Dealing with Racism

I feel so sorry for your daughters. Kids don't think like that unless their families subject them to it! It's a bloody shame, is what it is. My niece & nephew are half black/ half white.. My nephews only one. Someone sent me a hateful message online calling him all sorts of things. He's only 1. He had just turned 1 when I got the message. I cried over that one, wanted blood. I don't understand how people can say things like that & have it around their children, making them think its alright to belittle anyone for being even the tiniest bit different than them. It's no wonder the worlds in such a mess.

It enrages me every time I see these kinds of things directed towards very young children. And where do they learn it from? Their parents and a very racist/white privileged media. It makes me sick.

I think it's very good that you're going to the next level with this, because it's completely inappropriate. You also sound like a great parent, and I'm glad your daughter has someone who will show her she is loved.

Racism is here to stay unfortunately. As parents we should tell our children about their rich heritages and strongly dissuade them from believing all the racist stereotypes. Continue to monitor the situation at school and if you are unhappy with the actions taken continue to elevate your concern up the food chain until someone takes the proper action.

I am so sorry to hear that you have to deal with racism with your children. Apparently the kid spouting off about lazy Mexicans has never learned about César Chávez, Octavio Paz, or any other hard working Mexicans. Maybe the teacher should pick a day/week/month to learn about the Mexican Culture (surprised that in this day and age, they don't already do this) to dispell some of this racist BS.

I would love to know what in the hell the kid had to say about Catholics.

I live in a really multicultural city and I never met like a proper genuine real life racist person until I was 17 in this town called Paisley, and I was so damn shocked! Like, I've lived such a sheltered life. Any racism here has been using the wrong words (like paki etc) and I do not believe it was meant in a malicious way, was just out of ignorance. I moved to the west coast and it amazes me how racist people are here, and how socially acceptable it is! I'd never met a proper actual I hate black/asian people/send them back to their own country person before that.

Though I do remember when I was 5 some kids in my class were calling a wee asian boy "paki", and I had nae clue what it meant at all. I was so confused as to why they were all surrounding him shouting this strange word.
Those kids were probably just parroting their parents, rather than being actual racists, which is awful. Thoughthey were right little ****s so I wouldn't put it past them to be horrible racists just naturally.

Although on the flipside, I had a friend whose parents referred to getting a chinese take away as "gettin a *****y", and my friend always hated them calling it that (primary school age), so it goes to show that some kids stand up against their parents once they learn that it's wrong!

Yeah. I know what they're going through. Been there myself. Still even today. I live in a mostly white community. I have the leader of the Maryland chapter of the KKK living 10 miles from my home. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, no? The best for your family.

I'm sorry your daughter has to deal with this. On the plus side, if the boy is only 10, there's hope.

There's also hope because more people than ever are now multi-racial, and it's becoming the new normal.

I think it's great to stand up for yourself, especially when someone is bullying. Does the school have a social worker or psychologist? Or maybe you can coach your daughter to say, "Stop saying such racist things. It's not right." Maybe the child has never heard anyone say that before. Maybe he's only heard the racist comments and is parroting them.

The other thing is if you teach your daughter specifically about her heritage, then she will have more to say to a child like this. She may be able to teach other kdis, in turn.

Being proud of yourself, and learning how to stand up for yourself, can teach others. I would bet anything that the boy who said this is being bullied somewhere else, at home, or in the neighborhood.

That doesn't make it right, but if your daughter can show how someone can stand up firmly, he'll learn he can't say those things to her.

Or, you can also teach her what I taught my daughter, who's a little on the quiet side...when the bully, or teaser keeps going, just respond by saying, "So?"

There's not much to say after someone just keeps responding with "So" every single time.

Best of luck!

I love when white people try to use Obama being biracial as proof that things are 'better'.

Not even going to go there.

a very racist/white privileged media...

I disagree with this portrayal of the media. If your point was valid we wouldn't have a bi-racial president.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missing_white_woman_syndrome

they cracked down on bullying in our area big time..especially since a boy took his life last year due to the bullying he went through from being gay..it was just disgusting what these kids do to torture other kids..whats worse is that the parents dont do anything about it .. my nieces are half puerto rican and just living dolls.. i fear anyone who decides to put them down because of their heritage., i wouldnt walk away easily from it.. the school leaders here are under great pressure to deal with bullying now thankfully. i wish you well with your little girls and hope things turn out for the best

In response to the Obama comment, IMO, I don't think anyone is saying that ALL racism has been eradicated, and the election of Obama is proof of that.

Instead, I think his election shows the willingness of voters to support an African American man for President, has changed over time.

Sort of like what people will say when the first woman is elected to the Presidency.

I just realized I was in your local area (Batesville, IN) about 3 1/2 years ago. Being that I am from central NJ, I experienced great culture shock in your area. (x 100). I had never been around that much of a white-bread homogeneous type of town in the midwest. I can imagine what you are up against in that area in terms of "culture". People looked at my then-boyfriend (who is African/Native American) as if "What ARE you?". We made sure to take home a post card of the actual "Coon Hunter's Lodge". (Nobody from NJ would believe that a lodge was named that.)