Interesting reverse racial slur situation.

[The Backlash Cometh]

An elementary school teacher in Volusia County has been suspended in connection with comments about race he allegedly made in April, according to WKMG Local 6.

Billy Miles, a second-grade teacher at Westside Elementary, reportedly was overheard referring to the only white student in his class as "white boy," and discussing the other students in his class as his "black people."

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/education/os-teacher-suspended-racial-comments-20110901,0,31014.story

[trumad]

1. Mild racisim at the most....

[MH1]

39. Go to the link and then from there, 'investigative report'

There's quite a bit more context.

This guy literally needs an attitude adjustment, I think. But he probably means well and can still be an excellent teacher, if he straightens out the way he handles situations like this.

On the other hand, imagine if it were a white teacher treating the only black kid in class similarly.

[D-Fens]

2. Double Standard

While calling someone a "white boy" isn't as bad as calling them something else, had this been the other way around, it would have made nation-wide headlines and the kid's family could have sued the school.

[Gman]

4. And he's not the white boy?

What's the problem?

[pipoman]

9. I suspect the "white boy" has a name

and it has been unacceptable to distinguish people in a group by their skin color for decades...this isn't the 1960's any longer..thankfully

[ThomWV]

23. but its not OK to identify a unique person by their unique difference?

1 white boy = the white boy

10 white boys = bob, jim, bill, joe, tom, dick, jason, isaac, john, Jerry, and sam

[pipoman]

27. No, it isn't

[11 Bravo]

32. So you would be cool with the lone African-American in a class being addressed as "Black Boy"?

[Gman]

35. The white boy's name is white boy

what many people don't understand is that many people revel in the differences in their own skin color as well as that of others. They celebrate it. If I ever had a black guy tell me on the basketball court that I'm "pretty good for a white boy", I'd take that as the highest complement. In many circles, black is cool and white is nerdy but in a joking way that people acknowledge the differences but also celebrate the commonality such as blacks and whites on a basketball court.

I guess you'd have to be there to see it. During the primaries in 2008, one well known DU'er responded to me that when she looked at Obama she didn't see skin color. I asked why she would deny him his heritage, the very essence of who he is and where he came from. Too many white liberals just don't get it.

Why are white liberals so uncomfortable when talking about color. It's like they feel sorry for someone that's black and feel guilty because they're white.

[pipoman]

37. Only an idiot

would do what this teacher did. This is an elementary school classroom, not a basketball floor. It is wholly unacceptable for a teacher to lead this sort of racism. It is no different than a teacher egging on bullying. What teacher doesn't know his student's names?

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. That's what caught my eye.

Of course, all of this is magnified because it involved a teacher.

What the kids are calling each other today brings a bigger shock. A friend who is a tennis coach (private lessons) says that his white students, who are friends with a black student, yell out to him, "My N-----." Apparently, the black student is fine with it. They've all known each other for years.

[Obamanaut]

3. Racial slur, or racism - there is no forward or reverse - it is either racism or a slur, or it isn't

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. which do you think it is in this case?

[Obamanaut]

19. I did not write the subject line that refers to 'reverse racial slur', so you

tell me which it is.

Racism is the belief that a race is inherently superior (or inferior) to another, and a racist is one who acts on that belief.

[EOTE]

17. Thank you.

It's insane that we don't get that simple concept nowadays. Reverse racism is tolerance. "Reverse racism" is one of the stupidest things I've ever heard of.

[The Backlash Cometh]

24. I do recall a young man I had a discussion with here on DU

I don't think he posts anymore. I came onboard with righteous indignation about racial matters, and he pointed out that he felt mistreated in the same way. He was a poor white who went to a predominantly minority school. They taunted him to the point where it did harm to his self-esteem.

I think the point is, that the teacher, in his classroom, is an authoritative figure. To that boy, it will feel like oppression.

[EOTE]

25. Yes. No children, or anyone should be meant to feel that way.

I can't comment on the teacher's intentions, and I certainly can't say for certain that he's a racist, but it was a dumb thing to say. But if he did mean it as a slight against the kid, it's racism, not reverse racism.

[akvo]

7. This is nothing

Go to the parking lot of the high school when school gets out and listen to the blaring music and what the kids call each other. "Nigger" is not offensive to these kids, its just another label. Times have changed. Again.

[The Backlash Cometh]

15. I have two theories about the friendly "N" calling.

The first, that it's not offensive in suburban areas where there is no serious racial conflict; and second, these kids have not yet started working in an work environment where people are coming from more tense environments.

