To think I need to work in a different school - ethnicity and culture related

[Melte]

I've taught in my current school for six years, and the demographics have changed a little, but not significantly from what I've always known.

I've always been in the minority to around 85% (2016) - around 95% (today) of pupils of a different ethnicity and religion, despite the school not being of any religious denomination.

In the last 12 months or so, I haven't had any chance of successfully managing the behaviour of the older boys. They will listen to and show respect to male teachers of of their own culture, male teachers of my culture, female teachers of their own culture and then women like me, in that order.

I'm repeatedly called derogatory names, when I'm not routinely being referred to as 'man', tutted at, laughed at, talked over and ignored. They'll bang on my classroom window or throw the door open when passing. They deliberately interrupt or misinterpret things I say, feigning sincerity. They make veiled suggestive comments. They get too close, take items aggressively, imply they will touch me, and on occasion outright threaten criminal behaviour.

I've tried and persisted with every behaviour for learning strategy I know and made sure my lessons are the best they can be, but I can't get through to them. I feel unsafe and unable to do my job for the others in this one class.

I spoke to a father on the phone this week who initially didn't believe his son would be disrespectful, before admitting that he does behave this way towards his mother, and I've watched one since September in a restorative meeting with his Head of Year try to assault his mother in anger.

I feel guilty for thinking in these terms, but I can't change the culture and attitude myself. I'm conflicted, as this only seems to be an issue with a year group who reinforce each others' behaviour and are ones whose behaviour was poor when they were younger, and this is their first full year back in school since lockdown.

AIBU to think I need to work in a school where I look like the pupils?

I've never worked anywhere that you could just refuse to teach a year group - particularly mid-year. That''s just not going to happen. How would it work with timetabling?

I think a more experienced teacher would realise that it’s unhelpful to judge an entire race/ethnicity by a few kids and decide based on that judgement that she only wants to teach white kids from now on.

Agreed on the SLT sounding shit.

The OP is entitled to teach wherever she wants and as I have said, her students sound awful.

Thankfully for her she is in a country that is 80% white.

It’s not so easy for BAME people to move around and avoid a whole race.

Again, she's not inexperienced (certainly not by current standards in our retention and recruitment crisis). She says in her first post that she's been teaching for at least six years.

She's also clear that it's not "a few kids". It is endemic and systemic in her school.

I don't think she's saying she only wants to teach white kids from now on. Maybe she is, but I thought that was just clumsily phrased.

I read it as her saying that she does not want to work in a monocultural environment in which she is in a massive minority again. (I can understand that - neither do I. My experience of that was horrific and I'd leave the profession before doing that again. This includes a white monoculture, by the way, as I value diversity and live and work in London).

You're seriously posting that you want to work in a school that has more white children because you can't teach Muslim boys?

The OP's post suggests that she is not the one who is the problem.

@Blooboo
The school have a duty of care to the OP not just the pupils if they are threatening to touch her I'm sure it's in Ops best interest and the schools to ensure her safety. The timetable issue isn't Ops problem

She's also clear that it's not "a few kids". It is endemic and systemic in her school.

She said it’s one year group, who behaved badly when they were younger too. But any awful kids too many, she should absolutely leave if she wants to.

I read it as her saying that she does not want to work in a monocultural environment in which she is in a massive minority again. (I can understand that - neither do I. My experience of that was horrific and I'd leave the profession before doing that again. This includes a white monoculture, by the way, as I value diversity and live and work in London).

I did read it as she wants to work in a white monoculture. If OP wants to that’s her choice.

BAME people can’t really avoid a white monoculture, so I found OP’s desire to teach kids who look like her quite privileged.

I wasn't saying the timetabling was her problem. I meant that the school can't just have no-one teaching that class. They absolutely can and should be protecting her, but this will by necessity look more like "support".

We all know how supportive "support" actually is varies wildly of course. But if OP doesn't accept support (probably in the vein of HOY comng in to lessons every ten minutes, a learning lector or TA allocated to the lesson etc) before refusing to teach the class, then the school will say that she's refused support and that this is a disciplinary matter as she's refusing to do her job.

