Teacher accused son of racism

[Claireabella1]

Ive been a long time lurker but posted about something else earlier this week and really appreciated the advice I got, so here I go again. I received a call today from my son's school. It was the mentor for his year telling me that my son and another child had been placed in isolation for making racist comments towards a teacher and she was investigating. She said next step was to talk to all children in the class and also two other members of staff in the classroom at the time. I asked her what comment was made and it was vile. She told me my son was very upset and I knew in my gut he didn't do this, but was willing to listen and asked her to update me. She did (within half an hour) all children in class and the two other adults agreed what my son said was relevant and not racist (history class, talking about the plague, teacher called it 'black death' and DS said he'd heard of that, it killed lots of people) for context, hes12. Other member of staff said he took the comment as part of relevant classroom discussion. Mentor sounded embarrassed when she relayed this to me and apologised a lot, she admitted no racist comments had been made by anyone (DS air the other boy) she said teacher was confused and stressed. I asked if teacher would apologise to my DS and mentor said yes. She hasn't apologised and I'm fucking reeling. I think racism is a serious allegation and you can't just accuse someone of racism and then say 'whoops'I was stressed. I'm also worried that because they had to speak to the other children in the class things might become outrageous as they do in high school and my DS may suffer some backlash he doesn't deserve. I'm honestly fuming, he's the loveliest boy and has been through so much, this is so unfair to him.

[KoalaD]

then the words 'Black Death' were used, possibly by Op's son. The teacher picked up on 'Black',

No. The OP says in one of her posts that the teacher uses the phrase 'Black Death' first.

[Pagwatch]

I'm really not sure why the 'vile comment' ha to be referred to a such.

What was the child supposed to have said. Is there any reason why a bunch of adults can't be told what it is?

I fucking loathe disablist language but if I'm arguing about whether fucktard is acceptable or not I'm going to write the word.

Can we be grown up and cope with a phrase typed on the internet in the persuit of clarity?

[PlipPlopPlip]

IME schools these days are fanatical about racism. Its like Mao brainwashing in primary schools with all the PC stuff.

Children can curse and swear at the teachers and each other however, and its a couple of raised eyebrows.

I agree with the OP the school should not be branding children racist for the most tenous (or even non-existent) reasons but this is commonplace now. Its disgusting in my view. All part of the liberal thought police in this country now.

[Grumpyteens]

OP is the teacher black?

[Pagwatch]

Liberal thought police and PC and it's not even lunchtime.

Excellent

[Mittens1969]

It’s possible the teacher has had to cope with a number of racist comments at the school and outside school so misunderstood what OP’d son said and completely flipped out. That would seem to be a possibility in view of the OP being told that she was stressed.

[KoalaD]

The OP says her DS was accused of 'making racist comments towards the teacher'.

From that, I'd assume the teacher is not white.

[Grumpyteens]

Hmm..but the teacher could be white and the OP’s son black. Perhaps when the teacher said ‘Black death’, that’s when OP’s son then made the alleged vile comment? Who knows....

[KoalaD]

It’s possible the teacher has had to cope with a number of racist comments at the school and outside school so misunderstood what OP’d son said and completely flipped out.

That is what I'm gathering, too. I am guessing it was something like this:

• teacher is talking about the Plague, and mentions that it's also called the Black Death
  

• OP's DS says something about a lot of people dying from the Black Death
  

• teacher, who is black and possibly hyper-sensitive due to something that's happened to her recently, mishears and thinks he's made a 'vile' racist comment
  

• teacher has knee-jerk reaction and puts DD's son in exclusion (inclusion?)
  

• upon investigation, all the other people present confirm that OP's son said something completely different (and non-racist)
  

• teacher comes to embarrassing realisation that she's screwed up.

[MulberryMoon]

Yes, sounds likely

[Thymeout]

Yes - I'm wondering why there were 2 other teachers in the room. She may be having problems and either needs support or observation.

[Bobbybobbins]

One of my students accused me of being racist once - I had asked him to stop talking over me. I took it very seriously - he was sent out to sit with my HOD then I had a long discussion with him about throwing those accusations around and he apologised. Therefore I would expect the teacher to extend the same courtesy to the OP's son as she has clearly made a mistake, for whatever reason.

[Nazdarovye]

Am I the only one who doesn't understand what happened? How is that discussion about the Black Death in any way racist? The mind boggles.
That teacher is mental. Go to school and question his sanity.
What race is the teacher btw?

[downthestrada]

None of this makes any sense. OP says:

(history class, talking about the plague, teacher called it 'black death' and DS said he'd heard of that, it killed lots of people)

So, the teacher called it the black death not the DS. What exactly did he say? It's absolutely impossible to tell what's going on.

Since it's impossible to tell what's going on, I'm not sure I can muster any rage at the school. Weird post.

[KoalaD]

Interesting, Roly

[Claireabella1]

I didn't mean to upset anyone with this post, btw. Genuinely sorry if that's the case.

I've emailed mentor but not heard back.

What's your point, Roly? Yes, my daughter got into trouble at school for saying lesbian when she was in primary. What's it got to do with this? Or are you suggesting I'm making it up? Because I'm really fucking not.

[Claireabella1]

Clavinova, I suspect you're right and that's what happened, I just need to get to the bottom of it. My main concerns are it remaining on his record and that he may be seen as something he isn't by his peers.

[MipMipMip]

As I understood it the initial allegation was that two comments were made, one of them vile. I suspect the teacher was telling someone about it so said the first one she misheard and continued "And THEN he said ...[vile comment]" Exaggerating basically. Of course, I could be completely wrong.

[Claireabella1]

MipMipMip that's right only she didn't mishear the first comment she just added the second comment which, after some investigation turned out to be false.

[BertrandRussell]

Why en't you say what the vile comment was, OP?

[Claireabella1]

Zzzzz he received a sanction (time in isolation) before it was looked into.