I dont see how you added that up.
Well, think about it. I think you'll agree, even if you don't agree that that is what happened in this case.
would you say something?
by flower 24 Replies latest jw friends
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SixofNine
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MegaDude
Since you asked for opinions, I don't see that saying anything would do anything positive, for you, or for the relationship between your son and his teacher.
Having grown up some of my young years in one of the most racially divided states myself, I learned the hard way that blacks are as racist as whites, and every other race. It comes naturally to every culture and color unfortunately.
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Sassy
I reacted the same way as six, at first I didn't notice the segregation of color and only the symetrical arrangement. A photographer would do that, AND one who does not think in terms of color. If you are color blind, you might not even think to evenly dispurse the races just so no one is offended. I also thought if the kids happen to be friends by their own choice (as other have mentioned) it might very well have happened by accident. If I think about work, alhough I happen to spend time with several races, the majority of employees still take their breaks with employess who are friends and often they are racially together.
Have you thought to ask your son if he was told who to stand by? and by who? and if you do have a problem, I agree with the others, talk to the teacher.
By the way, my comments above about not seeing anything wrong, just so you understand that I am so totally not racially slanted, I am white and I have dated more black men than white.
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nilfun
Sometimes volunteering to help in the classroom can give you a feel for where a teacher is coming from.
I think that is what I would do in this case, get to know the teacher, then go from there, because it can be difficult to try and figure out what motivates a person when you really don't get to know them.
If you know for a fact that this teacher has a problem with your son and other children of color, you have every right to call her on it. The main benefit your son would receive would be your showing him by your example that it is sometimes necessary to question/challenge offensive practices. I am sure you are aware and have weighed any repercussions this might have for your son also.
It is important not to let anyone's bullshit get in the way of a child's education. Hopefully, parents are working to inoculate their children against racism - this includes making sure that if a child does become the target of discrimination, she/he does not internalize it.
I remember looking through someone's yearbook circa 1987 and seeing how everything was segregated by race; there was even a Black Prom King/Queen on one page, and a White Prom King/Queeen on another. It was really weird. I hope things have changed since then.
((Flower))
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flower
If you are color blind, you might not even think to evenly dispurse the races just so no one is offendedM.
I certainly dont think that they should have delibrately put the children black/white/black/white ect...just to 'appear' racially diverse. Thats not what I meant. But I feel to delibrately seperate the children by skin just to make the photograph look nicer is wrong and ridiculous..maybe not somewhere else but being a photographer in a school in this state you find another way to make the picture symetrical.
I just feel that it is unlikely that the children, being 3 and 4 years old and too innocent to be anything but colorblind, would have just happened to stand next to the children they are with. Maybe no one heard me but I already stated that it was not a matter of standing next to friends..I dont have to ask my son to know who his best friends in school are..he talks about them all the time and he is not standing next to them.
I know for a fact that my son would NOT and does NOT flock towards black children when put in a room full of children. He's had more white friends in the past 3 years of school than any other race, he has met many of my friends most of whom have been white, he has lived with two roommates in the past two years both of whom have been white. He also of course has spent years around black and people of mixed races. My son is completely color blind I've no doubt about that.
Having grown up some of my young years in one of the most racially divided states myself, I learned the hard way that blacks are as racist as whites, and every other race. It comes naturally to every culture and color unfortunately.
First, I totally disagree that racism comes naturally to anyone...its a learned behavior for many. It may be natural to people who were only surrounded by one culture or race...black or white or other. But a child who grows up surrounded by many cultures and colors is not going to be racist becuase of some gene inside him. Its learned.
I get somewhat offended when someone implies that the only reason I see something wrong like this is because I personally see in terms of color...perhaps being a racist myself. Or because I, because I am black, look for reasons to complain about this sort of thing. But I have a feeling that people who assume things like this are doing it out of ignorance more than anything else. There are a lot of black people out there that help feed this attitude because all they seem to do is complain about racial problems. Personally I cant stand that sort of thing. And thats not me.
A lot of it has to do with how you grew up and with whom. I grew up in a middle to low class small town of 26,000 people, which was almost exactly 50/50 in terms of B/W. I also grew up in the Kingdom Hall which I personally did not see any judgement based on color. I dont think one could grow up in a more racially diverse place than I did and growing up that way has made me the type of person who sees PEOPLE not color. Like I said earlier I only heard or read about things like this before moving here. But I still noticed this picture and I still notice when I am treated rudely, completely ignored, or followed around when I go into a store or restaurant especially if I am with a white, male friend.