments "the reason ethnic minorities hang around so much after class is because they know if they return home they will be forced to work in their shops". This was not said as a joke. Indeed, there were fifteen members of staff present, including someone who originated from the West Indies. This individual was rightly upset, hence, my decision to report the manager in question. The fact that he wasn't joking disturbs me even more.

I would like to ask those far clever than me whether or not I was correct in reporting this individual. Deep down, I know this statement is wrong. However, I find myself questioning myself. I'm afraid I am new on here, butr can assure you my concerns are very much genuine. If the matter is dismissed, who can I go to?

Reported to who?

Did no one challenge this statement at the time?

It is a nasty snidey and ignorant comment.

The person who said it probably worded it like that to try and minimise the impact of it in their tiny mind, but no, YANBU at all I would have reported it as well.

Thanks for answering. I went through the whistle blowing procedure. I was even more shocked when the person interviewing me asked me "now where would you like to go on this". No one said a thing. I was just stunned.

Thats just it though. I don't think it was meant to be snidey. I think the individual really believed it.

May be true for some of the pupils. He may have priviledged information. Ffs.

Good grief Jilly. That's just astonishing.

Maybe an equality and diversity training session might be in order?

fair comment. We have French, German, American students, oh, and Asian students. I will not mention on here who I think this individual was referring to. If he provides evidence, then fair enough.

A friend of mine had huge problems at their secondary school with some children from different families but the same cultural background missing school to work in the family shops. It became a real issue. The parents didn't value the children's education - school was just what kept them occupied when they weren't needed in the shop. So it could be true for some of the pupils.

So, he may have had privileged information about specific students, and it might be a particular problem that's playing on his mind/causing problems for him with the LA. He might actually be really pissed off with specific parents and feel really frustrated on behalf of the pupils.

But he shouldn't have generalised to all 'ethnic minorities' and he shouldn't have voiced his frustrations/opinions to an audience. That's disgraceful!

Of course he could just be an ignorant, racist bastard. Who knows.

Agree with solesource. You don't know if theres more to the story than you are aware of.

Thanks FolkGirl. Someone else said exactly what you have just said, word for word. It was the 'ethnic minorities' comment that did it.

Thanks Noqontrol.

Why don't you talk to him about it? Or do you not feel you could?

Its not a racist statement. Ethnic minorities do rely on their children to help with their business because its part of their culture.

My Sikh friend always bloody asks me if I had chips for tea. Shall I report him?

You cant say that for all ethnic minorities mynewpassion. It could be true for some people, but to make it into a sweeping statement would be a racist comment.

Can't see what is racist about children helping in a family business. It's a good thing.

Yes you should report him solesource. An outrageous generalisation from your friend. Unless of course he's witnessed you stuffing your face with chips every day

I speak with some professional experience in the sector and I think you were totally wrong to raise a complaint via the whistle blowing procedure. If you raised a complaint at all it should have been through the grievance procedure. Under that procedure in the first instance you should have challenged the person - he may have provided evidence. If you felt you couldn't or were disatisfied with the response you should have mentioned it to the person's line manager and you should have let them deal with it. If you felt they weren't dealing with it you could have raised it formally via the grievance procedure.

It certainly was not a whistle blowing issue and you may have formed a perception without knowing all the facts. If there is privileged knowledge here, you most certainly have marked your card as a vexatious complainant and have marked yourself out as an awkward customer by "whistle blowing" rather than first of all trying to deal with the matter in a collaborative and constructive manner. If I were you, I would keep your head down for a while and try not to make too many complaints unless you are very sure of your ground.

So every child he teaches from an "ethnic minority" has parents who own shops....there must be a lot of shops near you. I don't think it needed reporting as a racist incident as he just made himself look like an ignorant knob person. If he had said something like all the ethnic minority kids are on drugs, are poor, are stupid or something derogarotary it would have been offensive.

Most Indian "ethnic minority" parents are proud of the fact their kids help in the family business as it means they aren't hanging about on the street and the parents are installing a work ethic in them.
But a pat on the back for having the balls to stick up for the students.

One of the reasons the legislation was brought in regarding 'children' working was due to family business commitments and 'exploitation' of children by families.

Below is legislation.

Term time
During term time children may work a maximum of 12 hours per week. This includes:
a maximum of two hours on school days and Sundays
a maximum of five hours on Saturdays for 13 to 14 year olds, or eight hours for 15 to 16 year olds

Maybe in the case of the manager, he does see only ethnic minorities who have their children working in their businesses. I only see ethnic minorities who do it because their belief is that they all must contribute to insure that the business survives. They are small time businesses who needs all hands on deck.

There's nothing wrong with it. Its just a statement of fact from what I see.

No, I would not report him - just because he did not identify which ethnic minority, does not necessarily make what he said untrue or racist. In fact it is true for some of my students, they are expected to work as soon as they get home. However, if I did think it was inappropriate (as context is everything) I would have challenged him then and there. If he made frequent racist remarks (am not convinced this is) then I and other colleagues would report him without hesitation.

Does this really "disturb" you?

I find it more disturbing that you work for an educational establishment.

Oh i don't necessarily think theres anything wrong with it mynewpassion. It depends on the individual family. Theres a shop near me that opens all hours (white british) and all hands are on deck. On the one hand i admire them for doing what they do, on the other hand I think its pretty hard on the younger ones who are awake in the back of the shop until 11pm at night every night. But thats a different thread and nowt to do with sweeping generalisations about race.