IS Forum
Forum Index Register Members List Events Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Help

Go Back   International Skeptics Forum » General Topics » Social Issues & Current Events
 


Welcome to the International Skeptics Forum, where we discuss skepticism, critical thinking, the paranormal and science in a friendly but lively way. You are currently viewing the forum as a guest, which means you are missing out on discussing matters that are of interest to you. Please consider registering so you can gain full use of the forum features and interact with other Members. Registration is simple, fast and free! Click here to register today.
Tags lawsuits , New York incidents , racism charges , racism incidents , school incidents

Reply
Old 10th January 2020, 10:37 PM   #121
psionl0
Skeptical about skeptics
 
psionl0's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: 31°57'S 115°57'E
Posts: 20,952
Originally Posted by lionking View Post
Well the racism can’t be undone and the school has not apologised, so punishment will be financial. Seems fair to me.
You don't know if the school had been given any opportunity to deal with this. A reading of the OP suggests that the boys ran straight to their lawyer.
__________________
"The process by which banks create money is so simple that the mind is repelled. Where something so important is involved, a deeper mystery seems only decent." - Galbraith, 1975
psionl0 is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 10th January 2020, 10:44 PM   #122
PhantomWolf
Penultimate Amazing
 
PhantomWolf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 21,203
Originally Posted by rjh01 View Post
So treating white students like this is ok, but if done on black ones this is racist?
Here are two historical art world depicting a lynching, one of a white man and one of a black man. Do you think perhaps there might have been something racist about one and not the other?

Image 1

Image 2

Especially if the context was removed and the words "Hang 'Em High" were added...
__________________

It must be fun to lead a life completely unburdened by reality. -- JayUtah
I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question. -- Charles Babbage (1791-1871)


Last edited by PhantomWolf; 10th January 2020 at 10:48 PM.
PhantomWolf is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 10th January 2020, 10:45 PM   #123
cullennz
Banned
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: NZ
Posts: 21,318
Originally Posted by psionl0 View Post
A reading of the OP suggests that the boys ran straight to their lawyer.
Which bit of it suggests this.
cullennz is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 10th January 2020, 11:00 PM   #124
rjh01
Gentleman of leisure
Tagger
 
rjh01's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Flying around in the sky
Posts: 28,092
Originally Posted by PhantomWolf View Post
Here are two historical art world depicting a lynching, one of a white man and one of a black man. Do you think perhaps there might have been something racist about one and not the other?

Image 1

Image 2

Especially if the context was removed and the words "Hang 'Em High" were added...
The difference between the two images is that the white person was hanged because he was a horse thief. The second image the black person was hanged because he was black. This is an explicit racist attack. Now if he was hanged because he was a horse thief that might be a different matter. I will ignore the fact that lynching is wrong in itself. There is nothing in the first image that even says it was a lynching and not legitimate punishment. Or even that the victim is white.
__________________
This signature is for rent.
rjh01 is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 10th January 2020, 11:04 PM   #125
PhantomWolf
Penultimate Amazing
 
PhantomWolf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 21,203
Originally Posted by rjh01 View Post
The difference between the two images is that the white person was hanged because he was a horse thief. The second image the black person was hanged because he was black. This is an explicit racist attack. Now if he was hanged because he was a horse thief that might be a different matter. I will ignore the fact that lynching is wrong in itself. There is nothing in the first image that even says it was a lynching and not legitimate punishment. Or even that the victim is white.
And in the same way a photo of white students referring to monkeys isn't racist because there is no history of white people being called monkeys in a racist manner, however when it comes to black people....
__________________

It must be fun to lead a life completely unburdened by reality. -- JayUtah
I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question. -- Charles Babbage (1791-1871)

PhantomWolf is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 12:19 AM   #126
Sideroxylon
Featherless biped
 
Sideroxylon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Aporia
Posts: 26,431
Originally Posted by psionl0 View Post
You don't know if the school had been given any opportunity to deal with this. A reading of the OP suggests that the boys ran straight to their lawyer.
As is their right. The cost of poor a poor school culture. You would think every education HR department, school district and up would be all over this stuff and running regular courses on how not to show your racist contempt for black people. Obviously they haven’t and it is going to cost them. It’s the only way they will learn.

