More Liberal PC Racism

“School bans 'wrong race' hairstyle
Deborah Haile

http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/news/education/s/151/151512_school_bans_wrong_race_hairstyle.html

A TEENAGER was sent home from school after the headteacher ruled she was the wrong race to have a braided hairstyle.

Olivia Acton, 13, was told she could not join her classmates at Middleton Technology College because her tightly plaited hair was too "extreme" for the strict uniform policy.

However, two other pupils at the school who have an Afro-Caribbean background are allowed to attend the school with similar hairstyles because it reflects their cultural heritage.

The teenager usually has her hair brushed straight but had it braided during a family holiday.

She was stunned to be turned away when she returned to school. She was told she can only go back to the classroom if she unpicks the plaits.

Olivia's father, Michael, says the school's rule is discriminatory and should be changed. But the school insists the uniform policy is an important way of maintaining standards and ensuring all youngsters are a part of the school community.

Mr Acton said: "The headteacher is saying it's extreme for my girl to have braids. I'm disgusted by the decision."

Middleton Technology College headteacher Allison Crompton confirmed that braided hairstyles were generally banned in the school but she would make exceptions for hairstyles which are a reflection of cultural heritage rather than a fashion statement.

Strict

Ms Crompton said: "We don't allow any extreme hairstyles of any description at the school. We are a high-achieving school with high standards and we don't allow any street culture into school.

"We are very strict on appearance. Wearing a school uniform signals that children are ready and willing to be a part of the school community. We have smart children who work in a purposeful way because that's the ethos of the school.

"If we didn't allow some leeway for their cultural and ethnic background I think it would probably be discriminatory."

The row began when Olivia, from Alcrington, was excluded in February for a day for her failure to comply with the school's rule.

She told the school the braids could not be removed for two weeks, and was told that during that time she could return to school but would be taught in the learning support unit. Olivia chose to study at home and has not returned to school since while both parties refuse to give way over the hairstyle.

Rochdale MP Jim Dobbin is now trying to negotiate a compromise, but he admits he doesn't believe the school has reasonable grounds to keep Olivia away.

He said: "The family visited my surgery recently and I have asked the LEA to mediate with the school. I personally do not consider the hairstyle in any way outrageous and I hope Olivia can return to full time education immediately. I do not consider this to be a reasonable exclusion."

Coun Colin Lambert, Rochdale Council's spokesman for education, said: "The school should concentrate on what goes into the students' heads and not what is on their heads."


”

“wow, a little red x posted”

“This thread should be short:

a) This report is from Manchester England. Your provincial concept of "liberal" and "conservative" has no bearing on how those terms are viewed or defined in the U.K. or Europe.


b) It sound like, rather than a "liberal" school banning the braids for "P.C. Racism" reasons, that a "conservative" school banned the braids for "racism" reasons.


That is, this article, rather than supporting your hilter youth view of the world and of "liberals", undermines it. It demonstrates yet another instance of conservative intolerance.

It does NOT demonstrate, as you suggest, liberal P.C. ness.




This thread only serves one purpose:

To once again demonstrate for the population here on TT that you are a brainless, immature, knee-jerk (emphasis on jerk), young, garbage spewing moron.”

“Lee, is talking to a red x.

Lee, you would have more fun talking to sarge. At least he is better than Oryx not by much though ;)”

“Sorry, Lee: blacks can have cornrows + whites cannot = liberal PC racism. Just calling a spade a spade.”

“What a weird equation Oryx. I see no reason why we should think the people at the school were liberal. They sound pretty conservative to me: requiring uniforms, banning street culture, etc. It looks to me like this guy thinks black popular culture is a bad influence and he wants to ban it where he can. I read it as a conservative who is afraid liberals won't let him get away with banning blacks from doing things that reflect their culture.
last edited: 4/19/05 9:43:59 AM”

“Yes!!! I found proof. The thread title should be another progressive battles idiotic right wing racism. The MP they quote as critical of the school and stnading up for the kids is a left wing MP. He's Labour! So, the only one in the story whose political leanings we can identify is a liberal opposed to this discrimination.

Sorry to burst your bubble.”

“Not all liberals stand for liberal PC racism, pedxing. Learn a lesson from that.”

“What part of Africa do corn-rows come from?”

“Why don't Africans in America walk around half naked? It's their culture, right? Why aren't they fighting for their right to bare their boobs?”

“This was in England, you know that island where King George sent the redcoats from.

Not here.”

“Just a small point.


You know . . .you need NOT jump on every issue just because it may have a small taint of liberal vs conservative in it.

By doing so . .. .you really diminish any credibility you may have on the board.


Point in case is this thread.

Oryx has his head, once again, firmly shoved up his butt. His premise makes no sense, he has the issues wrong, and doesn't understand what he has read.

Why you would want to put YOUR head up his butt too, is beyond me. Do you simply enjoy the stink of being a knee jerk rabid conservative . . who snaps at any issue without weighing it in the slightest?

Do you have any idea how stupid your prior post was? Somehow you managed a non-sequitor on a nonsensical thread . . thus taken the whole thing further into the realm of the absurd.