[Gormy Cuss]

26. That has nothing to do with the situation described in the OP.

First off, as an adult in charge the teacher has to behave with accepted standards while he's working. Secondly, a typical elementary school student's ability to process and react to such a taunt is miniscule compared to that of an old child.

And while those kids are throwing it around among themselves with little weight, "nigger" is still powerfully offensive even to those kids when it's used in the context of a mixed power dynamic, like when a teacher or parent describes someone that way.

[KamaAina]

28. That's "nigga" to you.

They can say it. We can't.

[Ian David]

8. Well, this should be good for at least 15 minutes on The Factor. n/t

[Aerows]

12. LOL!

Personally, I don't think it's a big deal, but that's just me.

[pipoman]

10. "reverse racism" is an idiotic oxymoron..

[lumberjack_jeff]

33. True, there's only one kind of racism. The belief that yours is superior. n/t

[eShirl]

11. I'd want to hear the context and exactly what was said before I'd call it racism or not. n/t

[Le Taz Hot]

13. It is objectionable on two counts:

The teacher, the authority figure
1) defines the child by his skin color and
2) isolates the child from the rest of "his black people."

I think of the child but I'm sure people will defend this as "not important." It sure as hell is to the child.

[The Backlash Cometh]

16. Being singled out like that, especially in the young, can be harmful.

[Zax2me]

14. Widespread. White men are commonly referred to as boys.

It's a backhand slap that is often overlooked.
Do it the other way around and all hell breaks loose.

[The Backlash Cometh]

18. Good ole boys. They bring it on themselves.

When they get going, they really do act like boys. Boys that don't have to worry about legal ramifications. And they seem to enjoy it, label and all.

[Burma Jones]

20. Frankly, it's not so good that he's the only white student in the class

That's got to feel odd for that little boy, that he gets singled out and that his status as a minority in the classroom is joked about by the Teacher.

[The Backlash Cometh]

21. I think you're right.

[Blasphemer]

22. Yes, his minority status not being treated with care and consideration by the teacher is wrong

I can't imagine why a teacher would feel the need to make statements in that manner. "X is the only white student and my class and I've dealt with this by..." is the type of conversation I would expect to be overheard. Saying "the black students" and "the white student" would be fine in most contexts. To say the "black people" and then say the "white boy" makes no sense. It does not have the history behind it that a situation where white students were called "white people" and a black student was called "black boy" does but it's still wrong. In school, I heard all sorts of things coming from other students (i.e., teasing the lone Arab student) but my teachers always taught and conducted themselves with cultural competency.

[Shandris]

30. Would 'White kid' or 'white guy' have made it better?

One man is not a 'people'. I don't think I would have minded being 'white boy' if I was under 18 -- it's what I am. Of course, by the same token, were I black I don't think I would mind being the 'black boy' either, for the same reason.

I think the teacher did fine, maybe - MAYBE - he should be more sensitive and use 'guy' or 'kid' instead, but...that's pretty nitpicky imo.

[lumberjack_jeff]

34. "Timmy" might have been better. Just sayin'. n/t

[KamaAina]

29. Yes. What ever happened to desegregation?

Oh, right. It's Florida. It's Volusia County, Florida, where cops feel perfectly justified in stopping northbound travelers on I-95 who are going the speed limit, 'cause if they weren't drug smugglers trying not to get stopped, they'd be speeding like everyone else. :eyes:

[SwampG8r]

36. i remember that they caught

them spotlighting the cars looking for darker faces

[kiva]

31. "I always talk that way"

http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/east-volusia/2011/08/31/volusia-teacher-suspended-over-racial-comments.html

As Miles prepared to leave the classroom, Hyacinth reported he told the class he didn't want the "black people" misbehaving in public and said to the only white child in the class: "Excuse me, white boy." Other children then laughed at the boy, she reported.

Questioned by Winch, the child said Miles often called him "white boy" and sometimes made jokes about white people in class. A classmate told Winch that Miles sometimes told that boy to "get your white tail over here."

So this is a good way to talk to and about his students?

[XanaDUer]

38. What a rude, unprofessional teacher

nt.

EDIT to add:

Questioned by Winch, the child said Miles often called him "white boy" and sometimes made jokes about white people in class. A classmate told Winch that Miles sometimes told that boy to "get your white tail over here."

Wow, this man was a teacher for over 30 years?