Ok.
I have finally…finally…at long last written something here because of an online friend (who shall remain nameless to avoid embarrassment).
They keep asking if I’ve updated it…and it’s been a month or more since I said I would…
Not very good eh!
I gotta say though – what a 2007 already? After returning to school, everyone seemed to be totally out of it. I mean exams are enough to send anyone loopy, but with the government introducing new initiatives…well it’s enough to drive any teacher up the wall.
Today – a revamped curriculum for geography emphasising global warming for 11-14 year olds. Um…well I teach that…and guess what I’m teaching all about right now? Humankind’s effect on ecosystems. Does our government in its infinite wisdom think it can tell us stuff we don’t know?
Everyone has an opinion on education because everyone has been a consumer.
But don’t teachers get enough stick?
That’s not enough for the first month of the year…
…no there’s the nightmare of Celebrity Big Brother.
Now don’t get me wrong – there’s a place for pointless entertainment for the masses:
No escape from the mass mind rape
Play it again Jack
And then rewind the tape
Rage Against the Machine, Bullet in your Head
But that’s exactly what Big Brother was. Whatever I saw, I felt like my brain was oozing out of my ears and dribbling over the floor. The producers probably do a psychometric analysis of the people going into the house, and pick the most-likely-to-cause-confrontation combinations.
It’s put racism right up high on the agenda – as if terrorism hasn’t already made people paranoid enough about people with brown skin.
We’re fuct.
And you know what? The so-called multicultural society of the UK came out looking bad.
Is Jade Goody a reflection of the UK? And Danielle and Jo?
I actually think it is.
Not so much as racism, but ignorance.
Shilpa handled herself with such grace, and class. Jade, Danielle, and Jo didn’t.
I don’t think it was racist. It was bullying. It was nasty. It made wonderful television and got Channel 4 increased ratings (even my parents watched it to see what the fuss was about!) But it’s a reflection of the ignorance of (some of) the population.
I have this ongoing debate with my year 11 at school about football (their favourite sport) being racist. They point to how many of the players, and fans are black.
But where are the Asians? Where are the black managers? Paul Ince is the only black football manager in this country.
Football is institutionally racist.
Like the police…some say even teaching…
Racism in this country is so transparent, people don’t think of it as racism (my year 11 don’t know who Stephen Lawrence was).
Perhaps I’m being extreme. But I experience it all the time. Purely because of the colour of my skin, I get all sorts of assumptions made. Scratch the surface and people are surprised: my music taste, style of dress, and opinions are sometimes different from many other people who originate from India.
Where are the head-teachers and senior teachers from ethnic minorities? When will the young black men see their own community members in positions of leadership? The ‘House of Commons’ is an oxymoron. It doesn’t represent the society I experience around me.
And all this provides the backdrop to my day-to-day scene.
To think – someone like me is influencing the young minds of tomorrow.
Is that scary?
J.
PS This post was brought to you by Rage Against the Machine
James D'Souza 
I don’t see how you can say football is racist when you have never experienced football in its full. Just as I can’t prove footballs not totally racist as obviously their is racism in football, just as their is all over the world with all issues.But you can’t highlight the fact that football is racist due to a lack of black managers, partly because 25% of footballers in England are black, so its as if you’re trying to say their is a certain racist aspect towards managers but not players and that people don’t want black managers leading their club. A lack of black managers is not down to racism but its down to lack of talented black managers. A chairman of a football club is not looking at the colour of their future managers skin, hes looking at the talents of the manager. A chairman is a business man whos looking for his football club to succeed and to more funds for the football club and the chairman. Lack of Asians in football is down to the fact that there is not enough talented Asian footballers, simple as. If Asians were so talented at football and it is down to racism then surely we would be hearing more of the success of Asian countries in tournaments such as the world cup or Asian cup. The only sense of racism in football is fans/hooligans, which you haven’t even mentioned, if you knew more about football and took an interest in it you would see that racism is not in the clubs but its outside the clubs. A football club is looking for the best for its club just as fans are looking to ‘have a go’ at rival fans and players in anyway possible.Bit of a long comment eh.James Salik
James – you have to ask – why are there no talented black managers? Why are there no talented black players becoming managers?Roy Keane became a manager pretty quickly after play didn’t he?Maybe Asians aren’t attracted to football because they perceive it as racist? I’m sure young Asian men have their footballing heroes in school.But thanks for commenting.
True Roy Keane did become a manager very quick and has become very effective. Roy Keane as a football was very similar to Patrick Vieira, they were unique in their own way and have a massive passion for football. In a couple of years when Patrick Vieira retires you will see another manager have an instant effect. This could have an effect on football and lead to more black managers who take their chance (unlike Paul Ince) and become successful. You Never Know.James Salik
That’s a fair point!I hope it happens – I think society needs more role models in management positions in the Premiership.Your predictions may come true!J.PS Post some comments on my other posts!