Idaho School Teachers Dress as Mexican Stereotypes, Border Wall

[PJH_74]

Probably for something they felt was more important than a few remarks.

He was not a foreordained thing. When he started there were about 10 Republican candidates, sorry but people had many real alternative options and yet the voted for him in the Primaries. His behavior, personal life, name calling, racial comments, and pettiness would have disqualified him not an election before. No there are a good many people that wanted this.

 

[0Scarlett_nidiyilii]

When he started there were about 10 Republican candidates, sorry but people had many real alternative options and yet the voted for him in the Primaries.

Only partly true.
The other candidates started dropping out during that primary season (states all have different primary election dates). So the people towards the end didn’t actually have other options.

 

[0Scarlett_nidiyilii]

And to be fair, the people who voted for other candidates before the dropping out can’t be blamed for their preferred candidate dropping out.

But by all means have fun promoting the false narrative of mean and phobic Trump voters

 

[mwigs]

You do understand this was a team building activity to portray stereotypes and to talk about the effects of stereotyping, it wasn’t a team building activity to stereotype. There is a big difference and as someone from a very progressive state, this happens all the time in progressive states (NY/MA) in schools and colleges, these type of team building activities are not uncommon. Not sure where you come from?

 

[mwigs]

Fine the school district if you have such a problem with it. The teachers were simply just participating in a team building activity that they were given. Also, you do understand that the activity was to portray stereotypes and to talk about the negative effects of stereotyping, it’s wasn’t an activity to stereotype or done with the intention to stereotype - there’s a big difference. These type of team building activities are not uncommon.

 

[mwigs]

I don’t see how your background information makes this any better.

It’s pretty easy to see. This was a team building activity to portray stereotypes and to talk about the negative effects of stereotypes, it wasn’t done intentionally or as a joke to stereotype, or because the teachers were insensitive or “racist” or pro-wall.

It’s not the activity that’s the problem. It is how they approached it.

How did you expect all involved to approach a team building activity where they had to represent a country and portray a stereotype of people from that Country? Do you have a better idea?

The last time I checked, doing something behind closed doors does not make it OK. Also, the last time I checked, posting a picture means that it is no longer behind closed doors.

The school obviously thought it was OK, since they came up with the team building activity. Again, these type of team building activities are common among teachers who through these activities build sensitivity to how kids may react to other kids. I don’t think anyone expected someone posting a simple picture would generate so MUCH false information, and media attention.

And they generally don’t include stereotyping people.

Again, they weren’t intentionally stereotyping, they were asked to portray a stereotype that people have of other people from different countries and talk about the negative effects of stereotyping. You may want to learn the facts before judging.

 

[blackforest]

Again, they weren’t intentionally stereotyping, they were asked to portray a stereotype that people have of other people from different countries and talk about the negative effects of stereotyping.

Link, please?

 

[meltzerboy2]

If this is the case, that changes almost everything (except perhaps the wisdom of such an activity). Is that what the administration said was the purpose of the exercise?

 

[ZMystiCat]

This was a team building activity to portray stereotypes

And that’s the problem. Most team building exercises don’t involve deliberately stereotyping people.

talk about the negative effects of stereotypes

First, where are you getting that that was the intent?

Second, if that was the intent, that makes it worse. It’s one thing to stereotype from ignorance. It’s another to know that what you’re doing is wrong and still do it.

Do you have a better idea?

Yes, pick a better team building activity or a better topic. At my workplace, we did superheroes.

since they came up with the team building activity

Who at the school did?

Again, they weren’t intentionally stereotyping

You just said that it was a team building exercise designed to stereotype.

It’s pretty easy to see.

Apparently not. If anything, the backstory, which by now isn’t even consistent, is only making things worse.

 

[mwigs]

And that’s the problem. Most team building exercises don’t involve deliberately stereotyping people.

It wasn’t deliberate - that’s were you are mistaken. The teachers didn’t just do this because they “felt” like it. The activity was not to deliberately stereotype people but to pick a country and then to portray stereotypes that currently do exists for people of those countries.

First, where are you getting that that was the intent?

Second, if that was the intent, that makes it worse. It’s one thing to stereotype from ignorance. It’s another to know that what you’re doing is wrong and still do it.

