Was I unreasonable to correct this?

[PablosHoney]

I work for a school and a student came in today to make a statement/report about a ‘coloured girl’ her mum had told her to come and report the incident so I presume it was maybe mums words? I didn’t tell her off I just said that it was a word we don’t use any more and to leave it out of the statement. Was I wrong?

*@Plexie
But it isn’t is it? There is a whole month dedicated to Black History (fine) but not a whole month dedicated to White History (not fine).

*@PablosHoney

it’s white history month every damn month

It isn’t though, is it?

It wasnt 25 years ago, it changed from "coloured person" to person of colour. I dont think any of us on here are "pretending" not to know the difference. Over my lifetime, there has been a lot of changes in what you are supposed to say. I have relatives in their 90, who refuse to change, what they have always said.A lot of people dont read newspapers,watch TV have a computer. A friend told me yesterday, she was asked to get a taxi for a very elderly lady, asked if there were any preferences, (emaning would she be happy with a male driver) the lady said she didnt want a black driver, my friend, was frantic,terrified, she would be called a racist, if she asked the firm to snd a white driver.

🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️

@ilovemypantry

Are you being deliberately obtuse. Or just racist? Because you are really labouring your point.

Do you understand the concept of white privilege?

here's a simple explanation of Black History Month:
www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/49883230

Thank you Grumiosmum

Next up on Obtuse MN Questions: “when is international men’s day” followed with “what about straight pride?” 🙄

when is international men’s day

19 November.

@grumiosmum
Why am I being racist for suggesting there should be a White History Month? Why does it only work one way?

@NotACleverName

Pleased to see there is actually an International Men’s Day 😊. And why shouldn’t there be Straight Pride...what’s good for the goose is good for the gander (an old saying that means what’s good for one is good for another).

I can’t even...

@PablosHoney
Did you post before completing your sentence?

No

Holy fuck. I didn't realise that people like this existed anymore ( @Ilovemypantry )

@doublebarrellednurse
People like what exactly...please explain.

Why am I being racist for suggesting there should be a White History Month? Why does it only work one way?

I am probably going to regret engaging, but...

History as taught and studied in England has until very recently been primarily 'white history' (and largely male white political/constitutional/military history until the 1970s). The history of black communities and the contribution of black individuals has been overlooked to such an extent that we are still discovering the first black man to XY and z, and people often don't realise that the history of immigration from non white ethnicities predates the 20th century.

Black history month aims to correct this lack of awareness. We don't need white history month in this country because 'white history' is the standard curriculum at schools and makes up the majority of history TV documentaries and university courses.

Like people who have no concept of their own privilege or any understanding of class analysis.
Maybe. I'm clutching at straws here.
What's good for the goose is not good for the gander though is it.
Because that would involve the goose coloninising half the world, enslaving the gander and imposing their own culture, language, history, sports, arts, literature, steet names and religions on them, whilst stealing all their natural resources and human labour.
Which is what white colonisers did to black and brown people the world over.
Nobody is so obtuse or ignorant by accident. I don't believe it.

@Meercatsarecats

You’re right...you are clutching at straws

Meercats is spot on. You are being deliberately ignorant and goady. When white people have been oppressed for centuries, marginalised, feared and abused for their skin colour, used as slaves and treated as non-humans, come back to me and discuss the need for White History Month. As it stands, there is none. Almost every history book out there is written from the white perspective.

Ditto also International Men's Day. Every fucking day is International (White) Men's Day. If you are blissfully ignorant of the overarching facts, you are not well placed to be commenting on the finer nuances of preferred terminology.

Lots of bags of chips on this thread...

I loved your post GooseFeather. I am white,British, and have experienced racial abuse at work. This African bloke(he told me where he was from) said out of the blue, "You white people have stolen all our lands and given us aids", told him I have never been to Africa, stolen land (or anything else) and dont have Aids, if the boot had been on the other foot I probably would have been suspended!

Jasper - thank you for contributing. Your explanation is clear and eloquent.

If you simply delete the reference you are removing an element that helps identify the girl. All you needed to do was provide the correct terminology.

I did...rtft

When it is a statement you should never ask a child to leave out words or change their words. Just like if you are writing what a child said to you you must use their own words.