Son was called a monkey by a Hispanic child

[Anonymous]

I hope the intent was monkey as in silly or doing gymnastics moves. I recently heard a father refer to his daughter as a monkey, she loved to hang upside down and flip on any bar she could hang from.

Or the context could have been racist. It’s hard to tell. I know some children are very accurate reporters of details, others not so much.

Please contact the teacher for clarification. She maybe able to clarify based upon the child’s past behavior.

If this was meant as a racial insult I am sorry you and your child have to deal with this.

Children now have alot of access to media via YouTube, internet, etc and pick up throw out terms without understanding by how truly demeaning words can be. It is one of the many downsides of youth and technology.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone who was raised in the U.S. claiming that they've never heard there are racial implications in calling an African American a monkey is full of it. Even if you weren't aware of it growing up (although even that seems far-fetched), do you not recall how certain media outlets were blasted for saying Obama looked like a monkey (or maybe it was Michelle)? It was big news at the time.

Agree. So many white people are failing. This thread is failing.

--white lady

Shut your trap Karen

[Anonymous]

I have kids who climb everything and I used to call them cute little monkeys all the time. The other day my son(7) me a gorilla joking around (we are both white) and I realized I had never explained the context to the point he would never call one of his BFFs who is black anything like that by accident. Hopefully he never did and I thought to explain it in time but it really is possible the kid didn’t know the context. Someone should educate him, for sure, but hopefully he wasn’t being a jerk to your son purposely. If it happens again though ….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hope the intent was monkey as in silly or doing gymnastics moves. I recently heard a father refer to his daughter as a monkey, she loved to hang upside down and flip on any bar she could hang from.

Or the context could have been racist. It’s hard to tell. I know some children are very accurate reporters of details, others not so much.

Please contact the teacher for clarification. She maybe able to clarify based upon the child’s past behavior.

If this was meant as a racial insult I am sorry you and your child have to deal with this.

Children now have alot of access to media via YouTube, internet, etc and pick up throw out terms without understanding by how truly demeaning words can be. It is one of the many downsides of youth and technology.

No it's not. As someone said above, it is never appropriate to refer to a black person as a monkey. And, sorry, I don't have to have patience with immigrant racism. It is the responsibility the newcomers to figure out how to not be offensive, and they will learn the hard way of they bring their biases from their home country here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would definitely want some background on this before I assumed any kind of intent. Could be a genuinely innocuous comment from a child that is not aware of racial connotation, a child repeating a racist comment not understanding the implications/that it is racist, or a child that is aware and said it to be hurtful. Given the ages, it’s impossible to say without more info.

The background exists--a black person was called a monkey. We were all 9 years old once, why are we pretending that 9 year olds can't be bullies?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here - I’m just collecting advice - this all came up because I was listening to
npr in the background and they were covering the Kansas young republicans and they mentioned that one person referred to black people as monkeys. My son goes “‘ mom xyz called me a monkey”. I said “ really? What do you do?” He goes “ nothing. I just ignored him”

Here’s a blog post that I just dug up that touches on this issue and that you might find helpful. Be warned in advance that the author (who is African American) makes reference to the “n” word in it.

https://www.oneikathetraveller.com/when-he-called-me-negrita.html

Read the article..."monkey" does not fall into this category. In any event, if the U.S. is becoming a latin American country, I want out. I am (a black person) obviously am not seen as worthy in this cuture.

A little dramatic don’t you think? We’re talking about a nine year old.

White people have racism, Black people have racism, Latinos have racism, Asians are racist. The White racism has been the worst because they were here first and some of them want to keep power and now Trump is very open about it.

Racism is more open in other countries and many bring it here. It’s not the viscous kind like the KKK or the Deep South in the 50s. It’s more like Asians don’t want their kids to be friends with non-Asians. Latinos have beefs with other Latinos from neighboring countries. Black women with a White parent used to complain that they weren’t accepted in certain Black communities.

Some Latinos don’t think the Black community is not doing enough about ICE abuse. They are deporting while some of these immigrants are waiting for a court date or something simple as an expired document.

It doesn’t serve any purpose to claim one is worse than the other. This name calling is in all elementary and middle schools. Parents need to go a better job in taking preventative measures instead of waiting for it to happen.

