An incident involving a racist joke about picking cotton, made by a student at a Langley, B.C. school has been resolved, according to a spokesperson for the school and a family member of the student who was the target.
In a social media posting that has generated more than 25,000 clicks of support and more than 700 comments, a family member, the older brother of the student, described how his sibling at the school was taking a physical education class at Langley Christian School (LCS) when the remark was made.
I hope this brings some awareness to the problem at hand. It ain害羞草研究所檛 a joke. BC School systems ain害羞草研究所檛 educating bout this! @josiahvese 鉁婐煆�
害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 doing push ups [and] this white kid has the audacity to walk up to him and say 害羞草研究所榢eep picking up the cotton,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 and pretended to whip his back with a jumping rope, the family member recounted.
He went on to say that 害羞草研究所渋gnorant害羞草研究所� people who make those kind of jokes 害羞草研究所渄on害羞草研究所檛 even understand the hurt they are bringing.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淚 hope this brings some awareness to the problem at hand.害羞草研究所�
It happened last year, but the student didn害羞草研究所檛 report it until the current school year, when the school launched an anti-racism initiative, which prompted the student to come forward, LCS head of schools Adam Woelders said.
The student who made the joke has 害羞草研究所渁ccepted responsibility and participated in a fully restorative and educational process,害羞草研究所� Woelders added.
害羞草研究所淟ike all schools in our community monitored by the Ministry of Education in British Columbia, LCS responds seriously to any communication or behaviour that deliberately degrades, denigrates, labels, stereotypes, incites hatred, slander, prejudice and discrimination toward anyone on the basis of one害羞草研究所檚 real or perceived sexual or gender orientation, identity, appearance, capacity, disability, ethnicity or religion,害羞草研究所� Woelders elaborated.
害羞草研究所淣o doubt, implicit and overt discrimination is present in public and independent schools throughout the Fraser Valley region, and we all have much to do as community leaders to continue to work hard to equip staff, students and families to transform our communities for the better.害羞草研究所�
READ ALSO:
Hundreds of comments posted in response to the online post said such incidents are all too common.
害羞草研究所淚 can害羞草研究所檛 count how many times I heard a non-black kid in my school say the 害羞草研究所榥害羞草研究所� word,害羞草研究所� one person wrote.
Another said racism is in Canada 害羞草研究所渋s hidden behind laughter and just kidding,害羞草研究所� while a third described how they grew up with a best friend 害羞草研究所渨ho is South Sudanese, and I害羞草研究所檝e watched this kinda stuff happen to her our whole childhood.害羞草研究所�
While the family member did not respond to a request for an interview by the Langley Advance Times, the person did post a follow-up message that said the 害羞草研究所渟ituation was dealt with.害羞草研究所�
READ ALSO:
British Columbia Education Minister Rob Fleming recently announced his ministry was examining ways to work with local groups to develop a curriculum that better incorporates Black history, including the slave trade and the Underground Railroad.
Ministry staff were meeting with the B.C. Black History Awareness Society in an effort to address the needs of young people who are demanding change, Fleming said in a statement.
害羞草研究所淲e plan to listen and we are committed to working with community partners to strengthen the curriculum, to support diversity and to add to the global effort to end systemic racism,害羞草研究所� he said.
dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