This sort of thing should not be happening. Punitive legal costs will help stamp it out. Lawyers making a lit of money is a trifling side issue. “They are just doing it for the money” strikes me as a distraction from our racist societies.
Sideroxylon is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 12:20 AM   #127
Sideroxylon
Featherless biped
 
Sideroxylon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Aporia
Posts: 26,431
If anyone is struggling with understanding the problem with this, drop in to your HR dept Monday for a rundown and maybe get yourself on a course.
Sideroxylon is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 01:09 AM   #128
psionl0
Skeptical about skeptics
 
psionl0's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: 31°57'S 115°57'E
Posts: 20,952
Originally Posted by Sideroxylon View Post
This sort of thing should not be happening. Punitive legal costs will help stamp it out. Lawyers making a lit of money is a trifling side issue. “They are just doing it for the money” strikes me as a distraction from our racist societies.
This is sheer lunacy! When did political correctness drown out freedom of speech?

This "we will not stop until everybody is afraid to open their mouth" madness is everything that is wrong with this world.
__________________
"The process by which banks create money is so simple that the mind is repelled. Where something so important is involved, a deeper mystery seems only decent." - Galbraith, 1975
psionl0 is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 01:27 AM   #129
Sideroxylon
Featherless biped
 
Sideroxylon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Aporia
Posts: 26,431
Originally Posted by psionl0 View Post
This is sheer lunacy! When did political correctness drown out freedom of speech?

This "we will not stop until everybody is afraid to open their mouth" madness is everything that is wrong with this world.
Freedom for white teachers to **** on the dignity of black students. Lets drop that in the same dumpster with the freedom to call fire in a cinema and nothing of value will be lost. Love the PC framing of this situation - its clear that so often kick backs against PC is frustration with not being allowed to dehumanise minorities. Wake up to yourself.
Sideroxylon is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 01:30 AM   #130
lionking
In the Peanut Gallery
 
lionking's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 54,892
Originally Posted by psionl0 View Post
This is sheer lunacy! When did political correctness drown out freedom of speech?

This "we will not stop until everybody is afraid to open their mouth" madness is everything that is wrong with this world.
Just to clarify things, are you saying that teachers (or anyone else for that matter) comparing black kids to monkeys is an exercise in free speech?
__________________
A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject.

Sir Winston Churchill
lionking is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 02:07 AM   #131
psionl0
Skeptical about skeptics
 
psionl0's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: 31°57'S 115°57'E
Posts: 20,952
Originally Posted by Sideroxylon View Post
Freedom for white teachers to **** on the dignity of black students. Lets drop that in the same dumpster with the freedom to call fire in a cinema and nothing of value will be lost. Love the PC framing of this situation - its clear that so often kick backs against PC is frustration with not being allowed to dehumanise minorities. Wake up to yourself.
It's not that nothing should be done about an act of bad taste. It's the disproportionality of it all. This is just a trivial offense. Cashing in on it is not an appropriate response.
__________________
"The process by which banks create money is so simple that the mind is repelled. Where something so important is involved, a deeper mystery seems only decent." - Galbraith, 1975
psionl0 is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 02:33 AM   #132
Babbylonian
Penultimate Amazing
 
Babbylonian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 14,076
Originally Posted by psionl0 View Post
It's not that nothing should be done about an act of bad taste. It's the disproportionality of it all. This is just a trivial offense. Cashing in on it is not an appropriate response.
You're wrong. Those kids will remember for the rest of their lives that a teacher called them monkeys.

I still remember a time in the 9th grade (1985), when I corrected an adult at some event in our high school gym by informing her I was a boy and she responded that if I didn't want to be mistaken for a girl I should get a haircut and lose weight. Every time that memory bubbles to the surface (and it has, often), I feel the shame she wanted me to feel followed by anger that she went out of her way to **** on a 13-year-old kid. Maybe if I'd been able to "cash in" or at least see her suffer consequences for shaming a kid for his appearance, I wouldn't feel the same way all these years later.
Babbylonian is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 02:35 AM   #133
cullennz
Banned
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: NZ
Posts: 21,318
Originally Posted by psionl0 View Post
It's not that nothing should be done about an act of bad taste. It's the disproportionality of it all. This is just a trivial offense. Cashing in on it is not an appropriate response.
I personally think making it as much as possible without harming the education of other kids sends a very good message to those that control the thing.

If it takes this and/or more bad luck.