I'm not saying that this is right or fair or that the "support" will work - in my experienceit won't. I'm just saying that refusing to teach a year group will bring a whole new set of problems to her door when she's clearly already at the end of her rope.

It seems reasonable to not want to stay at a job where you are not respected. I believe you are experiencing problems due to the attitudes and beliefs of the parents, which is an objective fact, it’s not you being racist. Cultural differences are real, but even beyond that, you deserve a workplace that supports you.

No, she said it was the older boys. So Years 8, 10 and 11 probably.

She said nothing about one particular year group being badly behaved when younger that I can see. I'm not sure where you got that from?

The older pupils in any school generally are the ones presenting the most challenging behaviour. This is due to puberty.

No, she said it was the older boys. So Years 8, 10 and 11 probably.

*She said nothing about one particular year group being badly behaved when younger that I can see. I'm not sure where you got that from?”

She said and I quote: “as this only seems to be an issue with a year group who reinforce each others' behaviour and are ones whose behaviour was poor when they were younger”

This. When didn't the OP say it was all one culture?
I am white British and I can tell you that misogyny is alive and well in my family.
However I think it is more common in Muslim cultures.

"BAME people can't really avoid a white monoculture". So you're saying that it's difficult to be the minority in a monoculture that is hostile towards you?

I agree this is a huge problem for Black and Brown people in the UK.

However, in this particular instance, these South Asian heritage boys have avoided a white monoculture. The school is South Asian Muslim monocultural. And that is an environment which is hostile to the OP.

Oh, I see, I missed that, thanks for clarifying. My point remains that the older pupils get, the more challenging they are, because of hormones. The more poorly behaved their start point the more difficult they will be by Year 11.

Some excellent whataboutery in this thread. OP, this situation sounds terrible. You should leave and find a school where you will be respected and supported. No job is worth putting up with this.

What have you actually done about it? Have you reported it to HoY and Leadership. Is it all documented, the boys actions, leaderships refusal to deal?

Why should the op leave misogyny is sexism and is every bit as prejudice as race or culture.

Would you be telling someone from a different race or culture if they didn't like the prejudice they should leave?

The double standards.

I don't think the op ever said these were Muslim boys causing the problem, or that she is white. She just decided the behaviours and difference, which could just as easily be from any number of cultures. I think a few posters have seen the descriptions of the behaviours and jumped to their own prejudiced conclusions.

I have known teachers leaving school for this exact reason. The remarks soon turned into intimidation when the teacher was cornered by 3 male students. It won't get better.

How do we know the OP is white? We only know she's a different race to the pupils she teaches.

She made that abundantly clear once you read between the lines.

We are very good at dog whistling and then feigning innocence of anything untoward.

Have you read the news lately. Look at the police force and it’s misogynistic attitudes. The faces did not look like they are of Islamic faith.

It’s not the race or culture of these boys. It’s the school. The OP could move to a school with boys who look like her and still face sexism. White boys are not immune from misogyny and if the school turns a blind eye, then would the OP feel more comfortable simply because the boys perpetrating this behaviour look like her?

It’s hard to unpick what’s happening in terms of culture without full details. Clearly there is unchecked misogyny and poor behaviour, though.

You’re putting up with a lot of BS at work, it’s making you miserable and you aren’t being supported by management. So, yes. I’d absolutely be looking for a new job. You don’t have to put up with this shit and it’s not your responsibility to sort it out.

I do think it’s worth having a frank conversation with your Head, though.
Most schools aren’t like this. I’ve worked in secondary education for years. Have I experienced poor behaviour, arsehole parents, misogyny? Yes. Society has a woman problem, so of course it exists in schools. Has it gone unchecked? Absolutely not. It’s always been called out, sanctioned, explored and ultimately, even in schools with a cocky male dominated SLT (plenty out there!) it hasn’t been allowed to infect the culture of the school. SLT need to know this is happening and they are risking losing female staff if it continues unchallenged.

Don't waste your time on them. You are unhappy and you don't feel safe. The SLT isn't doing anything to put that right.

You've given it six years. Now find another job in a decent school with a balanced catchment where such behaviour is not tolerated.

Putting yourself at risk is just not worth it.