Oryx is widely perceived on this board, even by conservatives, to be an immature, race-baiting idiot.

About the only individual who doesn't see that is BacPac (bbw). We all know his peculiarities and dismiss him.

Is that the camp you are sure you want to play in? Your head up some college kids butt with BBW for company?”

“What's your point? Did you notice I said "in America"?”

“I think this brings my grand total to about 5 threads of a political nature.

I'm going to go count your political threads ... be right back ...”

“I think sarge is wanting to see some black female boobs”

“That's all I want, Ewker. That's all I want. Look at the slack I get.”

“lol, see I told ya”

“Time was you could have found me on a lot of the religious/gun/political threads.

Now . . not so much.

I chimed in on this . .why, I know not.

Schiavo

Any others?”

“�Not all liberals stand for liberal PC racism, pedxing. Learn a lesson from that.�
Oryx
9:51:32 AM
4/19/05

LOL - glib answer. A reasonably skillful deflection of the facts.

Oh - I forgot, reactionaries and Bush radicals don't like most facts. Sure they let a few token facts in once in a while, but they definitely have a distaste for the full story.”

“Oh please - yours was a weak point easily brushed aside.”

“oryx, youre in over your head with ped and lee. hell, youd be in over your head in the shallow end of the kiddie pool.

that said, cornrows on white kids does look pretty weird.

sarge, i wanna see black boobies too. wanna get a lap-dance in harlem?”

“Why don't Africans in America walk around half naked? It's their culture, right? Why aren't they fighting for their right to bare their boobs?�
Sarge
11:29:23 AM
4/19/05

What African Country has the women walk around like this and how much would a flight cost?

Is Sarge getting his "cultural" information from old National Geographics?”

“PBS.

Often in black and white, the boobies are. And grainy film too.”

“I think Oryx points out that the politics of the sixties is over. Racism as a Party platform is no longer a viable political position. The Democrats need to come up with a strategy that is relevant in the current century.”

“they have democrats in jolly england?”

“I think Oryx points out that the politics of the sixties is over. Racism as a Party platform is no longer a viable political position. The Democrats need to come up with a strategy that is relevant in the current century.�bbw

how could that be oryx's point? there was nothing in the article about libs or dems crying racism. oryx, as usual, was grasping at straws”

“Oryx - you brushed aside the point because you didn't think about.

You have a ciruclar logic. All the evidence sugggest is a conservative and the only guy clearly opposing him is definitely a liberal.”

“http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,295372,00.html

You know what is a "slap in the African-American community's face"?

The fact that they actually do talk that way.”

“They have few terms wrong. 'Ask' is 'Axe', for example.”

“I think it's supposed to be phonetic since it's the pronunciation guide.”

“You may be right, there.”

“No mention of "chickenheads"? Ya can't have a ghetto handbook with no chickenheads!”

“What's a chickenhead? ... besides the obvious”

“"Liberal Racism".... is that like "Republican support for Human Rights"?

< SHEESH >”

“Having a dialectal handbook would go along way to improve relations throughout America. Why, it would be real handy to have one when traveling in distinct dialectal areas such as the South and Appalachia.

Ebonics is no different than other dialectal areas across the US. No one in this country speaks Standard English; and to imply that one must obey by Prescriptive rules in order to have a certain "level of acceptability is simply absurd.”

“"You know what is a "slap in the African-American community's face"?

The fact that they actually do talk that way."
Sarge

That is a racist statement.

I don't think it would be taken well in certain neighborhoods and might even cost a white boy a few teeth and at least a little blood.”

“This news story tells of a cop distributing a racist pamphlet and the reaction of his superiors.

Please explain how this has anything to do with "liberals" and any sort of racism on the part of these imaginary "liberals"?

I read the entire thread and this looks like yet another case of Sarge putting his head well up his ass as he did a couple of years ago on this very thread.”

“That is a racist statement.

I don't think it would be taken well in certain neighborhoods and might even cost a white boy a few teeth and at least a little blood. - MarkO

Well, at least you're keeping with the thread title.”

“What area or region is ebonics spoken? I dont think its any particular region. I have lived in the midwest, south, southwest and PNW and have heard it spoken all over. Cant say the same for a new england or midwest or southern dialect/accent.

Who ultimately cares how anyone speaks really. If you have crappy grammar, are inarticulate and cannot convey a clear and concise message when you speak you suffer, not me. I have yet to have anyone who is in a professional capacity to speak to me using ebonics. I have had numerous conversations in a professional capacity (doctor, employer, coworker etc) with southerners and new englanders (even from boston) and had no trouble understanding what was said.

The difficult arises when you are dealing with standardized processes, parts and functions. This past wk in class a student was asking a question about the function of a furnace. The teacher had to ask 4 times for the student to repeat himself. I still couldnt figure out what he needed to know (not that this matters). He didnt use any of the correct terminology or clear enough English to get the help he wanted. I dont think its a stretch to say that he will struggle to find good long term employment if he doesnt correct his speach. He suffers, not us. Until he is your 911 operator (though I bet he wouldnt pass the oral test, another self imposed limitation I reckon).

