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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Teachers comment about 'concentration camp' (secondary school)

275 replies

JacobsAngel · 19/01/2018 23:34

A teacher at my child's school, known for their passive aggressive attitude (and boring lessons-relevant) made a comment to the class and said " you're not in a concentration camp" aibu to think this is inappropriate?

Apparently the class were unenthusiastic and unresponsive (and probably bored) to the way the lesson was being delivered so the teacher tried to, well not quite sure what they were trying to get the class to do by saying what they did as all they got back were confused looks and whispers.

My child wasn't the only one to say, after the class had dispersed, they felt it an inappropriate comment.

Ironically the class have been studying the Holocaust in a different subject class so are well aware of what a concentration camp was, hence the startled looks from some of the children and hushed comments.

Should something be said to the school or view it as a faux pas by a teacher who really should engage their brain before they open their mouth?

OP posts:
coconuttella · 23/01/2018 06:52

Also, I’m wondering whether cultural differences are playing a part in us totally not seeing where each other are coming from. ‘Janitor’ isn’t really a word someone in the U.K. would ever naturally use. Are you American?

Marriedwithchildren5 · 23/01/2018 06:53

Just want to say thankyou to the posters who have pm'd me.

You've used this line before Hmm

Piggywaspushed · 23/01/2018 07:09

I wondered that too coconut with janitor and kids but dinner ladies is British. I am guessing Scotland.

falang · 23/01/2018 07:27

Yes janitor is Scottish. Or Janny as we used to call them.

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 23/01/2018 07:36

Am now properly laughing at Falmer’s patronising “Still haven’t got it? Never mind, sleep on it.”

It clearly hasn’t occurred to you that the reason we haven’t got whatever obscure and fiendishly subtle point you think you’re making is not because we’re a bit thick but because you’re a bit shit at making points?

Sostenueto · 23/01/2018 09:39

Actually. I'm rather worried about the DC who were stunned (apparently) into silence? My dgds class would have quipped back a reply when they stopped laughing! ( or agreeing with teacher). Falmer think you think your clever. But I think that your not that clever going by your posts on here and the other thread your on. P.s does anyone really bother pm ing you? I can pm you if you like. Dear falmer, stop taking things literal and as sansa said to little finger......don't bother taking the last word, we will assume it would be something clever! Biscuit

Ansumpasty · 23/01/2018 09:40

This is why teachers are leaving the profession. Everything they say and do is picked apart.
Yes, they didn't think before they spoke but they're humans.

Sostenueto · 23/01/2018 09:43

Its all ridiculous Ansumpastry!

PigletWasPoohsFriend · 23/01/2018 10:28

It clearly hasn’t occurred to you that the reason we haven’t got whatever obscure and fiendishly subtle point you think you’re making is not because we’re a bit thick but because you’re a bit shit at making points?

^ this.

Falmer · 23/01/2018 11:06

Didn't know thanking posters for pm's was of such importance? Weird! Anyhow, I apologise for saying thick, maybe I should have said not too bright. For anyone who still doesn't get it, maybe ask your own kids seeing as the pupils in OP's dd's class understood. HTH, good luck.

PigletWasPoohsFriend · 23/01/2018 11:43

Didn't know thanking posters for pm's was of such importance?

Why exactly do you need to thank people on the forum surely you'd thank them in your PMs? unless you are attention seeking Strange.

I apologise for saying thick, maybe I should have said not too bright

Wrong again.

Beginning to think you are being deliberetly goady.

HTH

Falmer · 23/01/2018 13:22

In answer to your nosey question, I don't have a pc. I'm posting from a tablet and phone. Neither are working properly and keep sticking, but I can't afford to get them fixed or buy new ones at the moment. I managed to return one pm, but couldn't get the others through. Thought it would be polite to acknowledge on the threads rather than not at all. Next time this happens I will give an explanation with it. Okay Piglet?

coconuttella · 23/01/2018 13:59

For anyone who still doesn't get it, maybe ask your own kids seeing as the pupils in OP's dd's class understood. HTH, good luck.

So, unable to construct even the most basic of arguments yourself, you resort to imploring us to ask teenagers and relying on their greater wisdom, because of course 14 year olds in general have a much better grasp of the world than a typical 30-60 something Hmm

Piggywaspushed · 23/01/2018 14:04

I actually did ask my DS. He didn't express shook at all. But maybe he takes after his mother.

He said he might think the teacher shouldn't really allude to concentration camps but what was interesting is that the idiom seems to have shifted. So, the teacher, forma a different generation from his or her students says ' you're not in a concentration camp you know' as was frequently said 10 - 20 years ago and the children haven't routinely heard that expression so perhaps haven't seen its intended meaning and just think the teacher said something offensive? It's a possible reading if one truly thinks concentration camps should only be referenced in history lessons or in an historically accurate context.

When I compared it to ' there are starving children in Africa, now stop your whining and eat your food' he went ' oh yeah, I see now. yeah, that's not offensive to the people in the concentration camps'. He saw it the for what it is a 'check your first world privilege' analogy.

As an aside, students are always complaining about teachers being 'slave drivers'.

Sostenueto · 23/01/2018 15:10

Well said Piggywaspushed!

coconuttella · 23/01/2018 15:54

He saw it the for what it is a 'check your first world privilege' analogy.

Exactly!

Anasnake · 23/01/2018 16:27

My teen rolled his eyes in a 'wtf ?' Kind of way Grin

MaisyPops · 23/01/2018 16:35

For anyone who still doesn't get it, maybe ask your own kids seeing as the pupils in OP's dd's class understood. HTH, good luck.
Haha! Yeah. See if i told my y11 class that a parent was kicking off over this comment I'm about 90% sure my y11s would take the piss and then spend the rest of my lesson going into fake outrage at everything.

Aka

Me - Write the date abd title from the whiteboard
Them - Miss! You can't say whiteboard. It is racist don't you know. Yeah miss. Honestly, some of us are mixed race in here and you talking about a WHITE board suggests that learning isn't for all of us. Honestly miss you're so racist.

How do I know this would be their response? Because last year one of the non fiction articles we did was on political correctness abd safe spaces. The consensus in the group was largely 'some people are dickheads but equally some people get bothered about EVERYTHING and need to chill out'

JustMyLuck84 · 23/01/2018 16:53

More teacher bashing, ffs.

Piggywaspushed · 23/01/2018 17:09

There has certainly been a lot of it about lately ...

Sostenueto · 23/01/2018 21:19

Actually thinking about it now, there was something last week on radio 4 about words being taken too literal and people getting offended over them and that now the PC brigade are up in arms again about all sorts of language use. I know its a bit vague, there was a special name for it but can't recall it. Obviously I didn't think it important otherwise I would gave remembered properly.

MaisyPops · 23/01/2018 22:10

It wasn't virtue signalling was it?
All 'i'm so great because i blab on and on about how i'm so enlightened with views which are obviously so much more morally and ethically refined than you plebs'.

Sostenueto · 23/01/2018 23:09

Maisypops it well could beHmm

Landsendmum · 26/01/2018 01:21

thecatfrom japan

I was going to reply however echt summed it up quite well.

The teacher seems to have a wider perspective on this subject than most people (as do I).

Oxcheeks · 26/01/2018 01:31

OP you are obviously not a child of the 70s or 80s who had board erasers thrown at you 🙈 Get a grip ffs

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