Sort your **** out and get rid of racism or get hammered


Edit: can't actually believe anyone would argue against this

Last edited by cullennz; 11th January 2020 at 02:38 AM.
cullennz is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 02:38 AM   #134
Sideroxylon
Featherless biped
 
Sideroxylon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Aporia
Posts: 26,431
Originally Posted by psionl0 View Post
It's not that nothing should be done about an act of bad taste. It's the disproportionality of it all. This is just a trivial offense. Cashing in on it is not an appropriate response.
White privilege is why you think dehumanising minorities is trivial.
Sideroxylon is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 02:47 AM   #135
cullennz
Banned
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: NZ
Posts: 21,318
Originally Posted by Sideroxylon View Post
White privilege
Ffs
cullennz is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 02:58 AM   #136
Roboramma
Penultimate Amazing
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 16,041
Originally Posted by JoeMorgue View Post
Neither is "I can't be racist because 'I don't see race.'"
I think it would be if it were actually true. The problem here is that I don't actually believe it's true. The teacher(s) didn't not know that the kids were black, nor did they not know that calling them monkeys would be offensive. It's possible that they wanted to make the joke independent of it's racist overtones and not because of them, but they can't claim not to have been aware of those overtones, nor how it would have been taken by the students, and their peers.
__________________
"... when people thought the Earth was flat, they were wrong. When people thought the Earth was spherical they were wrong. But if you think that thinking the Earth is spherical is just as wrong as thinking the Earth is flat, then your view is wronger than both of them put together."
Isaac Asimov
Roboramma is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 03:20 AM   #137
psionl0
Skeptical about skeptics
 
psionl0's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: 31°57'S 115°57'E
Posts: 20,952
Originally Posted by Babbylonian View Post
You're wrong. Those kids will remember for the rest of their lives that a teacher called them monkeys.

I still remember a time in the 9th grade (1985), when I corrected an adult at some event in our high school gym by informing her I was a boy and she responded that if I didn't want to be mistaken for a girl I should get a haircut and lose weight. Every time that memory bubbles to the surface (and it has, often), I feel the shame she wanted me to feel followed by anger that she went out of her way to **** on a 13-year-old kid. Maybe if I'd been able to "cash in" or at least see her suffer consequences for shaming a kid for his appearance, I wouldn't feel the same way all these years later.
You have no idea of how cruel humans can be to others, nor of the extent of the harm that this cruelty can cause to the victims. An isolated insult doesn't even begin to compare.
__________________
"The process by which banks create money is so simple that the mind is repelled. Where something so important is involved, a deeper mystery seems only decent." - Galbraith, 1975
psionl0 is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 03:29 AM   #138
smartcooky
Penultimate Amazing
 
smartcooky's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Nelson, New Zealand
Posts: 25,306
Originally Posted by psionl0 View Post
You have no idea of how cruel humans can be to others, nor of the extent of the harm that this cruelty can cause to the victims. An isolated insult doesn't even begin to compare.
Angels and minsters of grace defend us! He just told you how cruel his teacher was to him, and how it affected him, and still affects him to this day, AND YOU BELITTLED IT AND DISMISSED IT!
__________________
If you're not a scientist but you think you've destroyed the foundation of a vast scientific edifice with 10 minutes of Googling, you might want to consider the possibility that you're wrong.

Its TRE45ON season... convict the F45CIST!!
smartcooky is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 03:33 AM   #139
smartcooky
Penultimate Amazing
 
smartcooky's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Nelson, New Zealand
Posts: 25,306
Originally Posted by lionking View Post
Just to clarify things, are you saying that teachers (or anyone else for that matter) comparing black kids to monkeys is an exercise in free speech?
Yup, that is exactly what he is saying... even if he claims to not to have meant it that way.

Calling Black kids monkeys is not real racism, apparently
__________________
If you're not a scientist but you think you've destroyed the foundation of a vast scientific edifice with 10 minutes of Googling, you might want to consider the possibility that you're wrong.

Its TRE45ON season... convict the F45CIST!!