If you desire to be taken seriously and treated with respect a command of your native tongue can help.

*edit, I am sure that one could find loads of grammatical and spelling errors in my post if they took the time.
last edited: 9/01/07 1:24:15 PM”

“He suffers, not us.

One day my dad went hungry because he couldn't understand the ebonics of the girl at the Popeyes. LOL - true story, never could understand the girl after repeated attempts.

Ebonics is no different than other dialectal areas across the US.

Do you really believe that? I've lived in all 4 corners of the U.S. and heard many dialects, but Ebonics uses words, phrases and accents like no other. With a few exceptions, like the deep deep south, most dialects compose of only differences in inflection, rate of speed and accent, but the language is the same. For places where that is not the case, like the deep deep south, society shuns, makes fun of, and tries unsuccessfully to understand them, just like people who speak in Ebonics.

Every go to Three Li'l Pigs BBQ in NC? (and other states) - They used to have a translation page as a place mat which translates from hillbilly to English. Pretty funny.

http://www.threelilpigsbbq.com/”

“"What area or region is ebonics spoken?"

Where have you heard it's use; there's your answer. Ebonics should not be confused with a sociolect, or idiolect. Ebonics has strict rules it follows, such as S,V,O like "Standard English". Sentences of Ebonics have implied verbs in the sentence structure; thus the "She nice" everyone likes to through around as an example of "bad" English.

"I dont think its any particular region."

You would be incorrect. There are many different dialectal regions in the United States. Simple reflection on the diversity of the people in certain regions of the country on your part should give even the simplest of lay persons a pretty good, general idea of where these regions are located. Generally, people who live in one region will often speak a different dialect of Standard English.

The reason why you feel that you understand the dialects you do (instead of Ebonics) could be to your choice, whether it be on biased grounds, or simply because it "sounds" better to you. Also, your interactions with people in different dialectal regions goes a long way in your understanding of what "they" are saying. That said; being from the Metro Detroit region, I find it unfortunate that you feel that you either can't, or won't understand Ebonics. I personally have absolutely no problem understanding an Ebonic dialect; however, as we all know, personal experience certainly can not be used as fact, right?

If you are really concerned with your lack of knowledge regarding Ebonics, I would suggest taking a peak at some of the research work done in the area of Linguistics. Boring as hell; but at least much more insightful than this piece of garbage called a thread.
last edited: 9/01/07 7:02:57 PM”

“sorry, but hogwash

Ebonics is full of slang, whereas American 'dialects' are primarily changes in (those mentioned above) inflection, rate of speech, and accent, sometimes with the inclusion of metaphors (like the hillbillies in the Li'l Pigs example).

Ebonics isn't rich enough for metaphor. It's slang infested and needs Raid.

One of my best friends is from "da hood" in Metro Detroit. She speaks perfectly well - and to do so all she has to do is drop the slang. Add a dash of slang, and she's suddenly back in da hood speaking Ebonics. You can't convince a hillbilly to do that overnight.

If I remember his name I'll post it here, but since you're so into linguistics you can probably name him yourself. There is a black teacher that goes to these schools and teaches the kids to stop Ebonics almost immediately. The kids love it. They literally say "I was never taught that's the way you say it." He's the gangstawhisperer.”

“There is a reason this subject is controversial, even among linguists. To reduce the topic (this thread) to a simple "piece of garbage" because we dare discuss it is doing it a disservice, and shows little insight into the social aspects of the debate, or perhaps more likely (giving you the benefit of the doubt), an unwillingness to consider other viewpoints.

Oh, but that is why the thread is titled what it is ....”

“on the subject: this could be a video of my high-school days. Don't EVER tell me I don't understand ....

http://www.break.com/index/top-that.html”

“omg that was effing classic

TOP THAT!”

“here is some "dialect"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxXPo-qVWJc”

“One must also consider where and from whom Africans learned to speak English.

It was not Yankees.”

“I think it can also be a lot about who is around. I work with many black people and I have seen one woman making business calls and using very good diction and speak. Then she hung up the phone and was right back into the casual slang with her friends.”

“"Oh, but that is why the thread is titled what it is ...."
Sarge

"It does NOT demonstrate, as you suggest, liberal P.C. ness.

This thread only serves one purpose:

To once again demonstrate for the population here on TT that you are a brainless, immature, knee-jerk (emphasis on jerk), young, garbage spewing moron."
lee
9:33:22 AM
4/19/05

Lee's was post #2 and directed at Oryx, the originator of this thread.

The thread title was as bogus two years ago as it is now.

This year's regurgitation of this thread does not demonstrate "Liberal P.C. Racism"(what ever that is supposed to be) any more than the original poster's tirade.

“This news story tells of a cop distributing a racist pamphlet and the reaction of his superiors.

Please explain how this has anything to do with "liberals" and any sort of racism on the part of these imaginary "liberals"?

I read the entire thread and this looks like yet another case of Sarge putting his head well up his ass as he did a couple of years ago on this very thread.”
MarkO
12:39:09 PM
9/01/07

This is just more cheap shot insult blabber against "liberals" much like the neo-con media does on a daily basis.”