An incident involving a racist joke about picking cotton, made by a student at a Langley, B.C. school has been resolved, according to a spokesperson for the school and a family member of the student who was the target.
In a social media posting that has generated more than 25,000 clicks of support and more than 700 comments, a family member, the older brother of the student, described how his sibling at the school was taking a physical education class at Langley Christian School (LCS) when the remark was made.
I hope this brings some awareness to the problem at hand. It ain91裸聊视频檛 a joke. BC School systems ain91裸聊视频檛 educating bout this! @josiahvese 鉁婐煆�
91裸聊视频淗e91裸聊视频檚 doing push ups [and] this white kid has the audacity to walk up to him and say 91裸聊视频榢eep picking up the cotton,91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� and pretended to whip his back with a jumping rope, the family member recounted.
He went on to say that 91裸聊视频渋gnorant91裸聊视频� people who make those kind of jokes 91裸聊视频渄on91裸聊视频檛 even understand the hurt they are bringing.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淚 hope this brings some awareness to the problem at hand.91裸聊视频�
It happened last year, but the student didn91裸聊视频檛 report it until the current school year, when the school launched an anti-racism initiative, which prompted the student to come forward, LCS head of schools Adam Woelders said.
The student who made the joke has 91裸聊视频渁ccepted responsibility and participated in a fully restorative and educational process,91裸聊视频� Woelders added.
91裸聊视频淟ike all schools in our community monitored by the Ministry of Education in British Columbia, LCS responds seriously to any communication or behaviour that deliberately degrades, denigrates, labels, stereotypes, incites hatred, slander, prejudice and discrimination toward anyone on the basis of one91裸聊视频檚 real or perceived sexual or gender orientation, identity, appearance, capacity, disability, ethnicity or religion,91裸聊视频� Woelders elaborated.
91裸聊视频淣o doubt, implicit and overt discrimination is present in public and independent schools throughout the Fraser Valley region, and we all have much to do as community leaders to continue to work hard to equip staff, students and families to transform our communities for the better.91裸聊视频�
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Hundreds of comments posted in response to the online post said such incidents are all too common.
91裸聊视频淚 can91裸聊视频檛 count how many times I heard a non-black kid in my school say the 91裸聊视频榥91裸聊视频� word,91裸聊视频� one person wrote.
Another said racism is in Canada 91裸聊视频渋s hidden behind laughter and just kidding,91裸聊视频� while a third described how they grew up with a best friend 91裸聊视频渨ho is South Sudanese, and I91裸聊视频檝e watched this kinda stuff happen to her our whole childhood.91裸聊视频�
While the family member did not respond to a request for an interview by the Langley Advance Times, the person did post a follow-up message that said the 91裸聊视频渟ituation was dealt with.91裸聊视频�
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British Columbia Education Minister Rob Fleming recently announced his ministry was examining ways to work with local groups to develop a curriculum that better incorporates Black history, including the slave trade and the Underground Railroad.
Ministry staff were meeting with the B.C. Black History Awareness Society in an effort to address the needs of young people who are demanding change, Fleming said in a statement.
91裸聊视频淲e plan to listen and we are committed to working with community partners to strengthen the curriculum, to support diversity and to add to the global effort to end systemic racism,91裸聊视频� he said.
dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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