The thing about a blog is that it's a space to share thoughts and feelings-- to vent, but sometimes it's hard to decide what to put out there and what to keep to myself. I've gotten so comfortable with having my own space to write, and whereas I used to keep a diary, I find comfort in knowing that someone out there is reacting and repsponding to what I've written. So my issue is, I am trying to decide is I want to even try to blog about controversial issues . . . Because this is my own space, I'm gonna take a risk here and blog about something that bothers me professionally and personally: prejudice (not from me though)
Growing up in Washington, D.C., I was raised surrounded by a myriad of cultures. I love that about my former home, but here in the south it is so completely different. Everyone knows I love other cultures and there isn't a prejudice bone in my body, but at work, it is constantly an issue. I teach mostly really rough black kids and they seem to make everything about race, as do their parents. Why do people have to play that card? A parent today implied that maybe I was prejudiced because I punished her son. Yep, uh huh, she's right. I just decided to send him to the office for kicks and on the office referral under reason, I wrote "because he's black." Yep, she guessed. WHAT THE &*^%$? What is wrong with people? If you change a kid's seat because they are talking, you must've done it because they're black. It couldn't be that they were talking too much. Nooooooo . . . I AM NOT PREJUDICED! My best friend in Maryland is black. She is wonderful, classy, amazing. Prejudiced people are prejudiced against anyone in that race. I admit, most of my black kids are rough, but I have many white kids who are too. I punish them too. Why are some black people so paranoid that we are discriminating against them?
At work, every, and I repeat, every black teacher in the school (about 10) went to the principal to complain that there wasn't a single black teacher in the faculty talent show. Well, that's because none signed up. And they were upset that none of the judges for the student talent show were black. Um, the sign up sheet was on the door folks. If you weren't so busy looking for people to acccuse of being prejudiced, maybe you would've seen the sign-up sheets by our mail boxes for the last week and a half. IT WAS VOLUNTARY! NO ONE IS DISCRIMINATING! (Can you tell I'm peeved about this?)
The bottom line is, I think half the problems with people being prejudiced down here has nothing to do with whites disliking blacks because from what I've seen, it's white people getting tired of being accused when everything is cool. Please don't try to put thoughts in my head and words in my mouth because then I really am going to be mad. I have nothing against anyone here and if I could go back to the wonderful world of diversity in D.C. where people of all colors live in harmony, I would. Believe me.
Posted by Hannah at March 24, 2005 09:37 PMOoooh girl, you hit the nail on the head. YOu described my feelings exactly. It's such a tough subject to even approach because... you'd just be prejudice to say anything! Right?
It's a cruel cycle.
Posted by: girl from florida at March 24, 2005 11:14 PMI totally agree! If my students ever accuse me of being racist, even if they're just joking..which they are most of the time (it happens about once a year) I totally go off on the whole class about how racism is not to be joked blah blah blah. I do ask if they really think I've discriminated, but almost all my students have my back. Its just so funny how some students just look for things to accuse you of...like sitting all the same race of people in the same part of the room. "it was coincidence! geez, i can move you if you want!" But keep on fighting hannah! You're a great nonracist teacher even if others can't see that. =)
Posted by: mars at March 25, 2005 02:40 AM