-we black people didn't tell advise anyone to be in a deportable status here, there is no negro community-wide conspiracy to transform people into illegal aliens (oh, and by the way, an "expired document" means you can be deported.)
-Latinos seem to be able to actively resist arrest (by federal law enforcement) and are encouraged to do so by the liberal masses, and are sympathized with when ultimately all their resisting and carrying on doesn’t work, but black people would never be able to get away with this--we would get shot while resisting and scolded by the public for not respecting law enforcement. So no, we can't help you "resist" (and who said we wanted to anyway?)
-why is "not helping" against ICE seen as racism? That doesn't make sense. Follow immigration law and all will be well. Yes, we African Americans do not have an immigrant background, we have never been immigrants, and their may be some resentment of that, that all of this ICE stuff is not impacting us at all.

"all of this ICE stuff is not impacting us at all" say that to the Black Chicagoans who had their doors busted down and children ziptied naked just because they had Latino neighbors. Don't think that the white supremacists are coming just for us, we're stronger together.

Signed,
A Latino who also wants to see African Americans not get shot by law enforcement.

P.S. Just because the law says that someone can be chained up and sent back to where they came, doesn't mean it’s moral. See: the Fugitive Slave Act.

wth? Equating chattel slavery to illegal immigration has to be the gnarliest lapse of logic I’ve ever seen on dcum

If you can't see the moral parallels and a broader point about the difference between what is legal and what is moral, then maybe you're the one with a gnarly lapse of logic.

Wanting to live in the U.S. is not a moral right. Yes African American live here freely, we've never had to worry about immigration, and I really think that offends some people who think their people have every right to this country as we do. You don't, and just really really wanting to be here doesn’t make the case.

Wow! I’m just shocked you wrote this out. But I do think what you’re writing is a break in the democrat party- not all of them want unlimited immigration but are having to put up with it.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I would definitely want some background on this before I assumed any kind of intent. Could be a genuinely innocuous comment from a child that is not aware of racial connotation, a child repeating a racist comment not understanding the implications/that it is racist, or a child that is aware and said it to be hurtful. Given the ages, it’s impossible to say without more info.[/quote]

The background exists--a black person was called a monkey. We were all 9 years old once, why are we pretending that 9 year olds can't be bullies?[/quote]

Because it’s so funny in their culture. And they can’t be bothered to adapt because they probably have been told they can’t be racist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here - I’m just collecting advice - this all came up because I was listening to
npr in the background and they were covering the Kansas young republicans and they mentioned that one person referred to black people as monkeys. My son goes “‘ mom xyz called me a monkey”. I said “ really? What do you do?” He goes “ nothing. I just ignored him”

Here’s a blog post that I just dug up that touches on this issue and that you might find helpful. Be warned in advance that the author (who is African American) makes reference to the “n” word in it.

https://www.oneikathetraveller.com/when-he-called-me-negrita.html

Read the article..."monkey" does not fall into this category. In any event, if the U.S. is becoming a latin American country, I want out. I am (a black person) obviously am not seen as worthy in this cuture.

A little dramatic don’t you think? We’re talking about a nine year old.

White people have racism, Black people have racism, Latinos have racism, Asians are racist. The White racism has been the worst because they were here first and some of them want to keep power and now Trump is very open about it.

Racism is more open in other countries and many bring it here. It’s not the viscous kind like the KKK or the Deep South in the 50s. It’s more like Asians don’t want their kids to be friends with non-Asians. Latinos have beefs with other Latinos from neighboring countries. Black women with a White parent used to complain that they weren’t accepted in certain Black communities.

Some Latinos don’t think the Black community is not doing enough about ICE abuse. They are deporting while some of these immigrants are waiting for a court date or something simple as an expired document.

It doesn’t serve any purpose to claim one is worse than the other. This name calling is in all elementary and middle schools. Parents need to go a better job in taking preventative measures instead of waiting for it to happen.