Last edited by smartcooky; 11th January 2020 at 03:59 AM.
smartcooky is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 06:27 AM   #140
Sideroxylon
Featherless biped
 
Sideroxylon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Aporia
Posts: 26,431
Originally Posted by cullennz View Post
Ffs
I take it that you feel the expression is just a ridiculous buzzword. What a deep well of irony that is.
Sideroxylon is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 06:37 AM   #141
Thermal
Penultimate Amazing
 
Thermal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Where the Arrantly Roam
Posts: 26,169
Originally Posted by smartcooky View Post
Yup, that is exactly what he is saying... even if he claims to not to have meant it that way.

Calling Black kids monkeys is not real racism, apparently
I think the argument is that the teacher didn't see them as black kids; he just saw them as kids. And that kind of makes all the difference.

There is this unspoken requirement floating around here, that you can never look at these kids as just kids. They will always be black kids, and even though obviously well intentioned, I don't think that's a good thing.

If, as reported, this teacher had been doing this schtick for years with students of all races, I think that points to there being no racist intent. This also jibes with the tremendous support that was shown for the teacher in the school hearing.

Also, carry this 'monkey do' thing out. Should a teacher never use this expression involving a black kid? That seems to be the feeling here. Can the teacher use it with white kids? If so, the requirement seems to be that the teacher can play around with one group, but must be more reserved with the other.

You think kids will not pick up on their teacher treating people differently based on their skin color? However well intentioned this is, this seems like the wrong approach.
__________________
"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect" -Mark Twain
"Half of what he said meant something else, and the other half didn't mean anything at all" -Rosencrantz, on Hamlet
Thermal is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 06:56 AM   #142
William Parcher
Show me the monkey!
 
William Parcher's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 26,646
It is extremely dehumanizing to call a white kid a monkey. You are saying that a human being is a monkey. That is so wrong.
__________________
Bigfoot believers and Bigfoot skeptics are both plumb crazy. Each spends more than one minute per year thinking about Bigfoot.
William Parcher is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 06:57 AM   #143
Sideroxylon
Featherless biped
 
Sideroxylon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Aporia
Posts: 26,431
Originally Posted by Thermal View Post
I think the argument is that the teacher didn't see them as black kids; he just saw them as kids. And that kind of makes all the difference.

There is this unspoken requirement floating around here, that you can never look at these kids as just kids. They will always be black kids, and even though obviously well intentioned, I don't think that's a good thing.

If, as reported, this teacher had been doing this schtick for years with students of all races, I think that points to there being no racist intent. This also jibes with the tremendous support that was shown for the teacher in the school hearing.

Also, carry this 'monkey do' thing out. Should a teacher never use this expression involving a black kid? That seems to be the feeling here. Can the teacher use it with white kids? If so, the requirement seems to be that the teacher can play around with one group, but must be more reserved with the other.

You think kids will not pick up on their teacher treating people differently based on their skin color? However well intentioned this is, this seems like the wrong approach.
There a lot of things like these that “people have been doing for years” that are racist. The symbols and concepts under which African Americans where brought to the US in crammed ships to be used as slaves for a white society live on and need to be eradicated. We cannot allow the perpetuation of such attitudes to continue and people’s dignity devalued regardless of intent.

And how could anyone not be aware of these symbols and their use against black people? How often do we keep having such discussions? Again, if they are for whatever reason unaware this will serve as an expensive learning experience and a call for the HR department to educate.
Sideroxylon is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 07:00 AM   #144
lionking
In the Peanut Gallery
 
lionking's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 54,892
Originally Posted by Thermal View Post
I think the argument is that the teacher didn't see them as black kids; he just saw them as kids. And that kind of makes all the difference.

There is this unspoken requirement floating around here, that you can never look at these kids as just kids. They will always be black kids, and even though obviously well intentioned, I don't think that's a good thing.

If, as reported, this teacher had been doing this schtick for years with students of all races, I think that points to there being no racist intent. This also jibes with the tremendous support that was shown for the teacher in the school hearing.

Also, carry this 'monkey do' thing out. Should a teacher never use this expression involving a black kid? That seems to be the feeling here. Can the teacher use it with white kids? If so, the requirement seems to be that the teacher can play around with one group, but must be more reserved with the other.

You think kids will not pick up on their teacher treating people differently based on their skin color? However well intentioned this is, this seems like the wrong approach.
This post is stunningly unbelievable. I can’t believe you are serious.

No, a teacher (or anyone else in a position of authority) can’t use the word “monkey” in relation to black kids. Nor the n word, nor jiggaboo, nor jungle bunny, nor ..... you get the drift. You know this, so why are you saying otherwise?

