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?

The poster you’re replying to clearly has no experience of what it’s like to experience that level of misogyny and disrespect as a white person. I had to move out of an area of London as I was regularly getting followed home and targeted for being a “white slag” and various other things and it was terrifying. It does happen.

Won't it be great when they enter the workforce in a few years time, eh?

Sadly, years of recruitment taught me that they're likely to carry the same attitudes into that too, which is how I came to face a demand for a female trainer to be removed because it was deemed unacceptable for her to be there at all

There's no denying that some cultures encourage misogyny, but that doesn't mean they're all the same and they're certainly not all of a particular race

It's a shame OP's SLT aren't stronger on this - maybe they've faced one too many unfounded claims of racism and have simply given up? - but overall nobody has to work in circumstances they find unpleasant and personally I'd leave

I feel terrible for you here OP. I am disgusted that the school hasn't slung these pupils out for the behaviours they've shown.

I think you deserve an environment that allows you to do your job without abuse. I don't think you deserve to be labelled a racist as some posters have attempted to do. What are you supposed to do, accept misogyny, threats and disruption because to be annoyed at this would be racist?

The environment we have created makes it very difficult to talk about these clashes frankly. Sometimes its used as an open door for racists to have their say which is a problem, but we can't leave these behaviours unchallenged because of cultural sensitivities either.

I am disgusted that the school hasn't slung these pupils out for the behaviours they've shown

They won't do that, Everanewbie; it's rarely even done in cases of outright violence, so certainly won't be for "attitude" with a side order of cultural sensitivities thrown in

I'd expect the SLT to be all over it though, but since they clearly want to avoid this, leaving could well be the only solution

I'd expect the SLT to be all over it though, but since they clearly want to avoid this, leaving could well be the only solution

I agree with this - having worked in a school in the past with a strong (and mostly female) SLT, students were pulled up and sanctioned for behavior far, far less than this. Your SLT has massively let you down here. First step is to quit, second could well be a letter to the governors making them aware of how the SLT are letting down staff.

I teach. I have seen this. I totally understand. You feel.like you are driving with the brakes on. If SLT are not actively challenging this bad behaviour,look elsewhere. You should not have to put up with that.