Black Teachers, White Parents

[Anonymous]

Here's the subtext: "I thought you were really dumb/uneducated/below me because you are a teacher/black/young/have an accent but you surprised me and you are actually quite smart/professional/articulate/well spoken"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's the subtext: "I thought you were really dumb/uneducated/below me because you are a teacher/black/young/have an accent but you surprised me and you are actually quite smart/professional/articulate/well spoken"

NP. IMHO, you and the prior PP are just looking for excuses to find offense. No one raised race or age or accent except you. The original comment just referenced the profession of teacher. And it also did not say (or imply) that teachers are inarticulate or stupid. In my experience, most teachers are moderately smart and moderately well spoken -- certainly more capable at their jobs than most non-teachers would be, but not usually toastmasters and geniuses. The same could be said about many professions. So saying a particular teacher is especially articulate and smart "for a teacher" is just saying she's a cut above the norm. It's a compliment, not an insult. Quit trying to make something out of nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's the subtext: "I thought you were really dumb/uneducated/below me because you are a teacher/black/young/have an accent but you surprised me and you are actually quite smart/professional/articulate/well spoken"

NP. IMHO, you and the prior PP are just looking for excuses to find offense. No one raised race or age or accent except you. The original comment just referenced the profession of teacher. And it also did not say (or imply) that teachers are inarticulate or stupid. In my experience, most teachers are moderately smart and moderately well spoken -- certainly more capable at their jobs than most non-teachers would be, but not usually toastmasters and geniuses. The same could be said about many professions. So saying a particular teacher is especially articulate and smart "for a teacher" is just saying she's a cut above the norm. It's a compliment, not an insult. Quit trying to make something out of nothing.

I added the additional examples (e.g. young, having an accent) because those who don't see that this is offensive when about race might understand it more clearly if it's about another attribute. If you can't understand why assuming that ALL teachers are "moderately" smart and "moderately" well spoken could be offensive (or all black people or all young people) then there's really no point in having this conversation.

Let's turn this around a little "Great presentation. You are extremely professional for a woman." Get it now?

[Anonymous]

Huh? Being called "professional" is a compliment. Are you a moron?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's the subtext: "I thought you were really dumb/uneducated/below me because you are a teacher/black/young/have an accent but you surprised me and you are actually quite smart/professional/articulate/well spoken"

NP. IMHO, you and the prior PP are just looking for excuses to find offense. No one raised race or age or accent except you. The original comment just referenced the profession of teacher. And it also did not say (or imply) that teachers are inarticulate or stupid. In my experience, most teachers are moderately smart and moderately well spoken -- certainly more capable at their jobs than most non-teachers would be, but not usually toastmasters and geniuses. The same could be said about many professions. So saying a particular teacher is especially articulate and smart "for a teacher" is just saying she's a cut above the norm. It's a compliment, not an insult. Quit trying to make something out of nothing.

I added the additional examples (e.g. young, having an accent) because those who don't see that this is offensive when about race might understand it more clearly if it's about another attribute. If you can't understand why assuming that ALL teachers are "moderately" smart and "moderately" well spoken could be offensive (or all black people or all young people) then there's really no point in having this conversation.

Let's turn this around a little "Great presentation. You are extremely professional for a woman." Get it now?

You are misinterpreting again. Nothing in my comment or the original comment about teachers suggested that 'ALL teachers are "moderately" smart and "moderately" well spoken' -- that's your inaccurate distortion. Can't you acknowledge that there is a range of normal skills for most professions, and that some individuals operated above (or below) that normal range?

Also, your "for a woman" straw counter-example does not fit, because it assumes (incorrectly) there is a normal range of professionalism for all women. If you want a better comparable statement try this one: "Wow, 6'4"! You are extremely tall for a woman." Not offensive at all IMHO, because it's just noting she is outside the norm (just like the teacher example).

I stand by my original view that you're just looking for an excuse to be offended.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's the subtext: "I thought you were really dumb/uneducated/below me because you are a teacher/black/young/have an accent but you surprised me and you are actually quite smart/professional/articulate/well spoken"

NP. IMHO, you and the prior PP are just looking for excuses to find offense. No one raised race or age or accent except you. The original comment just referenced the profession of teacher. And it also did not say (or imply) that teachers are inarticulate or stupid. In my experience, most teachers are moderately smart and moderately well spoken -- certainly more capable at their jobs than most non-teachers would be, but not usually toastmasters and geniuses. The same could be said about many professions. So saying a particular teacher is especially articulate and smart "for a teacher" is just saying she's a cut above the norm. It's a compliment, not an insult. Quit trying to make something out of nothing.

I added the additional examples (e.g. young, having an accent) because those who don't see that this is offensive when about race might understand it more clearly if it's about another attribute. If you can't understand why assuming that ALL teachers are "moderately" smart and "moderately" well spoken could be offensive (or all black people or all young people) then there's really no point in having this conversation.

Let's turn this around a little "Great presentation. You are extremely professional for a woman." Get it now?

