To think this is NOT a hate crime or racism

[PSILoveWine]

I am going to be slightly vague here to protect those involved but I will tell you important details.
This is a serious post.
Two caucasian friends are chatting and one has the surname White.
If the other friend says their friends name but puts Black as their surname instead and giggles, is this in any way a hate crime? Racist?
Does it require police intervention?

No and no.

No

And please tell me the friends are 6.

Eh? They're just stupendously immature? Why is Black funny over White when tyre both white? Are they 9 years old?

No. I would assume they're just being funny like saying the opposite as friends.
I say this being mixed race.

A hate crime has to be a crime first with the element of hate added to it.

i.e. if you punch someone, it's a crime.

If you punch someone and call them a "black bastard" it becomes a hate crime.

Calling someone the wrong name is not a crime so it cannot be a hate crime.

That said, it could be deemed as racist. There is no harm in reporting it to Stop Hate UK www.stophateuk.org/report-hate-crime/

If it's happened to you at work, and you are offended then you can report to your management as it could be deemed as bullying.

Of course it’s not racist

Your age guesses are almost correct, they are 10.
My child is the 'perpetrator' and was told she commited hate crime and the police would be involved by the teacher.
I couldn't get an unbiased view and I don't want to be posting on social media..
Child is sick with worry and I feel so angry 😡

Good grief, when you think you’ve read it all! It’s like having someone who’s surname is moon and the other person writing sun.
Just because it’s colours doesn’t mean it’s a hate crime 😱

I’m not normally one for getting pitch forks out but I’d absolutely be complaining seriously about that.

This is so weird

That said, it could be deemed as racist. There is no harm in reporting it to Stop Hate UK www.stophateuk.org/report-hate-crime/
If it's happened to you at work, and you are offended then you can report to your management as it could be deemed as bullying.

Report that your friend called you a different name whilst chatting is bullying and committed a racist hate crime?

What exactly is the crime @RNBrie? And how exactly is using a different name racist?

So assuming the person is called Anne White, their friend says ‘Anne Black’ would it also be bullying and racist if the friend called her Anne Short instead of Anne Long? ?

What was the crime? Who was the victim? Does this teacher also think Cluedo is a hate crime and has she reported it to the police?

@PSILoveWine What a bloody shame. Have you spoke to the school?

I'd be having words with Dept/Form head. Tell them how traumitised child is. Total bullying on teacher's part. Also ask that teacher explain how this is racist? Don't let them bully your child. i'm a teacher and usually side with teachers but this is just OTT.

I'm afraid I'm not entirely following what the alleged problem is, though appreciate you want to keep it vague, but wanted to clarify that the police record both hate crimes, where there has to be an actual crime, and hate incidents, which is a much vaguer category.

I would like to think they would tell a teacher of 10 year olds to piss off snitching on childish behaviour but sadly we live in batshit crazy times.

I don't think there is any possibility of this having a long term effect on your child but it's possible it could find its way into the statistics.

I have no idea what the teacher thinks they are playing at threatening children in such a manner.

I was going to say it sounds like a pair of children in the playground making silly jokes.

Then I saw your update.

Absolutely isn't a racist issue.

Spoken...

@TheGoldenNotebook what?

Did your child's teacher overhear this exchange and tell them they'd report them? Or did someone else report the exchange?

It’s weird and I don’t get it but I don’t see it as being either ‘hate’ nor ‘crime’.

Sorry, just read that they’re 10.
Wtf is the teacher on!?!?

Eh? Are you sure you haven't only got half a story there as that's seriously weird if so! I'd be contacting school to try and get the full story.

I was going to say it sounds like a childish thing to do but not racist or hate crime, just playing opposites and being silly. Then read the update that you're talking about actual children. I'm sorry your dd is going through this. The teacher is ridiculous.

Cilla black was actually called Cilla white. She changed her own name. Not because she was racist, but for other reasons.
The teacher seems nuts. If I heard that exchange between two children, the last thing I would think, was that they were being racist.