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Original poster

Is this discrimination?

52 replies

Citymum7676 · 18/03/2021 08:18

Name changed for this post

Here is a situation that happened in the class (maths, y6, private school).
Children asked to draw a resort. I think the topic was space and proportions.
Child A draws fountains and hills.
Teacher asks: so, what are your ideas?
Child A: fountain and hills
Teacher: that’s not a good idea
Child B: sea
Teacher: brilliant
Child C: fountain!
Teacher: that’s an amazing idea! Fountain!!

In the end of the class: you should do this and that, not some kind of rubbish like your work, looking at child a. Work was not submitted to the teacher, they were only discussing ideas.
Child A felt discriminated. Child A is of different race whereas child B and child C are white. After the class child A’s friends told him that his ideas were the same so why was the teacher favoriting other kids? This teacher was substituting for a couple of classes and does not teach this class normally although is a head of maths.
Mum of child A (me) very very hurt to hear

OP posts:

LIZS · 18/03/2021 08:23

I think you are over thinking. You are not clear what the activity or theme was. How old are the children. Are you perhaps looking to rationalise this without full context.

Original poster

Citymum7676 · 18/03/2021 08:27

@LIZS

I think you are over thinking. You are not clear what the activity or theme was. How old are the children. Are you perhaps looking to rationalise this without full context.

Children are 10-11, year 6. The activity was to draw a resort, the topic was space and proportions. My eleven year old has told me what happened from his perspective, and I see nothing wrong in his work with hills and fountains..

OP posts:

en0la · 18/03/2021 08:28

Maybe child a could do better then that ?

LIZS · 18/03/2021 08:28

Then ask the teacher? Why jump to an assumption of discrimination?

Original poster

Citymum7676 · 18/03/2021 08:30

@en0la

Maybe child a could do better then that ?

They were discussing ideas, why would he say : this idea is rubbish and this idea is not, to the same idea?

OP posts:

Original poster

Citymum7676 · 18/03/2021 08:31

@LIZS

Then ask the teacher? Why jump to an assumption of discrimination?

I don’t think anyone who discriminates will actually acknowledge doing so. Especially if it’s hidden one like this. Moreover my child does not want me to make a fuss of it. It was so subtle and hidden.

OP posts:

Comefromaway · 18/03/2021 08:31

If the two children had the same ideas and one was praised and the other told it was not a good idea then yes, I would be looking at reasons why.

My children are autistic. They went to a private junior school and they used to get upset at things like this because they had vastly different kinds of holiday to many of the other children (autism means they found it difficult to produce things from their imagination rather than their actual experience. My children had never been to a resort as such, their holidays were spent in the caravan in the countryside.

LIZS · 18/03/2021 08:37

I meant ask the teacher about the task not discuss discrimination specifically. Ie. My dc was confused as their idea seemed similar to others but was apparently not acceptable. Can we clarify how to improve on it. However it all seems a storm in a teacup.

MrsFin · 18/03/2021 08:37

Sometimes, when two kids have similar ideas or submit similar work, and one is praised and the other isn't, it's because the children have different abilities. It's pretty unlikely it will be because of the colour of their skin.

A very able child who hasn't spent much time developing his ideas might get a "not good enough" where a less able child who has stretched himself and worked hard to produce something on a par with the other child would get a "well done".

I wish people would stop blaming every criticism on race.

MrsFin · 18/03/2021 08:39

PS FWIW, I would say a "fountain and hills" is not a resort. 🤔

Comefromaway · 18/03/2021 08:42

And a substitute teacher would know who is able and who is less able?

Original poster

Citymum7676 · 18/03/2021 08:54

@Comefromaway

And a substitute teacher would know who is able and who is less able?

Substitute teacher would not know who is able and who is not.

OP posts:

Original poster

Citymum7676 · 18/03/2021 08:55

@MrsFin

PS FWIW, I would say a "fountain and hills" is not a resort. 🤔

Why would “a fountain” be a great idea and “a fountain and the hills” be a bad idea?

OP posts:

Comefromaway · 18/03/2021 08:55

My husband is a teacher. He has lots of friends who are teachers.

Racism is systemic in education as is disability discrimination.

Original poster

Citymum7676 · 18/03/2021 08:59

@LIZS

I don’t think I ll discuss with the teacher as the child is very happy he is getting his other teacher back. If it was not a substitute teacher but a permanent one I would be very concerned.

OP posts:

Original poster

Citymum7676 · 18/03/2021 09:01

@Comefromaway

My husband is a teacher. He has lots of friends who are teachers.

Racism is systemic in education as is disability discrimination.

Thank you for getting my point. It makes me so sad that there are still people who call themselves teachers and are racist.

OP posts:

LetsSplashMummy · 18/03/2021 09:01

Could it be that the teacher thought he said "mountains and hills," as they kind of go together as terms and wouldn't be a great idea for a resort. It would also explain why the teacher praised "fountain," when it was mentioned later.

Original poster

Citymum7676 · 18/03/2021 09:07

@LetsSplashMummy

The teacher could have thought anything. I think the point was to discuss them in general and then to do something else on proportions and space.. When I listen to my child, it’s a wonderful idea in my my opinion. It’s a resort in the hill of a mountain with a fountain.

OP posts:

annonnymous · 18/03/2021 09:11

I would ask to speak to the teacher and discuss what their take on it was. I suspect there was an element of racism and it needs to be highlighted

twelly · 18/03/2021 09:13

I think it is difficult with reported conversations , I would make the racist connection

Tambourina · 18/03/2021 09:13

This kind of quibble is why teachers leave the profession through stress.

twelly · 18/03/2021 09:13

Correction I would not make the racist connection

Original poster

Citymum7676 · 18/03/2021 09:26

Thank you everyone for your comments.
I won’t be talking to this teacher or school. If there was persistent racism in this school or class I would raise the issue. This teacher only substituted for two classes and I hope will not teach my child again. Unfortunately hidden racism can appear anywhere and I just don’t have energy or free time to raise the issue every time I see it. I get upset about it. I think it would do more harm to my child if I started raising all these issues in schools. I hope the schools will take hidden racism more seriously and incorporate it into staff training.

OP posts:

AbstractHeart · 18/03/2021 09:31

Occam's razor: What is more likely? That the teacher misheard it as "mountains and hills"? Or that she's risking her career by being openly racist?

Fullyhuman · 18/03/2021 09:39

People calling this a quibble and who ‘wouldn’t make the racism connection’ - I’m guessing you’re white?!
10/11yos are old enough to know when something feels wrong. I would believe the child. I’m so sorry, OP. How horrible.

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