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?

It was another child who said 'I heard "child" be racist in the playground', obviously not knowing what racism is.
Teacher investigated and my child was open and completely honest, teacher explained it was unacceptable and they would be calling the police as it is a hate crime to make racist comments.
My child has been in a state since returning home and I'm still trying to settle them inbetween replies, they really thought they where in big trouble when they told me they where racist at school today but it wasnt racist at all..
The 2 children involved are still very much friends.

My son is 8 and often perceives the use of the word "black" to be racist. He's not got the concept yet.

I don’t think you have the full picture. You’ve got one side of the story, from a 10yo at that. I’d hold fire until you’ve spoken to the adult in question

7salmonswimming

An adult that’s threatened a young child with the police and a hate crime report? And not even bothered drafting the parent in?
This is a power kick at it’s finest.

@PSILoveWine "does it require police intervention" - please tell me you're joking..?

And no, nothing racist about this. Immature, yes. Racist, no.

@PSILoveWine looks like I posted WAY too soon, didn't see your comments about the ages of the people involved- my apologies.

Sorry I was correcting my own typo @PSILoveWine.

Do you happen to know any police officers? If your child is truggling to sleep with

For God's sake my phone is going bonkers.

I was about to say.... I might be tempted to get in touch witha police officer and ask them to have a word and reassure child that they are not in trouble with the police.

Poor kid.

@7salmonswimming
That was my first thought tbh.. A 10 year old isn't a hugely reliable witness.. But when I went to phone the school earlier, she was right in my face looking sick saying 'mum I did call her surname black and not white, I did laugh' as if she was protecting herself when she really didn't do anything wrong, so I do believe her, school ignored my calls. I will be there 8am tomorrow before work waiting.

Tell teacher that her threat to call the police was bullying behavior and you are going to report her to the police and the school authorities.

Would the teacher be as offended if a child called Sue Green a Sue Purple? Or a John Grey a John Blue?
No.
It is exactly the same in this instance.
Child White became Child Black because they're children being children.

Children I teach call their friends their siblings names, or names that sound similar, because they think they're being funny.

I think it depends on the context. I don’t think police involvement is necessary though. If she said “Anna Black” with a disgusted face or started grimacing or laughing then I suppose it could be seen as racist if she purposely associated the fake surname black with the negative connotations racists associate with black people. On the other hand it could be seen as clutching at straws to associate this with racism.

I agree that you don’t have the full story so it’s hard to comment.

Aw, bless her. I think my DD would have a similar response! In your shoes (I’m sure you’ve done this already), I’d reassure her that she’s done nothing wrong going by what she’s reported to you, and that you will deal with it from here on in. She’s nothing to be worried about, certainly not from the police, and business as usual should resume tomorrow morning.

And in the morning I’d be speaking to the teacher in question. It could have been an explanation/“teaching moment” gone wrong, a total misunderstanding, or it could have been exactly what your DD reported. You’ll know what to do from that point.

Personally I don’t buy into the whole “my child must never be distressed, fairly or not, at any point” horror that you often see on MN - including this thread. Shit happens. If it turns out the teacher was wholly in the wrong, she will have learned something about how not all adults get it right all the time, and perhaps how she might defend herself in future - and how her mum has her back. If it turns out something else went down, well she will have learned something else. An upset 10yo isn’t always a bad thing. This doesn’t sound serious enough to materially affect her I think.

Bloody crackers - and almost guaranteed to raise racial tension for these poor kids in the future

I don't think it's a hate crime but I would ask why your child thought changing white to black was funny. Seems a bit odd to me and perhaps a symptom of unconscious racial bias or mocking being black. Worth investigating.

Oh dear god. No and no. What is the world coming to?

Nah, unless the preceding conversation was racially centred, it's a sort of pun, really. Like calling Walls ice-cream Windows, or Mr Short Mr Tall.

It’s not racist but why would ur child do that? Like why would someone change someone’s surname to match their race ?

Not at all it’s political correctness gone mad.

Jesus Christ. What fuckery is this now

What? I would be down that school and giving the teacher something to call the cops for!
She must love those power kicks!

One question for the head and chair of governors about this nonsens.

Had the other child's surname been Black and your child did word play and called her Anna White instead, and giggled about it, would we all be here having the exact same conversation about that?

If no, they need to let it go. I despise the red tops, but there are newspapers gagging for this sort of story. Do the head and chair want the school's name dragged through that sort of publicity?

Keep this idea as a last resort... They will surely see reason before you need to use it!

A teacher told your child they were calling the police to record this as a hate crime? Really?

Why should the name Black be considered in any way offensive. I would have thought it more offensive to think “black” is deemed somehow inferior. The only racism (if any) is by the person actually thinking there’s any racism involved.

WTF? Two 10 years old chatting in the playground about surnames that are colours and the teacher wants to report a child to the Police for a Hate crime?
To threaten children in this way shows a worrying level of ignorance and incompetence on behalf of the teacher in my view. A teacher who genuinely thinks this is how to educate 10 year olds has no business being in the classroom!

I think it's serious enough to involve the Head and request that the teacher be removed from the classroom ASAP and be required to undergo further training before being re-instated.

Don't let the Head fob you off.