AIBU primary teacher branding granddaughter racist

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AIBU I am fuming, grand daughter was told off by her teacher and called racist, she is only 8. A child in her class siad her new hair style was horrible and made her look poor, she retaliated by saying at least I am not Russian. (the other child is Russian) She was punished by her teacher and marked as racist in some "bad mark book" The other child was not punished. She then cried and when her friends tried to comfort her they were also punished. She is good at school, works hard and is frequently praised for her kindness to others. This new teacher has overstepped the mark IMHO..

BookMe why do you think I think xenophobia is ok. I have clearly said it isn't and it actually affects my life in a very negative way.

Please stop asking me this question. It's obvious I don't think it's ok ffs

I did say the law is stupid..changing definitions to suit them.
Both girls were wrong but they were both equally offensive to said person..both used differences to insult each other. Both should have had a talking to about how to be kind to each other.
On the flip side my daughter is white and was called a nasty name and a young asian lad stated that white women are only good for one thing..apparently thats not racist, but as soon as my daughter retaliates its racist to him? The double standards these days drive me crazy. Needless to say i decided to home school her. 3 years on best decision ever.

They are all stupid..because the definition of racism does not include nationality.

Erm...it does?

@BITCAT the term 'racism' didn't enter popular use until the 1930s and the UN definition from the 60s includes nationality. This isn't anything new.

Well really it shouldn't. Nationality should not be conflated with race. The law should be readdressing this.

For example I am a foreigner in a country that is not my own. I experience xenophobia, I get occasional nasty comments, I get less opportunity and I am often socially excluded. But for me to claim this is racist undermines real racism. It's not comparable. It's a fear of foreigners in their country that is behind this not a hatred of my race, and I know this because I am Caucasian.

2 seperate meanings in the dictionary.
I want to make it clear i do not agree with either one both are awful. I have taught mine to respect all people and that there are good and bad people in all walks of life, never base a judgement of anyone based on colour race or where they originate.
Or discriminate any one or make fun of anyones differences, differences are what make us unique. Far better to be kind to all.

Yes misogyny is not a hate crime. Apparently fine to say disgusting things about women and girls.

Well write to your MP then fru and lobby them to get it changed. Whether you think that nationality shouldn’t be included in the definition of race in law, it is and accordingly has to be treated as such. Clearly there are degrees of discriminatory behaviour and insulting someone on the basis of their nationality indeed may well not be as bad on the colour of their skin, but then if you’d been a victim of the “no Irish” etc signs there used to be in pubs maybe you’d feel differently.

I have heard derogatory racist terms used..around where i live. One boy in my sons class called a lad a nignog, my son found this really upsetting, as did the poor young lad. That is racist, clearly learnt behaviour delibrately used in a derogatory way meant to be racist aimed at the boys skin colour, should in my opinion be dealt with severely.
Totally different to the OP gd, she just latched on to the one difference between her and the other girl, and i feel sure not at all meant in a racist or xenophobic way.
Explaining to the Op gd, i feel why it wasnt right and how it can be perceived may have been a better way, along with maybe a phone call to both parents and a chat with both girls about being kinder to each other. There only 8, if we dont explain to these children why what they said is offensive then how can they learn. Im sure the gd was hurt too by the girls comment.

Well I actually didn't know the law saw it like that.
This thread has made me see a few things very clearly- not necessarily good.

We all spoke a lot about the motivations of a little girl in terms of racism and xenophobia which I hope we all understand as preposterous but perhaps we missed the point that a PP made about the Russians effectively committing an act of war on British soil. So yeah let's label an 8 year old girl racist and pat ourselves on our right on backs.

The Russians committing a hostile act on British soil has nothing to do with the exchange between these two little girls, though does it?

Unless you think it's OK to make an 8yo girl carry the can for Putin because she happens to be Russian? That makes no sense

Is there really anti Russian people sentiment in Britain? I have never heard anyone say anything anti Russian people.

@abacucat probably round the Salisbury area I imagine. Americans tend to be anti Russians - Verruca Salt in Charlie and the chocolate factory was Russian in the Broadway show.

@abucat

It’s everywhere! I could list all the things that have been said to my husband but I’d be here all fucking night.

It’s not about labelling the little girl racist at 8 years old fru but about making sure she realises these comments aren’t acceptable and why and making sure they’re properly recorded. No one is going to label a child a racist for this comment but it still needs to be dealt with. My son was being bullied at school last year, he was called gay and told his brother was “retarded” and I made clear to the school that I expected those recorded as they amounted to harassment on the grounds of protected characteristics. Of course I’m not labelling those boys as ablist homophobes but they needed to know how serious it was

BakedBeans47 now when you put it like that it doesnt sound so bad. I totally agree they need to be told and have it explained why its such a bad thing and that its better to be kind and civil to people, even those you might not really like

The other girl should have been punish too - but for an 8 year old to come out with that Russian comment....8 year olds don’t think other nationalities are inferior unless they heard it elsewhere.

Did we ever get to the bottom of what "poor hair" looks like?

Oh I don't know - a common insult in the playgrounds if Glasgow in the 70s was 'ya wee Arab!' If someone was cheating at a game. Something to do with the oil crisis I think.

Ds was accused (quite nastily) of being French one day in a playpark. He is not, wasn't speaking French or saying anything about being French, we are not French... The kids' parents looked a bit thick though... Kids eh?

Both girls should have been reprimanded, as they were both being unkind. The teacher would have have to record your garnddaughter's comment, as all racist incidients have to be recorded.

NotUnBongo I had no idea, although there are I think few Russians where I live.

The Russians committing a hostile act on British soil has nothing to do with the exchange between these two little girls, though does it?

Unless you think it's OK to make an 8yo girl carry the can for Putin because she happens to be Russian? That makes no sense

Oh dear! The point I was responding to was that several people were saying she must have picked this anti Russian sentiment up from her family, and intimating she was being raised by racists. And I was pointing out she might have picked it up on TV from Theresa May, Boris Johnson, or 100 other politicians and commentators.

Dame my point with my comment was to show that it was deemed acceptable to assume to white kid born elsewhere was foreign but wasn't ok in the reverse.

I was highlighting that racism works both ways. But it only deemed racism in one direction at times.

Schools don't understand whet racism is and report xenophobia as racism.

Neither is acceptable but that doesn't make getting it wrong and acting in a 1 sided way right.

If we as a nation want to stamp out this type of behaviour EVERYONE needs to be held account equally.

Ghana I have NEVER posted racist shit I am a voice who usually fight for the rights of everyone - race, sexuality and disability to name a few. That comment is extremely hurtful.

What what I fight for for equal rights for EVERYONE. And that means EVERYONE being held account for their actions regardless of their own race and sexuality etc.

People imagine all sorts of things.