Sacked for using 'N' word

[Horrace]

I don't know how to copy link sorry but has anyone been following the story of the Lloyd's bank manager who was sacked for asking a relevant question in a so called anti racism training session by his employers but in his question he used the full 'N' word.
His question I believe was how would he be expected to deal with black employees or customers speaking to each other using that word.
The trainer was so offended by the word, she had to take 5 days off work. However, he got sacked.
He has since been awarded £500,00 but no apology from Lloyd's and no job back.
As far as we know, the ridiculous incompetent trainer is still employed.

I am close to this story but afraid to say how.
But will say that I'm losing sleep and furious more and more at this bank.

It’s contextual and I’m sorry but I really don’t understand why it’s so offensive to use it if you’re having a discussion about why it’s so offensive.

They’re obviously teaching kids not to say it at all. Older generations may not be aware of this though.

He tried not to use the word she asked for clarification got it and was so triggered she had a week off

He didn’t try very hard. All he had to say was ‘the N word’ when asked for clarification.

I'll bet she didn't understand the question. This race baiting crap has to stop.

Older generations may not be aware of this though.

Lok. My FIL is an ignorant 82 year old and knows damn well it’s not acceptable. This man was a lot younger.

It’s shameful that people apparently don’t understaaaaaand on this thread why they can’t say it ‘even’ in this situation and it’s shameful that so many are desperate to minimise it.

This is a man who thinks white middle aged men are at the bottom of the pile. Think about that. What kind of man do you think has that opinion?

On the other hand if you read any of the articles you could google (other search engines are available) or even the ones linked to you will realise that

• the training was described as a "safe space"
• the chap tried asking the question not actually using the word
• the EDI trainer was too stupid, or too provocative, or whatever, and asked him to explain
• he then used the N-word in full to ask the question again without ambiguity
• he is dyslexic which may have lead to his badly formulated question(s)
• the EDI trainer had to take 5 days off from hearing the N-word in full
• the tribunal found that he was unfairly dismissed, he was the victim of disability discrimination, that his employer had failed to make reasonable adjustments for his disability
• his claim for race discrimination was dismissed (as it should be - the idea that white mc middle aged men are a downtrodden group is hilarious)

So you don't need to be a fainting violet about this.

you're not an EDI trainer by any chance?

That said, I've managed to get to 45 without once saying the N word, not once. Not by accident, not on purpose, not 'started to then stopped myself'. Not. Once.

You’ve never taught ‘Of Mice and Men’ to Year 10 then.

In the 1960s it was fine to segregate people according to ethnicity. We have moved on. And he is the same age as me. I have and never would use this word.

He apparently tried to make the 'trainer' understand by saying 'the N word' she kept saying she didn't understand what he meant(course she didn't) He then said it in full,she flounced off on a weeks sick leave and here we are. As I previously said all this race baiting has to stop.

Is this not victim blaming?

I think actually IMO that it’s quite strange that some people think he would deliberately be racist and throw away a long career and ruin his reputation by being deliberately and calculatingly racist in order to go through a long drawn out process and a tribunal just to receive a pay out?

if you read the full report it is Lloyds that were in the wrong .

don’t tell people they are in a safe place and can ask any questions if they can’t .

5 days off, ridiculous, using that word. Did deserve to be pulled up, safe space or not. It's offensive and his excuse was a bit of a shit one.

Are there any words like that that are regularly used in songs played over the radio and spoken in the street that white people are allowed to use but it is racist to the point of using your job if a black person uses them ?

Maybe the realisation of how much trouble it could bring. I mean it led to a £500k payout. I’d say do training but try not to cost us half a million in the process

Is this not victim blaming?

He certainly sees himself as a victim, you know with him being at the bottom of everything as a white man. All those poor white men getting worse treatment everywhere than, for example, black women. Fucking joker!

Except the tribunal found in his favour.

Yes of course pulled up and reprimanded but lose his job ?

obviously the tribunal thinks not .

I think actually IMO that it’s quite strange that some people think he would deliberately be racist and throw away a long career and ruin his reputation by being deliberately and calculatingly racist in order to go through a long drawn out process and a tribunal just to receive a pay out?

I doubt any or many believe that. But I absolutely know people who like to try to say the words and get away with it. With knowing that he believes white middle aged men are at the bottom, I think that’s likely what his aim was.

He didn’t describe it as ‘the N word’, he described it as an ‘offensive slur’ and then when pushed, he used the full word.

To be completely honest, until ~2years ago I did not know what the n-word means. And I am educated, and working in a professional environment where I have to receive diversity training and manage a diverse team. Just a non-native speaker and previously there has been no opportunity or need to learn British racial slurs. I could have been the one asking in the training "but what this n-word is?" ffs.

In what way is the content racist, OP? Please elaborate

Indeed.

But people love to join a side and point fingers even when their camp is as stupid and guilty as the camp they're pointing at.

I am concerned about people adopting binary approaches to societal issues. It over simplified the multifaceted nature of living in a diverse society. Thing being good or bad, right or wrong, in every circumstance is very narrow. Further more, feeling morally superior from adopting rigid and non reflective positions perpetuates problems. Change is rarely sustained by making demands and threatening or dishing out punishments.

I think the ever widening definition of what constitutes victim blaming doesn't help. If someone were to be upset by the actions of others and they see the actions as racially motivated, informing them that this wasn't the case if it wasn't, isn't victim blaming. Helping someone become more resilient to distress caused by racism isn't victim blaming and isn't condoning racism, it's helping address and reduce distress. You can do this and tackle the causes of the distress, they aren't mutually exclusive.

I come across increasing numbers of people getting very angry at the offer of support to build resilience to words/topics/situations they find triggering. Rather than remaining dependent on trigger warnings (when words/topics/situation known to upset will be used or are likely to arise), in what world is it a bad idea to equip someone to not feel distress, or overwhelming distress, should they unwittingly encounter a trigger.

He clearly did get worse treatment than was reasonable hence why he’s got a cool half a million for his troubles. I hope he enjoys spending every single penny of it while his ex-colleagues continue the daily grind in their toxic workplace.

Nah. Let's be honest. Chances are there is no evidence of him doing such thing even if you know he was. You can't prove someone's intentions.

The person took 5 days off work - can you prove that they were putting it on and really didn't need to? I don't think so either.

Doesn't mean they weren't both dramatic.