You are misinterpreting again. Nothing in my comment or the original comment about teachers suggested that 'ALL teachers are "moderately" smart and "moderately" well spoken' -- that's your inaccurate distortion. Can't you acknowledge that there is a range of normal skills for most professions, and that some individuals operated above (or below) that normal range?

Also, your "for a woman" straw counter-example does not fit, because it assumes (incorrectly) there is a normal range of professionalism for all women. If you want a better comparable statement try this one: "Wow, 6'4"! You are extremely tall for a woman." Not offensive at all IMHO, because it's just noting she is outside the norm (just like the teacher example).

I stand by my original view that you're just looking for an excuse to be offended.

+ 1. And he will always find one no matter what. Sometimes a compliment is just a compliment, nothing more, nothing less.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't take it as anything but a compliment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's the subtext: "I thought you were really dumb/uneducated/below me because you are a teacher/black/young/have an accent but you surprised me and you are actually quite smart/professional/articulate/well spoken"

NP. IMHO, you and the prior PP are just looking for excuses to find offense. No one raised race or age or accent except you. The original comment just referenced the profession of teacher. And it also did not say (or imply) that teachers are inarticulate or stupid. In my experience, most teachers are moderately smart and moderately well spoken -- certainly more capable at their jobs than most non-teachers would be, but not usually toastmasters and geniuses. The same could be said about many professions. So saying a particular teacher is especially articulate and smart "for a teacher" is just saying she's a cut above the norm. It's a compliment, not an insult. Quit trying to make something out of nothing.

I added the additional examples (e.g. young, having an accent) because those who don't see that this is offensive when about race might understand it more clearly if it's about another attribute. If you can't understand why assuming that ALL teachers are "moderately" smart and "moderately" well spoken could be offensive (or all black people or all young people) then there's really no point in having this conversation.

Let's turn this around a little "Great presentation. You are extremely professional for a woman." Get it now?

You are misinterpreting again. Nothing in my comment or the original comment about teachers suggested that 'ALL teachers are "moderately" smart and "moderately" well spoken' -- that's your inaccurate distortion. Can't you acknowledge that there is a range of normal skills for most professions, and that some individuals operated above (or below) that normal range?

Also, your "for a woman" straw counter-example does not fit, because it assumes (incorrectly) there is a normal range of professionalism for all women. If you want a better comparable statement try this one: "Wow, 6'4"! You are extremely tall for a woman." Not offensive at all IMHO, because it's just noting she is outside the norm (just like the teacher example).

I stand by my original view that you're just looking for an excuse to be offended.

Wow! So it's outside of the norm to be 6'4" just like it's "outside of the norm" to be professional while black or female. Now we understand your thought process. Sometimes I am ashamed of my race. You need to read up a little on white privilege and micro aggressions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

People who benefit from white supremacist ideologies are more offended at being seen as racist than they are of actually being racist.

Please expand. What in the world are you talking about?

I'm talking about the privilege that you enjoy that allows you to walk around not knowing what I am talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a white teacher. I'd be flattered if someone described my work as "professional". It's a compliment. Nothing more.

I have no clue why you think that is a race issue. I'm more worried about the fact that you were noting the color of everyone.

Part of it was the tone in which the comment was made, which I can't replicate here.

But the responses to date suggest it's over-analysis on my part. I'm happy to hear that. I want the teacher to feel welcome in the community.

OP, quite frankly, you are the one who is being racist by assuming that the teacher would be offended by this statement. That's your own misplaced guilt talking.

[Anonymous]

Why don't we let the teacher decide whether she was offended or not. You shouldn't get offended for someone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's the subtext: "I thought you were really dumb/uneducated/below me because you are a teacher/black/young/have an accent but you surprised me and you are actually quite smart/professional/articulate/well spoken"

So you see it as a compliment then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You need to NOT GO THERE.

It was a compliment.

Every single word out of ever white person's mouth to a black person does not need to be analyses.

Maybe so. I asked because I really liked the teacher and hated the idea that she'd come away from the evening thinking ill of the parents because some were condescending.

Don't let them gaslight you. Your observation is valid, people who avoid talking about race and want you to play colorblind just crack me up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a white teacher. I'd be flattered if someone described my work as "professional". It's a compliment. Nothing more.

I have no clue why you think that is a race issue. I'm more worried about the fact that you were noting the color of everyone.

Part of it was the tone in which the comment was made, which I can't replicate here.

But the responses to date suggest it's over-analysis on my part. I'm happy to hear that. I want the teacher to feel welcome in the community.

OP, quite frankly, you are the one who is being racist by assuming that the teacher would be offended by this statement. That's your own misplaced guilt talking.

That is not racism. Racism would be fighting tooth and nail to defend tacky comments by white folks because you are white too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

People who benefit from white supremacist ideologies are more offended at being seen as racist than they are of actually being racist.

Please expand. What in the world are you talking about?

Not the pp but understand what is being stated. White folks act out racism and other whites defend them and make excuses for them and no very little to combat racism.