-we black people didn't tell advise anyone to be in a deportable status here, there is no negro community-wide conspiracy to transform people into illegal aliens (oh, and by the way, an "expired document" means you can be deported.)
-Latinos seem to be able to actively resist arrest (by federal law enforcement) and are encouraged to do so by the liberal masses, and are sympathized with when ultimately all their resisting and carrying on doesn’t work, but black people would never be able to get away with this--we would get shot while resisting and scolded by the public for not respecting law enforcement. So no, we can't help you "resist" (and who said we wanted to anyway?)
-why is "not helping" against ICE seen as racism? That doesn't make sense. Follow immigration law and all will be well. Yes, we African Americans do not have an immigrant background, we have never been immigrants, and their may be some resentment of that, that all of this ICE stuff is not impacting us at all.

"all of this ICE stuff is not impacting us at all" say that to the Black Chicagoans who had their doors busted down and children ziptied naked just because they had Latino neighbors. Don't think that the white supremacists are coming just for us, we're stronger together.

Signed,
A Latino who also wants to see African Americans not get shot by law enforcement.

P.S. Just because the law says that someone can be chained up and sent back to where they came, doesn't mean it’s moral. See: the Fugitive Slave Act.

wth? Equating chattel slavery to illegal immigration has to be the gnarliest lapse of logic I’ve ever seen on dcum

If you can't see the moral parallels and a broader point about the difference between what is legal and what is moral, then maybe you're the one with a gnarly lapse of logic.

Wanting to live in the U.S. is not a moral right. Yes African American live here freely, we've never had to worry about immigration, and I really think that offends some people who think their people have every right to this country as we do. You don't, and just really really wanting to be here doesn’t make the case.

Wow! I’m just shocked you wrote this out. But I do think what you’re writing is a break in the democrat party- not all of them want unlimited immigration but are having to put up with it.

Why are you shocked?

[Anonymous]

I taught 3rd grade for 8 years old. Children called other black children monkeys. I moved onto to middle school in pg county in a school that is heavy populated with Hispanics and African Americans. The Hispanics once again called the black children monkeys and the black children called the Hispanics illegals. I couldn’t take it that school and left mid year…. But anyways, it could be about race or it couldn’t. We don’t know the context and neither do you. You have control of your child though. What do you want to teach them and how? For my African American children, I let them know words that some people use to be funny or insulting when it comes to the color of peoples skin and let them know that they are never to use them. Cracker, N word, Karen, monkey, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I taught 3rd grade for 8 years old. Children called other black children monkeys. I moved onto to middle school in pg county in a school that is heavy populated with Hispanics and African Americans. The Hispanics once again called the black children monkeys and the black children called the Hispanics illegals. I couldn’t take it that school and left mid year…. But anyways, it could be about race or it couldn’t. We don’t know the context and neither do you. You have control of your child though. What do you want to teach them and how? For my African American children, I let them know words that some people use to be funny or insulting when it comes to the color of peoples skin and let them know that they are never to use them. Cracker, N word, Karen, monkey, etc.

Telling OP that well some random black kids in a random PG county school use the word "illegal" as a slur and that she should be sure to teach her kids not to be racist is all off topic. The problem is the kid that called her child a monkey, OP and her kid are not the ones who need a lesson.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here - I’m just collecting advice - this all came up because I was listening to
npr in the background and they were covering the Kansas young republicans and they mentioned that one person referred to black people as monkeys. My son goes “‘ mom xyz called me a monkey”. I said “ really? What do you do?” He goes “ nothing. I just ignored him”

Here’s a blog post that I just dug up that touches on this issue and that you might find helpful. Be warned in advance that the author (who is African American) makes reference to the “n” word in it.

https://www.oneikathetraveller.com/when-he-called-me-negrita.html

Read the article..."monkey" does not fall into this category. In any event, if the U.S. is becoming a latin American country, I want out. I am (a black person) obviously am not seen as worthy in this cuture.

A little dramatic don’t you think? We’re talking about a nine year old.

White people have racism, Black people have racism, Latinos have racism, Asians are racist. The White racism has been the worst because they were here first and some of them want to keep power and now Trump is very open about it.

Racism is more open in other countries and many bring it here. It’s not the viscous kind like the KKK or the Deep South in the 50s. It’s more like Asians don’t want their kids to be friends with non-Asians. Latinos have beefs with other Latinos from neighboring countries. Black women with a White parent used to complain that they weren’t accepted in certain Black communities.