It was posted on Facebook from a teacher that was part of the activity. I totally disagree. It doesn’t make it worse because the the intent was to talk about the negative effects of stereotyping and to learn about sensitivity to how kids may feel from stereotyping. It makes the activity much more important.

Yes, pick a better team building activity or a better topic. At my workplace, we did superheroes.

You don’t think talking about stereotypes for people from foreign countries and how it may affect those children in a school environment isn’t important? I think most school head associations would disagree here.

You just said that it was a team building exercise designed to stereotype.

That’s not what I said. Go back and read what I said and try to comprehend it a bit better.

Apparently not. If anything, the backstory, which by now isn’t even consistent, is only making things worse.

What’s not consistent from your point of view. It’s not worse at all.

 

[Feanor2]

What a terribly misguided idea for a costume contest. Depicting “Stereotypes” begs for inappropriate depictions- how could it not.

I don’t get the idea at all.

 

[Gingersnaps4]

I actually didn’t know that, none of the news stories I saw reported that. Typical! Well, I change my view then. They did what they were told to do and it’s almost like they were set up.

 

[Gingersnaps4]

They did a good job, too. I am a conservative and was disgusted, at least at the caricaturing of Latinos part of it.

 

[PetraG]

It’s pretty easy to see. This was a team building activity to portray stereotypes and to talk about the negative effects of stereotypes, it wasn’t done intentionally or as a joke to stereotype, or because the teachers were insensitive or “racist” or pro-wall.

They weren’t quite quick enough to realize that the best course would have been to dress up as a caricature of themselves, or a caricature of how people from other nations might see them or even how people from other states stereotype people from Idaho. It would let them express what it is about the depiction that they’d feel was unfair or uncharitable.

If this was an exercise among teachers and administrators meant to be an in-house activity that needed explanation, the real failure in judgment was making this failure in judgment so public or in giving publicity that was sure to be spread without the explanation for the images.

 

[Allegra]

Where I come from, we have activities that demonstrate the harmful effects of stereotyping. They do not involve dressing up in demeaning outfits and taking pictures for social media.

 

[Allegra]

I can easily tell you how I would handle it. I would have said, “This is demeaning and I don’t want to participate in it. I think there are much more effective ways to learn about the effects of stereotyping without actually participating in it. We don’t teach our students the desired behavior by having them practice the undesired behavior.”

 

[Allegra]

I suspect that’s why they just got a slap on the wrist. They were probably directed to do this. They should have said “no”, so the sensitivity training is probably appropriate. This photo is out there now and will probably follow those teachers around for the rest of their career.

 

[Start]

taking pictures for social media.

That wasn’t part of the activity.

 

[Allegra]

That photo is clearly posed.

 

[ZMystiCat]

The activity was not to deliberately stereotype people but to pick a country and then to portray stereotypes that currently do exists for people of those countries.

So they aren’t stereotyping, they’re just…portraying stereotypes? Are you being serious right now?

It was posted on Facebook from a teacher that was part of the activity.

Link please!

It doesn’t make it worse because the the intent was to talk about the negative effects of stereotyping

Oh, I can only imagine what that conversation was like! “Hey! In order to understand how bad stereotyping is, let’s have fun stereotyping!” Really, if that were the intent, I’m baffled that no one raised their hand and said, “Maybe we shouldn’t stereotype in an exercise meant to show how bad it is!”

As it stands now, though, this is sounding like the equivalent of telling someone to masturbate to porn as an exercise to emphasize how bad porn is.

You don’t think talking about stereotypes for people from foreign countries and how it may affect those children in a school environment isn’t important?

No, I’m not. I’m saying that this was an absolutely horrible way to do this. It embraces the very thing that they’re trying to teach is wrong.

That’s not what I said. Go back and read what I said and try to comprehend it a bit better.

Honestly, the more I read, the more confused I get. You’re claiming that they weren’t trying to stereotype, but at the same time you’re saying that they were dressing up as stereotypes as a way of making a point. You’re also claiming that this was necessary to make that point all while ignoring that this goes against the point supposedly being made. Maybe consider that I’m having trouble comprehending because you aren’t being consistent.

It’s not worse at all.

Initially, I figured that this was just ignorant fun. Tell them why it is bad and move on.

Now you’ve presented a backstory that shows that they knew it was wrong but did it anyways. I shouldn’t have to explain why that is much worse than them being ignorant.