Recrudescence - it's interesting that both of us have spent our careers in inner London comprehensives and seem generally to agree. You can hardly have such a diverse group of nationalities. In the same class, I've taught Sunni and Shia Muslims and Kurdish refugees from Saddam Hussein. Turkish and Greek Cypriots. Black and white Zimbawians. As you can see, some very obvious flashpoints if we were to look back to past hostilities. The emphasis from County Hall was very much on recognising the value of individual cultures but emphasising the common humanity we all shared.
I wonder if it gives us a different perspective on what racism actually is. I once had a black Londoner of Caribbean descent who objected to reading the class novel, Comfort Herself, about a black South African child. She took against the book on the first page. 'I'm not reading this. It's racist.' I asked why and was told 'Because it uses the word black. Black is racist.' Fortunately, the rest of the class put her right. I've no doubt she had reason to associate the word 'black' with abuse - hence her confusion. But she was wrong.
Pps have said that dressing up as someone from another race is racist. As if there's no argument about it. I disagree. Bertrand's reaction to the description of Coren's artwork seems to be on the same level. It's anti-semitic because it shows an obviously Jewish man holding a baby with a cat? It's anti-semitic because it's a representation of a Jew? And the illustrations in Little Black Sambo are grotesque caricatures? Admittedly, I doubt whether the author was a professional illustrator, but why are they grotesque? Would they have been less grotesque if the little boy had a lighter skin or more European features? As pp said, 'it's just a picture of a black child'.And, imo, there is nothing whatsoever racist in the text. Just as there's nothing racist about a little girl wanting to pretend she's from a different culture.
Native Americans. I can only speak about the Navajo. (At one point in my life I wanted to join the Peace Corps and volunteer to teach in a Navajo school. Unfortunately, they don't accept Brits.) From my reconnaissance trip, I came to the conclusion that there were 3 types of Navajo: those who wanted to pursue a traditional lifestyle on the Res, a bit like the Amish, but with more mod cons. Those who wanted to live a larger life as Americans, go to college, take what opportunities came their way and be like other people. And those unfortunates who lived a sort of half-life, one foot in the Res, because they couldn't afford to live anywhere else, earning minimum wage in the border towns like Gallop, because they hadn't the education or the skills to go further abroad. I think they would probably all have differing views on the subject of this thread. It's a hugely complex subject and opinions vary according to where you've come from and where you hope to be going.
All of them had more important things to worry about, with budget cuts, alcoholism, encroaching drug dealing - I saw LA gang graffiti on the Res- and forever defending their land from greedy developers with their eyes on mineral rights. All most likely worse now under Trump.
So, again, there's still a huge amount to do that will make a real difference. Don't sweat the small stuff.