Have you had any contact with teachers since you left school? Cultural awareness has been hammered into them from the first day of their training and they are well aware of consequences of racism in the classroom.

The troglodyte teacher in question deserves what is coming to him and I hope he never enters a classroom again.
__________________
A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject.

Sir Winston Churchill
lionking is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 07:03 AM   #145
lionking
In the Peanut Gallery
 
lionking's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 54,892
Originally Posted by William Parcher View Post
It is extremely dehumanizing to call a white kid a monkey. You are saying that a human being is a monkey. That is so wrong.
I don’t know why I rise to bait like this, but here goes.

You know the difference between calling a white kid and a black kid a monkey. Cut out this ********.
__________________
A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject.

Sir Winston Churchill
lionking is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 07:12 AM   #146
William Parcher
Show me the monkey!
 
William Parcher's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 26,646
Originally Posted by lionking View Post
I don’t know why I rise to bait like this, but here goes.

You know the difference between calling a white kid and a black kid a monkey. Cut out this ********.
It is as if you have forgotten that humans aren't monkeys.
__________________
Bigfoot believers and Bigfoot skeptics are both plumb crazy. Each spends more than one minute per year thinking about Bigfoot.
William Parcher is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 07:14 AM   #147
Sideroxylon
Featherless biped
 
Sideroxylon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Aporia
Posts: 26,431
Originally Posted by William Parcher View Post
It is extremely dehumanizing to call a white kid a monkey. You are saying that a human being is a monkey. That is so wrong.
Class is important here. Two classes based on the colour of a person’s skin and a symbolism of the savage animal contrasted with a genteel civilised white. Being white in this framework removes this class hierarchy aspect. Still a teacher doesn’t want to go around calling any kid a monkey. Are you calling them stupid? Good at climbing trees? There is no need to say such things.

But its all such a minefield and I don’t know what to say anymore? What makes it easy is empathy and a willingness to listen to others describe how they feel about things.
Sideroxylon is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 07:31 AM   #148
William Parcher
Show me the monkey!
 
William Parcher's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 26,646
Where did this zoology teacher get his degree? For years he has been saying that white kids are monkeys and now he says that black kids are monkeys too. He needs to be replaced by a zoology teacher who learned that no children are monkeys.

This school got complacent because they hadn't already been sued for millions by four white kids. Kids who are not monkeys!
__________________
Bigfoot believers and Bigfoot skeptics are both plumb crazy. Each spends more than one minute per year thinking about Bigfoot.
William Parcher is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 07:34 AM   #149
Thermal
Penultimate Amazing
 
Thermal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Where the Arrantly Roam
Posts: 26,169
Originally Posted by Sideroxylon View Post
There a lot of things like these that “people have been doing for years” that are racist. The symbols and concepts under which African Americans where brought to the US in crammed ships to be used as slaves for a white society live on and need to be eradicated. We cannot allow the perpetuation of such attitudes to continue and people’s dignity devalued regardless of intent.

And how could anyone not be aware of these symbols and their use against black people? How often do we keep having such discussions? Again, if they are for whatever reason unaware this will serve as an expensive learning experience and a call for the HR department to educate.
Yeah, we get all that. Its the finer points that are a little murky, like using the innocent phrase 'monkey see, monkey do'. That is not specific to black people, the way a slur or wearing chains would be.

What some of us are asking is 'is this going too far, even though well intentioned?' Are we requiring white people never use the expression 'monkey do' at all, or just use it with white kids? Do you see what I mean?
__________________
"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect" -Mark Twain
"Half of what he said meant something else, and the other half didn't mean anything at all" -Rosencrantz, on Hamlet
Thermal is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 07:38 AM   #150
Safe-Keeper
Penultimate Amazing
 
Safe-Keeper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Norway
Posts: 10,415
Quote:
“It scars them forever,” said Beverly Dean, one of dozens of speakers who addressed the school board before a crowd of about 300 people at Longwood High School’s auditorium. “What are we going to do for that student when they are 30 years old and have a flashback?”
People like this just brings my piss to a boil. There are people out there experiencing actual traumatic things. I just watched the first two episodes of a Norwegian TV series dramatazing the July 22nd attacks here in Norway. That's an event that scarred people forever. That's traumatic. That's life-ruining. That's something people might never get over, and struggle with 30 years from now.

