Wouldn't you think that if one kid throws the first punch in a school yard fight and adds racial abuse to the punch, he might bear some responsibility in that fight if his nose gets broken?
A fifteen year old boy who was sent a letter expelling him from school after being racially abused and punched in the mouth, had the letter retracted, (they sent that letter out in error,yeah right) however, some smarty pants is refusing to drop the assault charges against him for defending himself and breaking the other kid's nose.
The good news is that the student body protested the action taken by the school against the kid, and the kid who had the broken nose said he was sorry, the kid who was racially abused and defended himself also said he was sorry for breaking the other kid's nose. Even the family of the racially abusive boy apologized.
What is interesting is that the white kid's family said that their son was unable to control himself, and that is why he called the Korean kid "fucking Chinese" and punched him. Now doesn't it seem logical that starting, in say, kindergarten, kids are taught not to racially abuse other kids? Maybe if little kids were taught how painful and wrong it is to use racial abuse as a weapon, they might get to be big kids who won't do that stuff. Why do schools think that it's ok when the kids are little; why do schools wait until a bad incident occurs before they fumble their way through mistakes and manage by damage control?
Another interesting thing is that the Korean family in this case asked that anti-racism material be included in the school curriculum, but my question is this? Who is gonna write the program and at what age will they make this stuff available to the children?
I can't believe how many teachers I have personally encountered who say they don't have time for such things, or they already have too much to do, or that it isn't their job ( to ensure the mental and emotional safety of those in their charge). The other thing I see is that way too many teachers are unable to recognize racism, or racial abuse, or, my old time favorite teacher excuse, kids are mean, they pick on each other for being fat, wearing glasses, blah, blah, blah, I just hate that excuse the most of all. Because, really, it is not the same. Not to me, anyways. I can freely admit that I can not always recognize racism, in myself, or others, but I do make an effort to view racism with a critical eye. Where are the critical eyes of teachers?
And on whose terms will anti-racism curriculum be taught? Will the anti-racism curriculum have to be framed in such a way that it is delightful and pleasing to the white kids? Will parents of white kids complain about the anti-racism curriculum?
My best guess is that a bunch of white people will write the program, getting everything all backwards, then there will be complaints by white parents even though the program is not all that accurate or helpful, and then the anti-racism curriculum will be reduced to a watery cup of tea, with no substance.