Scout leader made a very dodgy remark... should I report him?

[MiniPharm]

My DD went on a 2-night scout camp at the weekend. Part of the weekend was swimming at our local leisure centre.

She told me that, on the way to swimming, the Scout leader was telling them all how to behave (fine). Then he said to the only Black kid scout, to 'make sure he had a long shower after swimming because otherwise he might end up looking like a ghost'.

I asked my DD if he meant it as a joke but she's sure he didn't. The kid just looked confused, apparently

Was he out of order? Racist? I think he was but I need to know if IABU and should I say anything...?

I equally don't understand the comment..My DS is often singled out in terms of been reminded to do things with cubs ( he needs it)

It has nothing to do with skin colour he needs it

So with her say from a half listening child excited about camp with no context I would say leave alone.

If you are worried about the comment then ask the Scout Leader or the GSL as previously mentioned. I can assure you if there is a problem it will be dealt with swiftly. The last thing a Scout Group need is gossip.

"But please do value your Scout leaders, as they are doing all this work out of kindness and are not paid."

I'm sorry, but it's comment like these that allow racism to continue.

Paid or unpaid, there is no place for racist remarks in our society.

hurtle it was not my comment you quoted but I'd still like to chip in because I feel so strongly about this.

No one is suggesting that being unpaid makes it okay to be racist (or discriminatory in any way). Volunteers have to abide by the same standards/rules/expectations as commercial organisations; this is certainly upheld by the Girlguiding movement and I'm certain by Scouts too as PPs have explained - and so they should.

However, where it seems to me there is a difference is that in a paid role - let's say teacher, which is quite a close parallel in this case - you accept from the outset that you are particularly subject to scrutiny and at risk of all kinds of accusations based around everything you say and do. That is part of the job, part of the environment you and everyone around you are based in, and the career pays your mortgage and supports your lifestyle. That's the payoff.

As a volunteer with Scouts/Guides etc, WHY would anyone continue to give their time and effort when that payoff doesn't exist, but the risks of having every comment analysed and reported are still there to the same degree? People come to the conclusion that it's just simpler not to do it. Evident, clear-cut racism should be dealt with just the same as it would be anywhere else but it's taken us five pages of discussion to consider what this remark may or may not mean, and on the strength of this some people want to condemn this man for something he does in his spare time, for nothing, to benefit young people

That's not apologism for racism and it is not the kind of thing that allows racism to continue in our society, IMHO.

Just talk to the child's mother. It's not difficult.