Meanwhile here's a guy claiming that seeing a photo of yourself is similarily traumatizing that three decades from now they will still exhibit symptoms of emotional trauma.

The "snowflake" term gets thrown around a lot, and I typically do not like it, but in this case, the shoe fits so well I will bring it out. Even if the presentation was somehow incredibly racist, that's not traumatizing. Tell that to someone who has survived sexual or physical assault, war, or a terrorist attack.

Oh well. Whatever it takes to get rich, I suppose.
__________________
"He's like a drunk being given a sobriety test by the police after being pulled over. Just as a drunk can't walk a straight line, Trump can't think in a straight line. He's all over the place."--Stacyhs
"If you are still hung up on that whole words-have-meaning thing, then 2020 is going to be a long year for you." --Ladewig
Safe-Keeper is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 07:45 AM   #151
Thermal
Penultimate Amazing
 
Thermal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Where the Arrantly Roam
Posts: 26,169
Originally Posted by lionking View Post
This post is stunningly unbelievable. I can’t believe you are serious.

No, a teacher (or anyone else in a position of authority) can’t use the word “monkey” in relation to black kids. Nor the n word, nor jiggaboo, nor jungle bunny, nor ..... you get the drift. You know this, so why are you saying otherwise?
Because 'monkey see, monkey do' is not specifically a racial slur, as the others are. Its a standalone expression devoid of racism. You know this, so why are you saying otherwise?

Quote:
Have you had any contact with teachers since you left school? Cultural awareness has been hammered into them from the first day of their training and they are well aware of consequences of racism in the classroom.

The troglodyte teacher in question deserves what is coming to him and I hope he never enters a classroom again.
My wife works on the child study team in an overwhelmingly minority district. Yes, I have been around teachers and other education professionals socially for decades. My take on them is they are pretty casual about race. They are far more concerned with doing what they can on a very limited budget than with getting their panties in a bunch over something like the OP article. Such luxuries are more for people who have enough food on the table.
__________________
"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect" -Mark Twain
"Half of what he said meant something else, and the other half didn't mean anything at all" -Rosencrantz, on Hamlet

Last edited by Thermal; 11th January 2020 at 07:47 AM.
Thermal is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 07:56 AM   #152
theprestige
Penultimate Amazing
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: The Antimemetics Division
Posts: 69,914
If the school's account is correct, this is less a problem of casual racism as a norm, and more a problem of forgetting how innocent things can look to outsiders.

Maybe the moral of the story is, don't use your students as props for jokes. Or if you do, only work with students who know what you intend and are volunteering to be in on the joke.

These students claim they didn't know what was going on, and that they were cajoled and tricked into it. That's not necessarily $12m worth of racism, but it's probably worth some amount of "don't use your students as props without their informed consent."

I suppose it's possible the students and their families knew about the tradition, knew that their participation wouldn't make it racist, and knew they could exploit it for a payday.
theprestige is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 08:02 AM   #153
psionl0
Skeptical about skeptics
 
psionl0's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: 31°57'S 115°57'E
Posts: 20,952
Originally Posted by lionking View Post
Have you had any contact with teachers since you left school? Cultural awareness has been hammered into them from the first day of their training and they are well aware of consequences of racism in the classroom.
Are you sure about that? This is America. School teachers probably don't get any more cultural awareness training than US police officers do.
__________________
"The process by which banks create money is so simple that the mind is repelled. Where something so important is involved, a deeper mystery seems only decent." - Galbraith, 1975
psionl0 is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 08:17 AM   #154
William Parcher
Show me the monkey!
 
William Parcher's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 26,646
Originally Posted by theprestige View Post
Maybe the moral of the story is, don't use your students as props for jokes. Or if you do, only work with students who know what you intend and are volunteering to be in on the joke.
That can't work. You could have black students who know they will be in a Monkey Do photo and have no problem with that. They could beg the teacher to include them in the traditional joke with no intention of suing or complaining.

But then when the photo appears on the screen all hell breaks loose and we have another lawsuit and demand for firing coming from other students and their parents. This is because black kids were called monkeys and it DOESN'T MATTER if those kids are okay with it.

