To think that whilst DS' comment was wrong it was not racist?

[HaHaLOL]

DS is in year 7. An Indian girl was talking very quickly in English to him and being silly. He said "stop talking flippin' Hindu".

Today we've had a letter saying he has been given a Senior Staff Detention, in big bold letters - "for making a racist comment". He told me he had to write a letter to her and her parents (don't have a problem with this at all). This is all because the parents have made a complaint against him.

Now he has a fiery temper and we can imagine him saying sth like that out of anger/frustration. DH is sure it's not actually a racist comment and thinks it's like saying to someone "stop speaking double Dutch" and he thinks its PC gone mad.

DS' head of year told him today that his comment will go to the local council and be recorded in a "racist comments" book. Is this true?! Surely she wouldn't have made it up!

I would add that DH's best two best friends are Chinese and Indian. We lived in Asia for a year. DS went to a huge international school. He would have had more nationalities in his class than the whole of our town I would imagine. His best friends were Japanese, Korean, American and English. For 2 years DS has been learning Mandarin. I cannot imagine a more culturally aware 11 year old among his peers.

DH wants to write to the Head to challenge the racism angle, particularly if it's gone down in some record at the council.

I hope this post doesn't offend anyone. I just want to get some other views, please.

Thank you.

No, of course it doesn't stay on record and get brought up at uni interviews! Schools follow data protection laws and there would be very limited circumstances in which they would transfer info from a pupil record. All unis have from the school is the reference.

OP, I'm a bit on the fence as to whether your boy made an intentionally racist remark.

But playing the "I have Ethnic Friends" card, always makes someone sound a bit daft.

If he said 'stop talking flippin woman' would it be sexist?

You bet!

And if a parent complains and speaks to the headmaster about it, is that information also added to some sort of record?

soloman but upthread someone said it did happen at a uni interview.

SolomanDaisy, if a pupil changes school is the pupil's record shown to the new headmaster etc.

Ironically, the fact that your DS has had an international education could mean he didn't realise he was saying something wrong and as kids do, just blurted it out. In international schools, kids are actually very open about their cultural differences and different actions often cause confusion.

Your DS is not a racist. He is a child who is still learning the rules and said something without thinking. Writing a letter and an apology will teach him a lesson. Marking him for life would be totally over the top.

you seem a little over invested in this claig?

Gary posted it

"GaryTheTankEngine Tue 25-Nov-14 17:27:46

These kind of incidents are reported. I have worked in a school and if we heard a student make a comment like your son's we would be obliged to report it. Obviously we used our discretion, but if it was reported by us, it stays on that child's file.

One of my friends at high school had to defend herself to the uni she was applying to because of a racist comment she had made months earlier - she nearly lost her place."

I mean different ACCENTS

'you seem a little over invested in this claig?'

Because I believe in people's rights against the rights of the State. That is why I don't like Labour and am pleased that the Coalition made these reports no longer an obligation or legal duty. I don't like Big Brother or Kafkaesque reporting systems.

But Gary is train driver in real life - you know what he says isn't the law? Yes?

And if a 17 year old makes a racist comment noteworthy enough to be included in a university reference I'm not surprised she was expected to explain herself before getting a place. Quite right.

Agree with Craig on this.

Claig, sorry :)

The recommendation is to keep the info for about seven years after a pupil leaves. I'm not sure what info from the file would go to a new school.

're the previous poster, I have absolutely no idea how the uni could have known about a comment she had made months earlier. Not from the school.

Inappropriate not racist, if it was my son no way would he be writing a letter of apology

I don't think it's racist at all, ignorant due to a lack of maturity, yes he is 11, but still a child. A detention and the letter writing would be fine, reporting a child to the local council way heavy. If it's reported to the lical council, is anything done. I would've if it would impact on ds career or job choice?

Haha maybe you should take a look at yourself as well since you don't seem to understand what was racist about this. Your child has had international experiences above all and really should know better.
You have absolutely no leg to stand on writing letters and getting angry when your son was at fault. He may not be racist but comments like these May make him into one especially with you not understanding why.

I am half Armenian and my mum is from Cyprus, you should see how fast we speak

Has anyone actual yes asked him why he said it? As in why he chose that particular form of words.

It was a daft thing to say under pretty much any circumstances, and clearly the girl felt suitably upset to tell her parents.

I would ask the school to clarify the impact of his remark upon his educational record though.

Yes I would challenge the reporting to local council, that's not on, he is a child fgs.

It sounds like a racist comment.

I'm quite shocked that you would think otherwise tbh

Racist and your reaction goes some way to explaining why he thinks its ok.

Wish there was an eye roll emocition