to think a diverse staff force in a Nursery is an asset, not a drop in quality?

[WhataPlank]

I own a small, rural nursery school.
We, like every other nursery in the UK, really struggle with staffing but have recently secured three wonderful Practitioners to join our small team.
All are very experienced, very caring, speak perfect English and are completely qualified; one from Kenya, one from India and one from Romania.

The most important thing for me is having well trained staff who genuinely love and care for the children and ensure their learning and development is on track. On top of that, I think having such a diverse workforce is a massive asset particularly in an area where the children wouldn't necessarily get much exposure to different cultures. We already did regular diversity events (such as a Holi, Ramadan, St Patricks, Divali etc) and the new staff will all host their own Nursery activities to celebrate their cultures.

But I've heard several complaints (two directly to me as the owner, and many more "gossip/rumours") that our nursery has "cheapened" and "been taken over" and is generally being viewed as lower quality due to the staff not all being British. Some people have expressed concerns that their training would not meet the requirements of the EYFS and that the children's education will be of lower quality. It has been implied that the staff's native qualifications are not comparable to British ones.

AIBU to think this is simply pure racism and that staff diversity should be viewed as a massive asset to our community/children?

(In case it needs mentioning, I've gone out of my way to ensure the staff feel welcome and comfortable with their relocation.)

If qualifications are equal, safeguarding training is not just completed, but agreed and understood and for me SEN understanding and acceptance, then diversity is an asset. We can't ignore the sexual abuse of girls in India and across Africa, or the treatment of children who have disabilities. Our past experiences shape and influence us. If people are wanting reassurance that you are on top of everything, I don't necessarily see that as racism. There's massive progress being made in many African countries and in India in regards to these issues, so to brand people from there, rather than just question, would be racist.

I think that was covered in the OP.

2nd paragraph when OP said , they are 'completely qualified '.

Yet pages of "but, but, but ......"

Not sure as country we've ever have to put up with this.

Tell me you know nothing about British history without telling me you know nothing about British history

@dogmandu
There were several mums on the pavement with buggys picking up their children and ALL of them were covered from head to toe. It just didn't looked right - say what you will, and I'm not racist
Why do you even care what others are wearing? Seriously?
I couldn't give a toss. I say this as white British.

As long as they aren't making you do it I can't see the problem. You don't like the way it looks? Hmm.

We live in a cold wet country many months of the year, so frequently you will find most people are covered from head to toe, it's just somehow "acceptable" if it's a hood and not if its a hijab 🙄

Just trying to play devil's advocate, and I don't know, but is it that a workplace (nursery) with a predominantly British staff is seen by others (parents) as a more desirable place to work? Whereas it might look to others like you're struggling to recruit if you're employing staff from overseas.

It just didn't looked right - say what you will, and I'm not racist’

😂😂😂😂thanks for the laugh.

The OP is struggling to recruit. The entire industry is struggling to recruit. And if people are oblivious to the staff issuing in the childcare, teaching, care, health and prison services to name but a few then more fool them

Still doesn't justify the racists phrases used

Given the information given by OP, yes it jolly well is.

It's racism and ignorance. It might be dressed up in concerns about qualifications and language skills but that is what it is.

I suspect none of the parents complaining would be happy to pay the level of fees needed for this work to be attractive to suitably qualified native applicants willing to commute to your rural location (because I highly doubt any nursery worker can afford housing in most rural settings).

Indeed. And even when there are special forums for Brown and Black MNers, they are overrun by posters trying to minimise racism and mentioning " the race card" whatever that is.

Not at all surprised.

Same here. But people always bundle up several different things into racism without really knowing what it means.
Racism = prejudice on the basis of race and ethnicity.
Not nationality.
Of course they are related in that most countries are made up of one majority race but still.
A British born/trained Indian person (British citizen or otherwise) and an Indian national straight from India with completely Indian training + work experience. Two different things.