Some Latinos don’t think the Black community is not doing enough about ICE abuse. They are deporting while some of these immigrants are waiting for a court date or something simple as an expired document.

It doesn’t serve any purpose to claim one is worse than the other. This name calling is in all elementary and middle schools. Parents need to go a better job in taking preventative measures instead of waiting for it to happen.

-we black people didn't tell advise anyone to be in a deportable status here, there is no negro community-wide conspiracy to transform people into illegal aliens (oh, and by the way, an "expired document" means you can be deported.)
-Latinos seem to be able to actively resist arrest (by federal law enforcement) and are encouraged to do so by the liberal masses, and are sympathized with when ultimately all their resisting and carrying on doesn’t work, but black people would never be able to get away with this--we would get shot while resisting and scolded by the public for not respecting law enforcement. So no, we can't help you "resist" (and who said we wanted to anyway?)
-why is "not helping" against ICE seen as racism? That doesn't make sense. Follow immigration law and all will be well. Yes, we African Americans do not have an immigrant background, we have never been immigrants, and their may be some resentment of that, that all of this ICE stuff is not impacting us at all.

"all of this ICE stuff is not impacting us at all" say that to the Black Chicagoans who had their doors busted down and children ziptied naked just because they had Latino neighbors. Don't think that the white supremacists are coming just for us, we're stronger together.

Signed,
A Latino who also wants to see African Americans not get shot by law enforcement.

P.S. Just because the law says that someone can be chained up and sent back to where they came, doesn't mean it’s moral. See: the Fugitive Slave Act.

wth? Equating chattel slavery to illegal immigration has to be the gnarliest lapse of logic I’ve ever seen on dcum

If you can't see the moral parallels and a broader point about the difference between what is legal and what is moral, then maybe you're the one with a gnarly lapse of logic.

Moral parallels and broader point? Did you pass Algebra 1? The fugitive slave act seeks to restore a human being as property to another human being. Returning a person illegally staying in a foreign country is not that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I taught 3rd grade for 8 years old. Children called other black children monkeys. I moved onto to middle school in pg county in a school that is heavy populated with Hispanics and African Americans. The Hispanics once again called the black children monkeys and the black children called the Hispanics illegals. I couldn’t take it that school and left mid year…. But anyways, it could be about race or it couldn’t. We don’t know the context and neither do you. You have control of your child though. What do you want to teach them and how? For my African American children, I let them know words that some people use to be funny or insulting when it comes to the color of peoples skin and let them know that they are never to use them. Cracker, N word, Karen, monkey, etc.

So the Black child gets called a monkey, but you think the Black kid should be the one who's taught about racism, and you yourself witnessed Black children being called monkeys, but golly gee, who knows what really happened?

Ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope the intent was monkey as in silly or doing gymnastics moves. I recently heard a father refer to his daughter as a monkey, she loved to hang upside down and flip on any bar she could hang from.

Or the context could have been racist. It’s hard to tell. I know some children are very accurate reporters of details, others not so much.

Please contact the teacher for clarification. She maybe able to clarify based upon the child’s past behavior.

If this was meant as a racial insult I am sorry you and your child have to deal with this.

Children now have alot of access to media via YouTube, internet, etc and pick up throw out terms without understanding by how truly demeaning words can be. It is one of the many downsides of youth and technology.

No it's not. As someone said above, it is never appropriate to refer to a black person as a monkey. And, sorry, I don't have to have patience with immigrant racism. It is the responsibility the newcomers to figure out how to not be offensive, and they will learn the hard way of they bring their biases from their home country here.

Why is it never appropriate to refer to a black person as a monkey?

[Anonymous]

Tell the teacher, have their family’s a**es dragged into the office and accused of racism, they’ll never do it again (unless they are with their own people). That’s how people learn American values.

[Anonymous]

Good for OP deciding to report it. If the child doesn't know, consider it a lesson learned. It's not okay, innocent or not. And to the point noted that some are fully oblivious to U.S. history of race relations, even more reason to make sure the incident is underscored as fully inappropriate to prevent that child from becoming one of the ignorant adults of tomorrow who will try to hide behind the excuse of I didn't know/how was I to know.