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?

I just can’t say it again

It was probably considered rude by white people but did anyone ask black people what they thought?

Good luck with that. I have a friend whose ancestors were victims of the african slave trade and he calls himself and people who look like him n**rs. For some reason I don't think that everyone would find it acceptable if I followed his example. I am caucasian.

In my area of the Northern U.S. it was colored during the fifties. Then it was blacks, now African American. What is it with some of you and hating on us in the United States.

Maybe focus on the ‘incident’ which I’m guessing was the main focus of the student, and not zone in too much on descriptive language? Had she experienced something awful/upsetting, or were you so busy analysing her language that you can’t remember?

Don't worry!
She didn't take the actual statement!

I'm shocked at the number of confused people.

While we're at it it is polite to describe people with disabilities in the same format- person with epilepsy rather than epileptic person. The "person with X " format shows that there's more to them than their disability.

In terms of safeguarding, it is your duty to record the words actually used by the person reporting to you, irrespective of whether they are inappropriate.

While we're at it it is polite to describe people with disabilities in the same format- person with epilepsy rather than epileptic person. The "person with X " format shows that there's more to them than their disability

Actually the politest thing to do is work out what people want to be called rather than deciding for them. Easier said than done though!
There was a UK study on what people with autism' like to be called and it was found that while the families and other people involved with people with autism liked to use person-first description adults who were actually autistic preferred identity first terms. This is a BBC article on the study. It contains a link to the full research paper
It's a reasonable sized UK study and fairly recent. Not perfect but it's interesting to see how sometimes peoples desire to be thoughtful and sensitive is more about them than the actual individuals involved.

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.
...but that just leaves a student came in today to make a statement/report about a ‘coloured ’ which doesn't make a lot of sense. If you change and leave more words out then you just have someone came in today

No its not. Not at all!!! Unless you want to be called a Klansman and run out of town on rails and possibly get beaten or killed. In our world they are called African-Americans

@pikapikachu
I’m shocked at the number of confused people

If you have read every post on this thread, you would not be shocked.
There are so many different opinions and variables on how people like to be described, it’s no wonder so many people are confused 🤷‍♀️.

Arrgggh

Coloured is definitely derogatory so YANBU. I haven’t heard anyone use this aside from elderly people who still think it’s acceptable.

I know black folk who refer to themselves as n, that used to mean person from Nigeria, same a w, meant Western Oriental Gentleman, and p** someone from Pakistan and then at some point these terms are racist, and you cant use them