“Aura” based on race

[Anonymous]

My elementary school DC came home and explained that they were told that they have “white and gold aura” because of white skin and blond hair. This is a very diverse school with a white minority.

It seems insulting and I don’t feel like this is totally benign but I have no idea how to address the complexity of it all. Is aura commonly used as a racial slur? Is this a one-off dumb kid comment or are our kids being defined by skin color under the guise of “aura”? Was it an insult or just ignorance? Should this be addressed directly or should I let it slide and observe for now?

[Anonymous]

You are so boring.

[Anonymous]

Mention it to the teacher so she or he can address it, whatever it's supposed to mean.

[Anonymous]

Why woild it be an insult? Even if it was a racial comment, aren't they proud of their heritage? White and gold is a really pretty combination. I would have taken it as a compliment or neutral. It could also be some woo thing unrelated to race.

[Anonymous]

Are you in Cali?

[Anonymous]

Nothing about this is benign - it's entirely, 100%, racist. Please address it as such.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why woild it be an insult? Even if it was a racial comment, aren't they proud of their heritage? White and gold is a really pretty combination. I would have taken it as a compliment or neutral. It could also be some woo thing unrelated to race.

You must not live in DC. When a group of non-white kids are pointing out your white skin in mostly lower income schools they are not usually intending to complement you.

[Anonymous]

Just wait till you learn about rizz.

[Anonymous]

Hang on a second. Maybe DC *does* have a white and gold aura. What color is the other child's aura?

Are you LDS? A lot of Mormons have white and gold aura.

[Anonymous]

Who said this? Did all the kids get auras?

[Anonymous]

It might not be meant to be mean.

https://www.today.com/parents/teens/aura-meaning-slang-rcna192018

"You may think aura is just a simple description of someone's vibe, but it's actually way more than that, according to the internet. Nowadays, aura is used as a compliment, essentially calling someone cool or suave."

Just tell your kid that for historical reasons, commenting on people's skin and hair colors is socially risky. If it was meant as a compliment, I'd say thanks and move on.

[Anonymous]

In my kids’ world, aura is measurement of how cool you are. Aura can be gained if you do something impressive and lost if you do something stupid. It can be farmed through a dance or something? Anyway, it’s not inherently a racial or negative thing. As for how it’s being assigned to your child, there’s nothing wrong with kids noticing they have different features. The problem is if they treat them as better or worse based on being blond.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It might not be meant to be mean.

https://www.today.com/parents/teens/aura-meaning-slang-rcna192018

"You may think aura is just a simple description of someone's vibe, but it's actually way more than that, according to the internet. Nowadays, aura is used as a compliment, essentially calling someone cool or suave."

Just tell your kid that for historical reasons, commenting on people's skin and hair colors is socially risky. If it was meant as a compliment, I'd say thanks and move on.

+1
You don't say how old your kid is but my teens talk about "aura" a lot, and its always in a positive or complimentary way. Kids who are not cool have no aura. I've never heard them refer to someone's race in this context, but this sounds a bit like they are exoticizing your kid based on skin and hair color. So probably well-intentioned but problematic. You should address it but not overreact.

[Anonymous]

Ask your kid what the aura means and what it does for them

I am not a teen but I see sparks in bad people and they are usually amber colored.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ask your kid what the aura means and what it does for them

I am not a teen but I see sparks in bad people and they are usually amber colored.