It's not even about supposedly 'looked down upon' countries I wouldn't be happy with a childcare provider straight from France for instance being equated to a UK trained one. Cultural attitudes towards SEN are bad. Even though people are supposedly 'qualified' and follow the 'same syllabus' it has one of the lowest rates of autism diagnosis, unless you're a Rain Man type people don't believe in it and healthcare , childcare professionals aren't trained to take it seriously. Children are dismissed simply as naughty and harshly disciplined.

Of course, it could be that these people are racist and are questioning qualifications because that's obvious. If it was a British black or brown person they may still not like it and find a different line of 'questioning'.

But solely from the information presented in the OP at the very start we don't know. We don't know if OP has any non-white non-visa staff.

Obviously if people are OK with them but not these new ones then it's not a race issue.

Ah, those unique British values always used to justify xenophobia, as if other non-white countries do not believe in the education of women or the pursuit of liberty. They even manage to pursue them without bombing brown people out of existence every few years.

Personally, I have decided not to hire Americans because, you know, one of them might get hold of an assault rifle and slaughter everyone in my workplace.

It sounds like you have a lovely nursery so that's a real asset to the local families. I'd have loved for my kids to go somewhere like that and it was always fun when they learned about different languages and religions, they did that at a nursery staffed mostly by white British women so people are misguided if they think it's woke, it's part of any reasonable education. Racism is nonsensical, you can't reason with it.

Wow. You have yourself a bona fide xenophobe here, OP. Get good use out of her to answer some of your questions to understand the mentality of your clientele.

I'm confused as to how employing non-British staff is unnecessary wokeism?
Genuine question.

Why do you even care what others are wearing? Seriously?

Because this is a clear statement about the status of women. It goes much further with having to obey men in many cases (who to marry etc) and this is not in line in any way with our values. You should give a toss. It's massively important.

I'm confused as to how employing non-British staff is unnecessary wokeism?
Genuine question
Yes, funny how they haven't actually said what they think is woke about that.
Woke is losing all meaning. Just seems to be used for everything people don't like, whether that be the inclusion of non white British people, or something else they decide they don't want including either.

No I don't! It's a clear statement as to the value of women (see my previous post) It's not in line with the values of our and many other countries.

What if they want to wear it?

I'm not in favour of judging womens clothing either way, whether you think someone should wear something or you think they shouldn't wear something

I would like women to live in a society where they can wear what the fuck they want regardless of anyone else. For some women in a hijab that unfortunately won't be the case. But for some it will.

There are still schools measuring the length of girls skirts (and not letting them wear trousers) so it's not like we are getting it all right the "British" way anyway

Oh i don't know whether to sing 'There'll Always Be An England' or 'When The Saints Come Marching In'

There were several mums on the pavement with buggys picking up their children and ALL of them were covered from head to toe. It just didn't looked right - say what you will, and I'm not racist
😂

This is exactly it. I'm as far from racist as can be (I hope) but the fact is, as a trained professional in childcare, I'm aware that many countries do things very differently from us. France is actually a great example. It's nothing to do with race.

People who jump on any legitimate concerns as 'racist' are what push the anti-'woke' brigade further. The amount of times the same person has been quoted on this thread! There are racists in this country but not everyone who raises a concern about something is one. The more people jump on those people and label them 'racist', the further away they are pushed.

Why? The only thing that would put me off would be if their English were not up to standard.

Different training and approaches to childcare wouldn't put me off because I am under no illusions that the "British" or "English" approach to childcare (in my case as I live in England) is always the best. The OP's workforce sounds like it will bring lots of new ideas and backgrounds which is good.

I would like to live in a society where women can wear what the fuck they want regardless of anyone else

Really? Because that's the last thing I'd want, especially around young children. Amongst the things I'd object to are burkas, any veiling of the face, high stiletto heels, thong and short skirt combinations, scrunch bum leggings, dog collars and anything else highly sexualised or fetish wear.
Same goes for men too of course, although they rarely seem to have to either wrap themselves like a parcel or wear highly sexualised clothing to be their true, authentic selves. Weird that.