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I could use some words of wisdom, friends. I don't have any family to turn to. I am all alone here. I turned to this community for support. Please, be gentle if you have some harsh words. I do hope for some constructive feedback, but if negative, please, message me privately. I don't want to start a controversial thread.
So, I am the only Caucasian empoyee at the branch of an educational institution. I drive an hour each way to work and for the most part I really enjoy teaching and I feel like I am making a difference. But this is week 5 and I am really struggling not giving a F, as my friend suggests. I am experiencing a strong issue of racism rearing up its ugly head. I was encouraged to speak to a higher up, which I did. He basically told me that since no one actually said out loud the words black vs white it's in my head and I am probably just gunnysacking. I left unheard. I resigned to just sweep it under the rug and keep on trucking. But the problem persists. Today, the problem surfaced again in an ugly way and I am struggling. I've never been a racist, dated people of different races and ethnicities. But today, more than ever, I am seeing the racism toward me, as a minority here. I am the only educator at this branch as well. The other 2 individuals are support staff. I am doing my best to help all my students, esp the ones who are very low academically. yet, I am told that I am singling a black student out. He's been disrepectful toward me on a few occassions and not doing his work. Just collecting his hours. Then he got brave enough to call me a F B the very next day, got suspended for a few days and everything is hush hush now. No one spoke to me about the incident. More has happened since. I used to go to work excited to teach, but now I am scared to open my mouth. For the first time in 8 months I have medical insurance and benefits, a FT job. I am not a quitter. But I am really struggling with the lack of team work and support in helping these students. I don't know if I should go higher up in the chain of command, to the president of the educational faciltiy or just continue to document things, gunnysack them, as the previous person stated. I don't want to stir anything, especially as a new teacher. But the hostility is so blatantly open it scares me. On one of my lunch breaks one support staff saw me on this site and gasped before I realized he was looking over my shoulder. He Asked me if I am one, to which I replied that I don't discuss my faith or politics at work. I am at a total loss. If I just continue documenting nothing is going to change and I am going to drag my feet with work. If I speak out I might not be heard, as no one actually said the word race. I don't want to be paranoid and start recording every encounter. What would you do? THanks

ForeignNata 5 Sep 19
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34 comments (26 - 34)

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1

I have nothing but sympathy for you. I teach in a school with a lot of students who are disadvantaged and poorly prepared for college. Some of them have behaviors that were not acceptable in my day. It seems like they try to bully professors into making things easier. I am fortunate to have the support of my chair. The classroom environment can be difficult to manage but you learn as you go along.

1

Overt confidence works wonders. Go into this like you own the place and keep it up. Easy to say, tough to do. If you can pull it off, you can make some changes. If you can't do it, you either change your job or change your mind. Good luck, hon.

1

Apply for the same position where there are more Caucasians, in the same educational institution, hopefully, in a location closer to home,

You can report the racism, but it risks employers seeing you as a trouble maker.

1

Keep writing the stuff down and at some point go higher up in the company and present your findings. If that don't work, then seek other employment or hire a lawyer. That's not right how they treat you. This is the 21st century, not the 19th.

1

I don't know what to tell you, people will try to help you but everyone has a different opinion and do things differently. While you're working there keep your journal going, write down everything. One thing for sure is to try to find a better workplace. I believe you will make the decision when the time comes for the best or for the worst. I'll be here and support you, specially after passing through a similar situation, not as heavy as yours though. All the best, don't give in, never surrender.

0

I agree move somewhere more comfortable but let the higher ups in the school know exactly why because no one is getting behind you and supporting you - I do remember a soc psych experiment that was done with mixed races in school about prejudice and i can't find it on the internet at the moment will keep looking it was about the children of colour being told they had to wear collars the next day it changed to the other children but thats about all i remember anyone here who can get a link for it please?

0

Well, some good news; Being an Agnostic/Atheist makes you a bone fide minority for "religious" classification. Something to keep in mind for battling charges of "racism".

Meantime, I think you are doing right by not acknowledging such issues and documenting the facts of infractions and corrective action as objectively as you can.

In your place, I would stay with it, continue doing as you have been and respond appropriately and calmly to any questions or challenges. Don't chase yourself out of there for them. Force them to do that by being reasonable and document the facts of the matter as best you can.

If you are treated unfairly, contact a lawyer. It may not do any harm to introduce yourself to a Civil Rights Attny right away anyway just to establish contact and get good legal guidance when you need it.

0

If you can, record and document. After you do that, go back to HR (or whoever you talked to the first time) and play the recording and show your documentation. If they still won't do anything file a complaint with the EEOC. Another alternative is to go to the media with all your evidence, however that could bite you in the ass.

I would also keep looking for another job.

0

So when you went to the supervisor he said you're gunnysacking, but then said he can't do anything? So why would he think you would go to him again? Did you bring one issue to him or numerous? What racist thing actually happened that you claimed?

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