Student complaining-religion

[totoromama]

I train adults in professional services and they do professional exams.
I'm really upset about something a student said today. I need to vent but don't think I can take it further.
I taught anything successful 4 day course with an exam.
The student in question got a really high score, she was so happy!
I leant over her to look at the score she was telling me and my pendant necklace came out of my top.
Her whole demeanor changed.
She stood up and exclaimed that if she had known I was x she wouldn't have done the course and she was going to complain.
I'm so upset.my religion has nothing to do with my job. I feel scared.
She'll complain and it'll effect me at work not for my performance.
I'm not sure my aibu.

I think her behaviour was disgraceful. You have every right to wear your pendant. The antisemitism at the moment is insane. Sorry you experienced this OP.

I know humour is frowned upon "these days", but I couldn't help but go all Crocodile Dundee ...

That's not a pendant.

This is a pendant ....

Have you noticed how universities have behaved in response to transgender activism among their students? You clearly have a higher opinions of universities than I have.

Well those are the only two answers if they don't want to find themselves on the sharp end of a discrimination claim.

The college definitely won't throw the student out. They might have a word with her. In the current political climate, I'd be surprised if they disciplined her. If the student opts to do her next course with a non-Jewish lecturer (having previously intended to do it with the OP), do you really think the College will do anything about that? They won't. They will keep the situation as quiet as possible.

Complain about her to your boss . How dare she complain about you while openly displaying her own religion .

The police would deal with this as a hate crime, so college may not need to take steps. The college absolutely must not support any student being overtly racist though, that would be very inappropriate. A warning is the bare minimum.

Been reading all the responses, thank you for all the comments. I'm going to try to speak to my manager tomorrow. I'll update when I know anything

This will not count as a hate crime in England. That's already been discussed.

You are incorrect. You deciding personally that it isn't important is not the same as the legal system.

Why not actually check the law yourself before telling people they're wrong? If you look at the CPS website, it states that the following has been agreed between the CPS and the police as being the definition of a hate crime: "Any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice, based on a person's disability or perceived disability; race or perceived race; or religion or perceived religion; or sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation or transgender identity or perceived transgender identity."
@GRex - what is the criminal offence that the student has committed against the OP? Telling a lecturer that you have changed your mind about taking a class with them is not a criminal offence. The fact that the reason for your decision is that you now know that they are Jewish and you don't like Jewish people does not turn a non-crime into a crime.

There are also public order offences of inciting hatred. Telling a lecturer, in a one to one conversation, that you won't be taking another course with her because she's Jewish, does not stir up or intend to stir up hatred.

The Public Order Act 1986 includes specific offences of inciting hatred on the grounds of race, religion and sexual orientation.

• Incitement to hatred – race; the Public Order Act 1986, Part III(opens an external website in the same tab).
• Incitement to hatred – religion or sexual orientation; the Public Order Act 1986, section 29B(opens an external website in the same tab).

I think technically it isn't a hate crime to tell someone you hate them because of their religion, but it 'would' be a hate crime if this student reported the teacher because they are Jewish and suggested they should be reprimanded or fired etc. But either way this is thoroughly unpleasant and the OP should expect their employer to be proactive in ensuring she is protected and feels safe at work.

@totoromama - thinking of you today

An action is a hate crime if it it a crime and was motivated by a hatred of a particular category of people (race, religion, sexuality etc). Telling someone you hate the category of people that includes them is a non-crime hate incident, which does sometimes result in a police visit to tell you to behave yourself. Attempting to sabotage OP's employment through vexatious complaints goes beyond that though.

I agree. My daughter has heard all sorts at school (as the only Jewish child at a school of 800 kids) but the only time I involved the police was when she was physically attacked in the hallway. I do understand the difference but I still think an employer has a duty of care (as does the school - they spoke to the children/parents involved each time rather or not it was officially a hate crime - it's still unpleasant and gross to experience harassment at school or work)

From what we've been told, the student has done nothing except tell her lecturer that she doesn't want to take a class with her in the future, now that she knows she's Jewish. That definitely isn't a hate crime. Nor is it a public order offence (inciting hatred on the grounds of race or religion).
If the student took took things further, and put in a complaint to the college, saying that she didn't think that Jewish lecturers should be allowed to teach Muslim students, for example, or not without Muslim students being informed that a lecturer was Jewish in advance, I don't think that would constitute a crime/hate crime. I doubt it would meet the threshold for inciting hatred either. The college may well have rules relating to student conduct which are relevant here. Those are completely separate from criminal law. I think OP would be best advised to focus on those.

If she can wear a hijab why can’t you wear a religious medal? 🤷‍♀️

I'm an atheist if that makes any difference.

The student hasn't told OP she hates her though.

It's not a crime to say 'had I known you were x I wouldn't have done the course and I am going to complain'.

I think the student is an anti-Semitic twat who needs to be told to pack it or fuck off from the college but there hasn't been a crime committed here.

The student didn't say "you can't wear a religious medal". She said that she didn't want to be taught by someone she knows to be Jewish. it's quite possible that some Jewish people choose not to be taught by someone they know to be a Muslim.

It is unlawful discrimination under the Equality Act 2010.

I do wish people with zero legal understanding would stop pontificating, because the OP has every right to report this anti-semite.

What crime would be charged on the girl who said 'had I known you were x I wouldn't have done the course and I am going to complain'?

You can't force students to continue on a course so what would you charge her with?

It's clear you don't have legal understanding.

The student didn't make general comments about Jewish people, she made a distinct statement. The student stated an intent to harass the teacher, with the intent of causing alarm and distress. You can see she achieved it! Harassment is a hate crime and further the educational institution has an Equality Act requirement to support the teacher.

It's so sad that people can't see beyond their own prejudices to even care. Try imagining this teacher is black, student turns up, recoils in horror and says "I won't be in your class because you're black, I'm going to complain I wasn't told, you should lose your job because you're black." Get it now?

I’m Jewish and my son’s teacher is an observant Muslim woman. Because I’m not a miserable human I have nothing to say about that.

That's awful, no advice but sorry this happened to you.

The student stated an intent to harass the teacher, with the intent of causing alarm and distress. You can see she achieved it! Harassment is a hate crime and further the educational institution has an Equality Act requirement to support the teacher.

Saying 'had I known you were x I wouldn't have done the course and I am going to complain' does not pass the threshold for harassment, so what charge would you lay against the student?

Adults are allowed to leave a course for whatever reason they wish, it doesn't count as harassment.

It's so sad that people can't see beyond their own prejudices to even care. Try imagining this teacher is black, student turns up, recoils in horror and says "I won't be in your class because you're black, I'm going to complain I wasn't told, you should lose your job because you're black." Get it now?

Which of my posts indicates I don't care? I have supported OP. If an adult left a course saying ''had I known you were black I wouldn't have done the course and I am going to complain", it would not count as harassment because again, adults are allowed to leave a course for whatever reason they wish, it doesn't count as harassment.

You don't understand the law so are falling on tired old cliches. Get it now?