[Drais.]

Originally posted by ethan

I just think it's all circumstantial. The boy is seven, doing a class project where he has to dress up as MLK. He wanted to paint his face black to look like MLK. His parents supported him.

It would be completely different if he was older, had any idea about the connotation behind "blackface", was doing it comedically, or was actually being racist. He didn't stereotype or make fun of being black, he was doing it respectfully and I don't see why people should take offense to it.

Just because people were offended doesn't mean they blame him. This is a statement you can't seem to process.

[DrogoBrush]

The school is in the wrong. >.>

[Willy.]

What if the child had a few friends, and went up to a black friend of his and called him ******, because that's what he hears his older brother playfully say to his friends.

Would that be okay because he's just in second grade? Would there be NO reason for him to be removed from the class?

[BLaCKPoWeR]

Originally posted by Drais•▲iko

The child had good intentions but his parents shouldn't have let him go on with the blackface.

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[ethan]

Originally posted by Drais•▲iko

Just because people were offended doesn't mean they blame him. This is a statement you can't seem to process.

I really don't understand what that means

Why would they be offended in the first place? Just because of it's history?

[evo]

Originally posted by Willy.

What if the child had a few friends, and went up to a black friend of his and called him ******, because that's what he hears his older brother playfully say to his friends.

Would that be okay because he's just in second grade? Would there be NO reason for him to be removed from the class?

Please don't open up this can of worms.

[Drais.]

Originally posted by ethan

Why would they be offended in the first place? Just because of it's history?

Um .....yeah.

[Deuces]

Originally posted by ethan

I really don't understand what that means

Why would they be offended in the first place? Just because of it's history?

Duh.

[ethan]

Originally posted by Willy.

What if the child had a few friends, and went up to a black friend of his and called him ******, because that's what he hears his older brother playfully say to his friends.

Would that be okay because he's just in second grade? Would there be NO reason for him to be removed from the class?

That's a really good point. I mean, I think it'd obviously be important to sit him down to explain to him that that's not okay, but it's not really his fault, he has no idea that there is anything wrong with it.

[Doc]

The ignorance in this thread.

[ethan]

Originally posted by Drais•▲iko

Um .....yeah.

But I just don't get it, like... he didn't know about the history. He didn't have any idea that there was anything wrong with it. What reason do they have to be offended?

[Willy.]

Originally posted by ethan

That's a really good point. I mean, I think it'd obviously be important to sit him down to explain to him that that's not okay, but it's not really his fault, he has no idea that there is anything wrong with it.

It's all principle. The school doesn't know if he was raised to be racist or not. They can't excuse anything due to young age.

[fortheloveofmusic]

Originally posted by ethan

I really don't understand what that means

Why would they be offended in the first place? Just because of it's history?

U GOT IT U GOT IT!!!!

[ethan]

Originally posted by Willy.

It's all principle. The school doesn't know if he was raised to be racist or not. They can't excuse anything due to young age.

Right, but he's gotta be innocent until proven guilty. They can't assume he's a racist.

[LoveVsMoney]

So Stupid.

Clearly a 2nd grader doesnt know the history of "Black Face"

His parents should have known better tho.

[Mélina]

Originally posted by ethan

Just because of it's history?

That is absolutely why.

[Deuces]

Originally posted by ethan

But I just don't get it, like... he didn't know about the history. He didn't have any idea that there was anything wrong with it. What reason do they have to be offended?

Girl.

Blackface if used by a 1 month old, a 5 year old, a 50 year old etc...it doesn't matter. It will still offend people because of the negative connotations around it. Whether the person using it is aware of the offense it could carry, doesn't matter, people will still be offended. Is that so hard to comprehend?

[Hoetenks]

Originally posted by stevensaurusrex

Why do parents expect schools to raise their kids these days? Like they don't even share the most basic no-no's with their kids anymore.

If the kid was assigned to be MLK by the teacher, then the school is at fault as well here. Teachers should be aware of what thoughts can cross a child's mind. If you tell a white kid to be a black man, ur a complete idiot if u disregard the chance that the kid will paint their face so they look black.
Sure, if the kid does do that then u can always blame the parents, but every teacher should no the idiocy of some parents out there.

If this boy decided to be MLK on his own with no input from the school, it's solely the parent's fault. If the school had any involvement with his decision to be MLK, it's both the school's fault and the parent's fault.

[Willy.]

To the ignorance in this thread, just Wikipedia the term "Blackface" and "Golliwog" and you'll see the severe negative connotations with just the word.

[Doc]

Originally posted by ethan

But I just don't get it, like... he didn't know about the history. He didn't have any idea that there was anything wrong with it. What reason do they have to be offended?

His parents know the history though. And yet, they still let him go out like that.

Whether or not the kid understands why it's offensive doesn't change the fact that it's still offensive.

EDIT:

Originally posted by Deuces.

Girl.

Blackface if used by a 1 month old, a 5 year old, a 50 year old etc...it doesn't matter. It will still offend people because of the negative connotations around it. Whether the person using it is aware of the offense it could carry, doesn't matter, people will still the offended. Is that so hard to comprehend?

.