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 ain香蕉视频直播檛 a joke. BC School systems ain香蕉视频直播檛 educating bout this! @josiahvese 鉁婐煆�

香蕉视频直播淗e香蕉视频直播檚 doing push ups [and] this white kid has the audacity to walk up to him and say 香蕉视频直播榢eep picking up the cotton,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈�� and pretended to whip his back with a jumping rope, the family member recounted.

He went on to say that 香蕉视频直播渋gnorant香蕉视频直播� people who make those kind of jokes 香蕉视频直播渄on香蕉视频直播檛 even understand the hurt they are bringing.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚 hope this brings some awareness to the problem at hand.香蕉视频直播�

It happened last year, but the student didn香蕉视频直播檛 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 香蕉视频直播渁ccepted responsibility and participated in a fully restorative and educational process,香蕉视频直播� Woelders added.

香蕉视频直播淟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 one香蕉视频直播檚 real or perceived sexual or gender orientation, identity, appearance, capacity, disability, ethnicity or religion,香蕉视频直播� Woelders elaborated.

香蕉视频直播淣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.香蕉视频直播�

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Hundreds of comments posted in response to the online post said such incidents are all too common.

香蕉视频直播淚 can香蕉视频直播檛 count how many times I heard a non-black kid in my school say the 香蕉视频直播榥香蕉视频直播� word,香蕉视频直播� one person wrote.

Another said racism is in Canada 香蕉视频直播渋s hidden behind laughter and just kidding,香蕉视频直播� while a third described how they grew up with a best friend 香蕉视频直播渨ho is South Sudanese, and I香蕉视频直播檝e watched this kinda stuff happen to her our whole childhood.香蕉视频直播�

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 香蕉视频直播渟ituation was dealt with.香蕉视频直播�

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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.

香蕉视频直播淲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,香蕉视频直播� he said.

dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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