Misconceptions
I blogged about putting my sons in a catholic school earlier today (http://nocturn.vsbnet.be/content/defeated).
They funny thing is that I received a response:
"So, to solve your issue with how racism was handled at your previous school, you go to a fairly monolithic catholic school. Certainly theologically monolithic, and I'm guessing largely racially monolithic as well. That move sounds racist to me... eliminate all other diversities around your child."
I hit me that the commenter is assuming that there was racism against other kids, and that I'm protecting my son by removing him from that situation.
The thing is that he is the one with a partially ethnic background (half Turkish, half Belgian) and the racism was directed towards him and talking to the principals didn't yield much useful responses (with one telling me that racism is just an opinion and people have the right to have that opinion).
So, clarifying something, I'm putting my kids in a catholic school with a diverse population to protect them against racism directed at them because it proved a solution for friends who's kids with ethnic backgrounds did well there (after trying school after school, just like us).
It now strikes me that the comment is quite funny because the poster went from assumptions that are not correct.
Comments
7 comments postedCool, I'm half Turkish too, never had any problems with racism though, because I look white (it's that shallow).
Frankly, I don't understand why many people dislike catholic schools. In Belgium, they are in general much better than public schools and the catholic aspect doesn't actually mean that much. Would you deny your sons opportunities because they would get 2h/week of religion? You made the right choice!
G-ZEUS! Did you hurt that principal in any way?
What school was this? I want to start a mailing campaign to remove him from that position.
If that was my child and the principal had said that to me, I'd have been arrested for assault.
Sweet Jesus.
Why is this appearing on an Ubuntu blog?
Please make this appear somewhere else!
I for one find this story to be interesting. I have one child just starting school who is also of mixed heritage. Fortunately, the school is rather diverse, and will teach my child a second (and maybe a third) language. I also found baby pictures from shermann to be interesting.
My point is that there is more to planet ubuntu than technical contributions, there is also the people behind ubuntu and their stories that make it more real. Kind of like being part of the family, even if all I do is read the stories.
As for the feelings of defeat, Guy, measure only how your son feels in his new environment to determine the rightness of your decision. If exposing him to a religion which you do not agree bothers you, think of it a reason for discussion and learning with your child. If you check, I'm almost positive you will find other non-catholic families who are sending their children to the same school, with whom, if only for that reason, you will have something in common.
Take heart in the fact that you have taken action, rather than merely accepting the circumstances.
Cheers.
What you're calling "Ubuntu blog" is not a blog but a planet (blog aggregator), and said planed is defined explicitly as "a window into the world, work and lives of Ubuntu developers and contributors". What is out of place here is not this post being on Planet Ubuntu but your comment.
If this particular post doesn't interest you, you are free to ignore it, and if you don't care at all about anything non-technical there are better places to stay up-to-date.
Because this is happening to someone who works on Ubuntu. It clearly states on the front page of Planet Ubuntu: "Planet Ubuntu is a window into the world, work and lives of Ubuntu developers and contributors." This falls into both the "world" and the "life" of this developer/contributor. Do you post comments like this when someone announces their marriage or engagement? If you don't like posts like this, please just skip them.
He Guy,
I hope your kid wil be fine in the new school. I myself would like to see all religion band from all educational institutions. I was really offende by a dutch christian school that wanted to boot a teacher because he was gay. Politicians actually had to consider this.....
I could go on but it would make your blog have a minimum age rating of 18 for language.
Anyway, goodluck!!!!!!!