To hope these parents are ashamed of their boys tonight?

[Dilbertian]

Today my Y9 ds was taunted by boys making the Nazi salute at him. This, after a couple of weeks of 'Dirty Jew'.

If these are your sons, is this what you want for them? Is this the attitude you would like them to have to their fellow human beings? Do you feel proud of them? Would you like them to be treated this way? What are you saying to them tonight? What do you think the Head of Year should say to them tomorrow?

What do you think your sons should do next?

Or maybe - meh, it's just bantz, boys will be boys.

CaptainmyCaptain, not at all. Krav Maga is self defence so if he is physically attacked at least he will be able to defend himself to an extent and that might show the bullies that he's not such an easy target and give OP's son a bit of confidence in dealing with the situation, rather than relying solely on the school.

OMFG, OP.

I am so, so sorry. This is awful. I hope you’re ok. PLEASE report to the police, CST and obviously school Head and class teacher. This must be confronted.

I’m disgusted that this has happened. I’m so sorry.

OK I stand corrected. I still think the police need to be involved.

The CST advice is not to escalate to the police immediately, but to go through the school's process first. By reporting the abuse to them, it has now been' officially' recorded. Reporting to the police is both my right and an extra option in my arsenal. According to the CST, the school's first level response actually goes further than the standard response from schools. I expect to hear from the school on Monday or Tuesday next week.

Are you in London OP? There are quite a few Krav Maga classes, especially in north London.

Disgusting. Honestly I’d put a film on ... boy in the striped pajamas.. watch it with them. I’d be so ashamed. I am sorry for your son and for you.

The fact the CST think it goes further than the standard school response is why I despair - and why we ended up going to the police.

I agree with PP who said it’s not always from the parents and to go along with that the schools don’t always communicate exactly what has happened to the parents. In our case we had one set of parents who were absolutely horrified when they found out from the police what had actually been said and scrawled on books as the description they got from school had hugely minimised it.

@backwardforward

Are you in London OP? There are quite a few Krav Maga classes, especially in north London.

I'm in "Wow, you're a Jew? I've never met a Jew before!" territory - the distant wilds of the Home Counties.

It goes further?-so they expect to just be slapped on the wrists and not to do it again

thats disgutingingly low standards

I'm sure many of us have entirely different attitudes to our parents about equality, race, religion, sexuality - and that's because of our educations.

I think you are being very naive.

I also think Anne Frank has been proved wrong - how many times since WW2 have human beings shown themselves capable of the same depravity the Nazis gloried in?

On the subject of education - do you have any idea what sort of filth is freely available online these days? How many of the most sordid hate groups you could possibly imagine? The attraction they have for certain teenage boys?

The law serves an educational purpose, as do those who have sworn to uphold it.

Yes, there is filth, there is hatred, there are repeated atrocities. And yet there are also opportunities for growth, for recognition of our shared humanity.

When someone asks me about child sacrifice, shall I report their ignorance as hate crime, or shall I educate them? Yes. This happened to me. By a person educated by racist propaganda and commonplace horror films. I don't know what happened to that person (I had no particular desire to keep in touch!) but I do know that I changed their view of Jews. Because they were willing to listen and explore other perspectives.

Education first, not retribution.

Get the police involved as a see this as hate crime . Your poor son give him. Lots of cuddles how can people be so cruel breaks my heart x

I'm in "Wow, you're a Jew? I've never met a Jew before!" territory - the distant wilds of the Home Counties.

I always make the Woody Allen joke about our horns when I meet such people .

Suspension, at the very least.

I also think Anne Frank has been proved wrong - how many times since WW2 have human beings shown themselves capable of the same depravity the Nazis gloried in?

I agree. The reality is that when she was dying of typhoid in Bergen Belsen, having witnessed pure barbarism, I'm sure she didn't believe that anymore. Poor Anne.

The lesson to learn from her, in my opinion, is to not be naive about human nature. Sure, there are good people out but I'm not convinced that is the norm. Never let your guard down and never rely on outside forces to protect you.

i do believe that when it comes to racism and anti-semitism people can be educated/experienced out of it. - same as they are educated into it.

Disgraceful. This why as a Black person I would only ever live in diverse inner cities- safety in numbers. The suburbs and country can do one, not worth the racism and constant fear.

@shamalidacdak

Disgraceful. This why as a Black person I would only ever live in diverse inner cities- safety in numbers. The suburbs and country can do one, not worth the racism and constant fear.

I can't say I blame you shamalidacdak.

I'd email the head of year NOW and CC Head and any other relevant members of staff. Explain that you expect someone to be available first thing on Monday to discuss what is going to happen next.

If the school is on the ball, I would expect contact before then.

Any hint of excusing the perpetrators or brushing under the carpet, then involve the police. Make it clear that any further harrsement/bullying/hate crime and you won't be letting the school know, you'll be going straight to the police.

This is so serious that I wouldn't be surprised if you had a response fairly promptly before Monday.

Sadly they probably don't care op. The boys may have learnt it from them, but hopefully not.

The parents of two local thugs who beat up a disabled man didn't care either. They didn't get their boys to apologise at least from the sounds of it, so they don't care. If that had been my son that did that, by god he'd have been scared to come home, not scared to spend the night in a cell which would have been happening too. These boys saying those disgusting things would be in for the exact same treatment if they were mine. Would be getting marched round to apologise, and then dragged to the police to report the crime.

@shamalidacdak

Disgraceful. This why as a Black person I would only ever live in diverse inner cities- safety in numbers. The suburbs and country can do one, not worth the racism and constant fear.

I hear you.

I live in a diverse area of London, my son goes to a very diverse school but was exposed to Jew hate. I don't think racism is limited to one culture.

@backforwards
But it is extraordinary for London- that’s no longer the city I grew up in. It is unconscionable that AS exists blatantly there.

I do believe that something is fuelling this for a purpose and then different people from different groups are perpetuating the message. It must be that way as otherwise it would be extinguished quickly.

But it is extraordinary for London- that’s no longer the city I grew up in. It is unconscionable that AS exists blatantly there

I don't understand why you would think that. I have lived in London all my life and experienced Jew hatred from white people, black people, Asian people. Anyone can be capable of racism. It's not like London is some sort of multicultural utopia where everyone gets on and is accepting, quite the opposite in fact.

@backwardforward

Well, I am obviously naive of it. I really didn’t think there was antiseptics growing up there (outside of BNP/NF types). Not that it is acceptable from anyone but I didn’t think it would be tolerated in schools/public places and the message had been heard loud and clear that any AS comments would be taken seriously as hate crime.

I’m sorry to hear of your experiences @backward, really sorry you have had to have that in your life x