My 9 year old son was recently suspended from school for two days over two one off racial comments that were said with no violence, malice or aggression. Most of his friends are Indigeneous and he has been accepted as one of them, being taught their language and how they speak to one another. Unfortunately, this is not acceptable in the school setting. He used a word which to the average non-indigeneous person without knowledge would seem offensive, though in their language just means "silly".
He has just received a stellar report for the first semester of 2010 and the first time ever he has received a report that has not included negative remarks regarding his behaviour. He got a B for behaviour which is above average. He has not been in any behavioural trouble all term up until these two incidents.
This all came about very suddenly following the Principal's announcement at School Parade that Racial Discrimination would not be tolerated at our school in the wake of the recent NRL slurs and media sensationlism that followed.
It was explained to him that this is not tolerable, though I believe he still did not get the message. He was not given Social Stories as examples or any counselling from either a Guidance Officer or the Disabilities Teacher.
He has never spoken this way at home, sport or to my knowledge any other place ever before. He has great respecet for a number of Indigeneous people in many different settings.
I would value some comment on this.
Whose business was it anyway?
Who was it that complained about the word used aboout the indigenous boy? I'll wager it was not the boy himself, but some uninvolved "well-meaning" person who simply acted on impulse and didn't get the full story. Thisis the problem with people everywhere, be they indigenous or not. Nobody takes the time to find out the facts, they simply run to the highest authority to dob and make themselves look good. It's sad really that the kids who really seem to have a handle on honesty and loyalty, being those with an ASD, are ridiculed and bullied, not only by their peers, but also by the politically correct school system. Maybe wwe should all take a leaf out of their book and say what we mean, mean what we say, and simply not talk to people when they're being stupid.