AUBU to think that the teacher shouldn't have only put sun block on the white children in the class?

[IfOnlyIKnewThen]

Just that really. DD8 had sports day yesterday. This morning she asked DH if there is some sun block that is only for white children. When DH asked why, dd explained that one of the teachers called forward the white children in her class and applied sun block half way through the event. When some of the black children stepped forward and asked for it he said that they "didn't need it". Apparently one black child insisted and he relented. DH said that he is going to have a quiet word with the Head when he does the school run to check policy. Seriously hoping dd has the wrong end of the stick.

I have 2 dcs. I have never come across this before. Would others raise it with the school? Not sure it makes any difference but dd attends a very diverse school in London.

jellycatspyjamas
have you ever attended a safety induction about the guidelines in a UK public school recently? Do you even know what the safeguarding guidelines are?

Actually, I do. In fact I train professionals in multi-agency child protection practice and am considered an expert in my field - happily not in England so such “hands off” nonsense doesn’t apply.

Just because it happens in England doesn’t mean it’s good practice and certainly doesn’t mean the rest of the UK follow suit.

Black people in UK are significantly more likely to suffer with vitamin d deficiency than white people. They’ve evolved to have more sun. But I agree it was pretty tasteless of the teacher but if I was black and didn’t burn I probably wouldn’t wear sunscreen.

Just because it happens in England doesn’t mean it’s good practice and certainly doesn’t mean the rest of the UK follow suit.

I am not going to disagree about what is good practice when you know some of the batshit crazy guidelines, but I am glad you understand that some of us can't simply remove our kids from schools where teachers are not allowed to use common sense.

and the OP story is very questionable

I work in a nursery, we have a black child who's parents don't use suncream as 'he doesn't need it, he's dark skinned'

Unfortunately the sun block comes out white and not clear so it looks like someone has rubbed talcum powder on black kids.

They should have the type that comes out clear for all children so the black and darker skinned kids don't look like idiots when sunscreen is applied

And your DH needs education

Not understanding why the OP story is questionable at all. Shit like this happens all the time.

Be interested to hear what the Head said, sounds like teacher needs a little educating themselves.

my kids sun block is blue

The OP story is very questionable, yes - and I know there’s a lot of debate about the place of safe touch for adults working with children, and yes lots of truly batshit guidelines and that’s before you get to the myths and misinterpretation of safe practice.

I know it’s not just as easy as moving kids if the whole school system is the same, I guess I wish we were less accepting of some of the fuckwittery done in the name of Safeguarding.

Maybe the teacher said to those children, who just happened to be black, that they didn't need it because their parents hadn't signed the 6 million permission and allergy slips to allow the teacher to apply it?

The whole thing is a freaking nightmare. TES had the following to say about it all:

"Prime responsibility lies with the parents. However, your child's school is responsible for protecting pupils in accordance with health and safety legislation and school staff must comply with the school's own policies and procedures.

TES explains that The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 requires workplaces to implement first aid policies and procedures. No employee is obliged to provide first aid to anyone other than staff, but there are still responsibilities towards non employees and pupils.

Teachers who are responsible for young children and/or children with special needs may apply sunscreen if agreed with the headteacher and governing body, however they are not obliged to do so."

Plus, they also have to get parental permission and check allergies! Who'd be a teacher?!

*SylviaAndSydney
*
so why you using it then?

so why you using it then?

What's with the little huffy face?
It's like an old bad habit I can't shake, you've just got to separate the wheat from the chaff.
95% of AIBU is bollocks.

Could this be why Caster Semenya so excels at her sport? Her skin is less weighed down by sun cream than white competitors ?

Yes that must be it! You've cracked it Same must go for Usain Bolt.

My eldest has an olive Mediterranean type skin (like me). I'd be (mildly) annoyed at a teacher topping up his suncream because he doesn't need it. 1 application in the morning is fine for him. Fair English rose ds2 definitely needs a top up (so Ive taught him to do one). The idea that skin type had nothing to do w it is bizarre.

I never knew black skin needed sunblock, I remember my black friend telling me her white husband had to keep reminding her to put it on their DD

What don't "you buy" that25? Are you suggesting that my 8 year old dd is making it up or me?

I think if you are in the U.K. that suggesting one of you is making it up or got the story wrong is much more likely than the situation actually happening. If you’d said the teacher had reminded the white children to apply the cream, it would be much more realistic. It’s not just safeguarding and protecting teachers but also some children are allergic to certain creams. The story is your OP is not likely.

Barbarian, everyone needs protection from UVA/UVB.

It's unfair to apply to white skin but not dark skin. School need to apply a blanket policy.

White people have a skin cancer rate of 45.8 diagnoses per 100,000 people, black people have 1.35 diagnoses per 100,000 people. And that’s in the US where there is much more sun. A black person in UK is much more likely to be vitamin d deficient and suffer health consequences as a result.

I think it appears to be a reasonable policy with the best of intentions. I am sure the school would change there policy once they are aware. Many schools wouldn't bother about any kids at all.

too many people look for offence where none was intended.

Ah the reasonable face of racism 🙄

but teachers "allowed" to touch the kids to apply it in these days and age, and at 8 years old?! (I assume that's what DD8 means)

It's VERY hard to believe, when even cuddles and comforting a child are discouraged in any safety induction you go through.

Any teacher, nursery officer or other person who works with children who is unable to perform basic needs or comfort to a child in their care in the name of safeguarding is in the wrong job. As always in the uk we have to go to extremes instead of a middle ground when it's totally unnecessary.

Any person who thinks that children under the age of 10 remember to put sun cream on effectively without supervision or help is deluding themselves. Rubbing a bit on your shins and forearms (which is what most children do) is not properly applying it.

If you are the parent of a black child who was refused suncream then please follow the school complaint procedure if this is an issue to you.

If not then it is nothing to do with you.

Any person who thinks that children under the age of 10 remember to put sun cream on effectively without supervision or help is deluding themselves.

no one is denying that teachers should remind the kids. An 8 years old is perfectly able to put sun cream effectively, they've been doing it for a good 3 years by now. When do you start to teach yours? When they start year 7?!

We are talking about topping up neck, face, arms and legs, not kids wearing a swimsuit.

no one is denying that teachers should remind the kids. An 8 years old is perfectly able to put sun cream effectively, they've been doing it for a good 3 years by now. When do you start to teach yours? When they start year 7?!

some 8 yr olds are able to put it on without missing bits. Most don't or can't. Younger children will almost certainly miss bits of their neck, all of their ears, back of their hands and backs of their legs. Or they put a blob on their hands and expect it to cover all of those places effectively.

But anyway, my point wasn't about sun cream per se, more about childcare providers and teacher not being allowed to touch the children

Others who requested it were denied, and this was based on race.

Or was it based on the fact they hadn't brought any suncream in with them?

They should have the type that comes out clear for all children so the black and darker skinned kids don't look like idiots when sunscreen is applied

Tbf the white kids are not exactly the same colour as suncream either

Anyway there's no way the teacher had the time or the inclination to apply suncream on every kid in the class, it would take hours.

I would check with the head. I think it is more likely that some children have a 'top up' and that will probably be children who burn easily.

We are talking about topping up neck, face, arms and legs, not kids wearing a swimsuit.

That does depend, I have burned through clothes and I know I burn easily.