It won't work.
__________________
Bigfoot believers and Bigfoot skeptics are both plumb crazy. Each spends more than one minute per year thinking about Bigfoot.
William Parcher is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 08:28 AM   #155
theprestige
Penultimate Amazing
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: The Antimemetics Division
Posts: 69,914
Originally Posted by William Parcher View Post
That can't work. You could have black students who know they will be in a Monkey Do photo and have no problem with that. They could beg the teacher to include them in the traditional joke with no intention of suing or complaining.

But then when the photo appears on the screen all hell breaks loose and we have another lawsuit and demand for firing coming from other students and their parents. This is because black kids were called monkeys and it DOESN'T MATTER if those kids are okay with it.

It won't work.
I can't tell how much of this is sarcasm, how much is hyperbole, and how much is sober analysis.
theprestige is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 08:34 AM   #156
William Parcher
Show me the monkey!
 
William Parcher's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 26,646
Originally Posted by theprestige View Post
I can't tell how much of this is sarcasm, how much is hyperbole, and how much is sober analysis.
If there is any sarcasm or hyperbole it was unintended. I'm serious when I say you can't use willing black kid volunteers. That is because other students will see the slideshow and declare that it is racist. You cannot call a black kid a monkey even if that kid has no problem with that.
__________________
Bigfoot believers and Bigfoot skeptics are both plumb crazy. Each spends more than one minute per year thinking about Bigfoot.
William Parcher is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 08:56 AM   #157
Distracted1
Philosopher
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: No longer Philadelphia :(
Posts: 5,770
Originally Posted by William Parcher View Post
That can't work. You could have black students who know they will be in a Monkey Do photo and have no problem with that. They could beg the teacher to include them in the traditional joke with no intention of suing or complaining.

But then when the photo appears on the screen all hell breaks loose and we have another lawsuit and demand for firing coming from other students and their parents. This is because black kids were called monkeys and it DOESN'T MATTER if those kids are okay with it.

It won't work.
Clearly that does not go far enough.
It is obvious from this discussion that all science texts and lesson plans must be amended to specifically point out that white humans and white humans only are included in the zoological classification of "Primates".
Any attempt to label a black person as a primate is clearly racist- and must result in the harshest penalties possible.
__________________
The man with one watch knows what time it is, the man with two watches is never sure.
Distracted1 is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 09:02 AM   #158
theprestige
Penultimate Amazing
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: The Antimemetics Division
Posts: 69,914
Originally Posted by Distracted1 View Post
Clearly that does not go far enough.
It is obvious from this discussion that all science texts and lesson plans must be amended to specifically point out that white humans and white humans only are included in the zoological classification of "Primates".
Any attempt to label a black person as a primate is clearly racist- and must result in the harshest penalties possible.
I can tell how much of this is sarcasm, how much is hyperbole, and how much is sober analysis: 80%, 20%, 0%.
theprestige is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 09:04 AM   #159
Babbylonian
Penultimate Amazing
 
Babbylonian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 14,076
Originally Posted by psionl0 View Post
You have no idea of how cruel humans can be to others, nor of the extent of the harm that this cruelty can cause to the victims. An isolated insult doesn't even begin to compare.
I was beaten up repeatedly from about age 8 to age 14 by bullies. Not one of those attacks, or all of them together, affected me as profoundly as that adult shaming me for my appearance.

As for how it compares to the trauma of others, I'm pretty sure I didn't compare it to anything but the situation under discussion. I wouldn't even call that comparison 1:1.

Anyway, I appreciate your kind words and your effort to educate me about how I should feel, both now and as the child I used to be.
Babbylonian is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 11th January 2020, 09:05 AM   #160
Distracted1
Philosopher
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: No longer Philadelphia :(
Posts: 5,770
Originally Posted by theprestige View Post
I can tell how much of this is sarcasm, how much is hyperbole, and how much is sober analysis: 80%, 20%, 0%.
Funny, your statement pretty much encompasses my first thoughts upon waking every morning.
__________________
The man with one watch knows what time it is, the man with two watches is never sure.
Distracted1 is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Reply

International Skeptics Forum » General Topics » Social Issues & Current Events

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 03:13 AM.
Powered by vBulletin. Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

This forum began as part of the James Randi Education Foundation (JREF). However, the forum now exists as
an independent entity with no affiliation with or endorsement by the JREF, including the section in reference to "JREF" topics.

Disclaimer: Messages posted in the Forum are solely the opinion of their authors.