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.)

This is Mumsnet, nobody really knows anything they just comment based on their experiences. I'm not a childcare expert but have used it in many different places across the country. Anyway, you're the one deliberately being obtuse. OP has said 'several complaints' in the OP, mentioned she's underappreciated in later posts etc etc. Of course she doesn't want to let people down but at the same time looks like people aren't aware of how good they have it.
Anyway, OP, for whom the thread is for has responded politely to my posts and said the thread has given her useful advice such as putting staff bios. Well done OP!
You haven't really done anything to help her except for have a go at me. Not sure what that achieves. If you're really bored , idk maybe go read a book , fix your garage, make yourself you know actually useful. I don't owe you any explanations and won't be replying to any more of your posts.

Edited

Oh chill out. You're all over this thread, going in at OP. I'm not the only one who noticed.

But you know, well done for helping OP, when I haven't. 😂
OP sounds pretty sensible and together despite your picking at her business. I'm sure you really 'helped'.

Like you said this is Mumsnet and if you post like a dick people reply.

Not sure how you are being more 'useful' than me on here. You go fix your garage. @psspsspssmrrowww

I presume you also never take them on holidays abroad and prevent them from attending RS and modern language lessons at school.

So you want your children to be ignorant of social inequalities such as racial injustice, sexism, and denial of LGBT rights?

Ok then.

Now that's racist.

OP, I am a Chair of Governors of a school where 98% of our children have EAL... I think that you have a fabulous multi-cultural nursery, but sadly, as I think you have already worked out, you appear to have some racist parents. Frankly, you have a couple of options, if you hear it in nursery, you call the parents out and tell them that they are welcome to go elsewhere... and make a note in your records or you continue the sterling work you are doing and continue to breakdown barriers. Most people do not like change and are frightened of things or people that are not like them, you have an amazing opportunity to change their viewpoint. Go for it and well done to all of your amazing, well qualified staff!

It is frightening really

@CaptainThomasPatButtonHall

My only concern would be the quality of their English and the strength of their accents especially around children with speech delay and hearing issues
Why would you be concerned about the quality of their English though? I'd have thought they wouldn't have been employed in an educational setting if they couldn't speak English.
As for accents, do you worry about Geordie teachers, or Liverpudlians, or heavy Scots accents?

Very few rural areas in the UK are ethnically diverse, is yours? If a rural business suddenly starts importing staff from outside the area, I'd wonder why the pay and conditions weren't attracting anyone more local. Generally it happens as a cost cutting measure, ie the business bringing in cheap labour, which then makes people wonder about the quality of the replacement staff.

In my preschool, the manager hands the kids back to parents (bit like the teachers at school). We very rarely have contact with parents apart from parents' meetings or events.

Perhaps because experience in other sectors eg the nhs has taught us that intelligible English is often passed over as a necessary prerequisite for employment?

It's more a diction issue and yes applies to any accent the child isn't used to hearing. So long as the worker (any worker of any nationality) speaks clearly enough so the child with speech issues can mirror their speech patterns and the words being said I couldn't care less what nationality they are or what languages they speak. Exposure to other cultures is only a positive thing.

I feel so sorry for your children, to be deprived of knowledge because their mother thinks the existence of other countries is “woke”.

So long as the worker (any worker of any nationality) speaks clearly enough so the child with speech issues can mirror their speech patterns and the words being said I couldn't care less what nationality they are or what languages they speak. Exposure to other cultures is only a positive thing.
Yes, agree

I wonder as well how far the "ah no its woke" goes?

Do they stop their kids from learning calculus because it originates Egypt, Greece, China and the Middle East?

Do they stop their kids learning history in case they find out about the crusades (do they let them watch Robin Hood Prince of Thieves?)

Maybe they aren't allowed to learn about the periodic table (russian) or Pythagoras theorem (indian)

How far does it go into their day to day life? Do they not get cataract surgery, use flushing toilets, or if they are infertile do they refuse IVF?

Or is it possible that they are willing to benefit from the knowledge and inventions of people from other countries whilst still being really racist to the people and their cultures and customs?

I mean if their beliefs are that strong they are willing to not send their children to a nursery if they learn about Ramadan, they are going to stand by those beliefs right? I do hope they will be avoiding the doctors who learn about "woke" diverse medical techniques such as coronary artery bypasses

I feel so sorry for your children, to be deprived of knowledge because their mother thinks the existence of other countries is “woke”

Same, and is why I think it is even more important in rural predominantly white areas which usually have some of these attitudes running through, to be "exposed" for want of a better expression to other countries and cultures.
Otherwise they've got no chance and will grow up full of ignorance through no fault of their own, it's healthy to mix, promotes understanding and tolerance and not "I don't want it around my children" attitudes 😢

Good grief! I didn't think such people really existed. You don't want your children to be aware of other cultures than your own?

@CaptainMyCaptain Good grief! I didn't think such people really existed
They do. I grew up with this kind of mindset, they definitely exist

With regards to accents, children learn to tune in. My DS has auditory processing SEN anD asd, his teacher is white european (i think Spanish) But has a really thick accent to the point I struggle to understand her. He doesn't struggle at all as the class have tuned into how she talks (her English is business fluent) and DS has come on leaps and bounds under her teaching.

hinderence

*hindrance.

Are you a native English speaker? How important are spelling and literacy to you? Or is just the accents of foreigners that worry you? Are you happy with people who cannot spell, teaching your child?

Some people would get a hell of a shock if their kids grew up in London. Nurseries, schools, hospitals, shops, cafes… accents everywhere!!

What are your reasons for saying this?

@MotherofChaosandDestruction seeing as they said it's woke and don't want it round their children, think that says it all.

They're racist

Of course its racism, just as people who speak to us brown people slowly and loudly are racist and think non-white people are stupid.

Some posters on here will be shocked to learn that british people have strong accents, but funnily enough can cope with their poor little darlings ears hearing geordie, liverpudlian, glasgow, south wales and west country accents. What the posters really mean is that they don’t like brown people or how they speak, because they also think all brown people speak with a limited number of accidents. Their poor little poppets simply wouldn’t cope with me as a nursery worker with my confusing Nottinghamshire accent.

It might be worth pointing out to parents that the staffs qualifications have to be vetted by the gov to count as full and relevant so their qualifications are just as good as the ones undertaken in the uk. There are strict criteria