Discrimination and prejudice in classrooms across Caerphilly County Borough is being tackled with help from pupils.
Caerphilly County Borough Council has been working with youngsters at schools and youth clubs around the area to highlight issues such as racial discrimination, sexual orientation and bullying.
Work has been undertaken with the anti-racism charity Show Racism the Red Card to provide free anti-racism workshops for schools.
Sixteen schools and 21 youth clubs across the county borough have already taken advantage of the workshops, with a further nine schools receiving the workshops in the near future.
The council is also providing comprehensive schools with a ‘Homophobia: Let’s tackle it’ lesson pack and DVD featuring sporting celebrities talking about issues of homophobia.
The council has also given teaching staff extra training.
Okay, the workshops are funded by a charity. At least it’s not public money. I would still rather the kids to be in school at a proper lesson.
The whole idea is stupid. It really is. I didn’t go to special lessons and I’m not racist. I bet you, whoever is reading this, didn’t go to special lessons and you’re not racist. It’s unnecessary. Most divisions are created by adults. As it has been proven countless times, children play with whoever and are generally more accepting. Just look at the experiences in the USA in the early 1900’s.
The children do not need this lesson on racism to learn about cultures and homophobia. It comes naturally to anyone with decent manners. Has anyone looked into the presence of racism to see if it’s worthwhile running such classes?
Dean, you are struggling with this one.
This move has to be applauded, if these `classes` can prevent just one youngster from suffering in silence from peer bullying, then, they have done their job.
Bullying takes on many forms, and it is a particularly worrying when youngsters suffer homophobic intimidation, and, as a result of the nature of this sort of pressure, are unable to discuss the issues with responsible appropriate adults who could help them, these youngster more often suffer in silence, and can, in extreme cases, see taking their own lives as the only way out of the situation.
Any ratepayer or taxpayer money spent by this charity on these `classes` is wholly appropriate and worthwhile.
Dean, you are struggling with this one.
This move has to be
applauded, if these `classes` can prevent just one youngster from
suffering in silence from peer bullying, then, they have done their job.
Bullying
takes on many forms, and it is a particularly worrying when youngsters
suffer homophobic intimidation, and, as a result of the nature of this
sort of pressure, are unable to discuss the issues with responsible
appropriate adults who could help them, these youngster more often
suffer in silence, and can, in extreme cases, see taking their own lives
as the only way out of the situation.
Any ratepayer or taxpayer money spent by this charity on these `classes` is wholly appropriate and worthwhile.
That the point though “is these ‘classes’…”
I really don’t think they will help any. They don’t help the victim, they are aimed at the bully. Firstly, will the bully listen to the charity and secondly why would these ‘classes’ prevent the bully from bullying? After all, bullies bully not because they lack understanding, it’s because they are insecure about themselves.
Racial bullying and homophobia bullying is so uncommon and small that this become a lengthy exercise. Surely having harsher punishments to deal with the bully is the answer. I remember being at school and one boy was bullied for being ginger. The bully was expelled within a week or the the ginger boy reporting it. That’s how bullies should be dealt with.
Dean, you seem to be losing focus on what these `classes` are all about, it appears from the article they are aimed at the bully and the bullied.
If the bully learns anything from them, and the bullied gains strength from them then they make the point they want to achieve.
You are correct that there should be punishment for bullies, but, unless the bullied are given the confidence to deal with it by tackling it in a structured way then nothing is achieved to ease the situation. The `Ginger` boy, you talk about, or the `fat` boy or girl, will often fight back, but the gay boy or girl or those who may still be unsure about their sexuality, may not have the confidence to fight back,and, probably being forced to `out` themselves in the process, something they should not be forced into doing at any time.
The issues are far more complex for the individual youngster who suffers at the hands of inane homophobic bullying cretins, often, as I have already highlighted, leading to many of them day in day out taking their own lives, or at least attempting to do so as a cry for help. lets hope this scheme of ` classes` in schools will help just one of those youngster currently living under the spectre of thugs when they only want to go about getting on with their young lives.
All propaganda has to be popular and has to accommodate itself to the comprehension of the least intelligent of those whom it seeks to reach.
When did we start teaching our children what to think and when did we stop teaching them how to think?
Does the ends justify the means in this case and do such actions have repercussions?