Is this the mother of all calling out - Katherine Birbalsingh

[DramaFatigue]

Katherine Birbalsingh has done the mother of all calling out and I can't help but sit here with my jaw on the kitchen table in awe.

She has written a 4-page open letter to Sir Kerr Starmer calling out Jess Phillip's behaviour online. Whilst I don't always agree with KB's methods of the school she runs, I do think that Jess Phillips behaviour towards her is shocking and unbefitting of someone who could be running the country. JP should resign TBH.

https://news.sky.com/story/headteacher-katharine-birbalsingh-brands-labour-mp-jess-phillips-social-media-posts-racist-and-bullying-12913139

@SunnyEgg Talk to me about the Right's behaviour towards Diane Abbott.

You could tweet her that under your professional name and see if she counts it as part of the abuse she likely receives daily

A bit like Sadiq Khan has talked about

Whether she brings it up is up to her

@SunnyEgg

This is lunacy. Of course you can mistrust what someone says based on a past history of lying. You can also disagree with someone without being biased. I haven't heard anyone trying to silence her, she makes herself heard anyway. And finally, SHE HAS A VOICE. She's a headteacher and a former government advisor. You refuse to criticise anything at all she does or says. Why's that? Why won't you accept that I am allowed to criticise her? Is it because of my background? Do folk like me not get to speak?

I don’t need to criticise her, why do I have to do that to talk about unconscious bias?

You can if you want but I’d say stick to the non derogatory and away from insults

Like I said fine if it’s policies you disagree with

I might not agree with say, making weed legal if Khan said that (I actually agree with a fair bit of his stuff so had to dig around for something I didn’t) that doesn’t mean I’m going to tweet he’s a narcissist, entitled or an arse or try to belittle him if I were higher up.

Imo we should be better on all sides when it comes to talking about minority groups, because there’s a chance they’ll feel it is unconscious bias and as they’ve likely experienced it throughout their life that is their right.

I am kind of surprised by people being upset and frustrated they can’t insult people other minorities though, seems a bit self defeating. I’ll be mindful and ask others to be mindful to me. It improves for everyone.

@SunnyEgg

I explained why I said she was narcissistic and behaved in an entitled manner. She lies, and when caught in her lies, doubles down or tries to delete the evidence. She is often mistaken on matters of fact and, when shown to be wrong, either doubles down again or says it wasn't important in the first place. Those are classic symptoms of over confidence at best, and personality disorder at worst. You seem to insist that we should ignore this because she's black. Sorry, not happening. She holds a position of power over children and has influenced government policy. She is also a compulsive self-publicist. She doesn't get a pass from criticism, except from you.

When she says she has experienced unconscious bias and that this is how she feels in this incident I would like people to believe her.

In the same way if anyone else who says it and has experienced it might. Regardless of politics or character assignation.

It’s the best way to get societal change and shift power away from one group to another.

I’m not really interested in the digs about criticising or not I don’t find that a good argument, nor that you care she’s a self publicist etc . I don’t find that particularly relevant as to how we can address unconscious bias in society.

Who knows if more people get a voice on this I might benefit and you could too, and anyone else who says they’ve experienced it.

I now understand why KB discounts allegations of Racism from her pupils. She alleges it in response to criticism.

I wouldn't want her working in my DC"s school.

Can I believe that she has experienced unconscious bias and disagree with a lot of what she says?

I refute that my opinion on her teaching methods is due to unconscious bias as I have exactly the same opinion on the white, male headteacher who expressed a similar model at the school open evening.

@SunnyEgg

I still think you're being disingenuous. I could believe you were unconsciously biased against me or vice versa. In a decent world, I agree that should be listened to. If, however, I stated that as a way of deflecting from my wrongdoing, it's irrelevant at best, manipulative at worst. You can't excuse yourself from all responsibility by claiming to know other people's motivations.

You can have opinions on her teaching methods.

But it’s the belittling part of any message that’s the problem.

I don’t often go on royal threads but there is some cross over with the phrasing - entitled, narcissistic, liar, self publicist for MM

So maybe a test could be does it annoy me when people do this to someone I do like who is from a minority group (guessing that some on this thread do find MM attacks problematic) if so I won’t do it to someone I dislike or don’t agree with.

I reckon it could filter out a fair bit of communication that would feel like unconscious bias.

If people feel annoyed that part of their online weaponry is being reduced I don’t think that’s a bad thing.

It’s good, the world is nicer - I might benefit too and others

The trouble is JP did belittle KB

So how KB feels about that is relevant

My ds has experienced unconscious bias due to his disability.

But calling him "that boy" wouldn't make me think it's unconscious bias. As he's male!

May not be the nicest term but I can distinguish between terms used and bias.

Sunnyegg are you being paid to defend KB?

Even where people agree with you you're arguing with them 🤷‍♀️

And more importantly your ignoring everything except the argument you want to have.

You cannot ignore every bit of factual information to make a point and expect people to listen. People will and are looking at the whole picture.

And as I've said from my opinion doesn't shine either is great light but it's certainly not all of one and none of the other.

This.

Just because someone feels something it doesn't mean others should be silenced. She started this with her tweet.

You cannot have a public profile and do the media rounds expressing your view and want others to be silent in response.

It's KB who wants to silence people. Not the other way round.

And in this case we have evidence that she has attempted to silence people. There is - so far - no evidence in reverse.

I loathe the use of centre as a verb - most of the people who use it thus are very tedious.

Oh well I’m glad you only insult people online and I don’t know you in rl 🤷‍♂️

Don’t be silly, are insults all you’ve got on your side?

I must say you’re all pretty bad at this. Deflect, insult, be derogatory.

You’re not agreeing though unless you agree she experienced unconscious bias from JP, do you?

I think JP doesn’t like KB based on her public profile and her stated approach to education.

I don’t think any of it is due to unconscious bias.

I think KB made a fool of herself 5 weeks ago and true to form has in the last few days doubled down because she can never acknowledge she fucked up.

Centre that

Lol at the centre that

Yeh you got me 😂

We are not seriously criticising a teacher for refusing to let Jess Phillips write her lesson plans, are we? Please tell me we’re not.

I wonder if JP will be more careful tweeting about or to black women from now on

I could see it being picked up again pretty easily if not

I don’t just believe KB, I also believe Sadiq Khan when he says abuse gave him PTSD (or near it) and a Labour MP who said she would not ever run for leadership due to abuse

On either side of politics I believe them.

Apart from the insults on here which are a pity, but not unusual, I do think we can do better generally.

Make it easier for people who are in the public eye for whatever reason be it politics or other

So many people say abuse is bad but really they don’t want to give up calling people they don’t like derogatory terms

Yes, I've experienced unconscious bias. I don't see it in JP's language, and the rationale KB gives for saying that it's there is a nonsense. ou keep ignoring the fact that JP is very familiar with right-wing black people, clearly she doesn't think KB is required to be left-wing, and KB's perception that she must think that demonstrates overt bias towards JP.

Feel free to call me that quiverer woman, it wouldn't bother me.

@AgathaSpencerGregson

Disregarding the fact that KB is hardly a teacher. I don't think JP was seriously suggesting she would write lesson plans, I was correcting the accusation up thread that she somehow threatened KB with going above her head, when the opposite is the truth.

@AgathaSpencerGregson
...but well done for picking out one point in my post, and ignoring the rest.

I disagreed with most of it, but that but struck me as especially hatstand. Still does.