Xenophobia in the Polish history class room

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Apr 15, 10, 18:38 #1

My kids on occasion face this in history lessons.

With Katyn in the news for obvious reasons my 14 year-old daughter had to face pointed comments from the history teacher in class, which went as follows:

(Speaking to the whole class)
"Now listen to this [name of child], England did nothing to prevent or act on the atrocity in Katyn. Nothing."

I will have to go to school tomorrow to sort this teacher out, regardless of what my timorous, don't rock the boat wife says.

This is the treatment you get from a cruddy Polish teacher if one of your ancestors fought at Westerplatte but your father is a foreigner. Wstyd i hanba!

aphrodisiacThreads: 22 Posts: 3,998 Joined: Apr 15, 09 ♀	Apr 15, 10, 18:41 #2
good luck in sorting this out tomorrow. She was out of place with that remark.

jonniThreads: 26 Posts: 4,181 Joined: Nov 27, 07 ♂	Apr 15, 10, 18:45 #3
That's surely grounds for the teacher to be fired.

z_dariusThreads: 22 Posts: 5,091 Joined: Oct 18, 07 ♂	Apr 15, 10, 19:02 #4
Varsovian: "Now listen to this [name of child], England did nothing to prevent or act on the atrocity in Katyn. Nothing." I'd say you have a sure legal case here. Absolutely unacceptable on the part of the (so called) teacher.

SokratesThreads: 19 Posts: 4,464 Joined: Jan 19, 09 ♂ [Suspended]	Apr 15, 10, 19:10 #5
She's correct so whats the issue?

BzibziohThreads: 6 Posts: 3,657 Joined: Oct 15, 08 ♀ [Suspended]	Apr 15, 10, 19:14 #6
Sokrates: She's correct so whats the issue? That England was in no position to prevent it. Not their business to deal with aftermath either. It's strictly between Russia and Poland.

z_dariusThreads: 22 Posts: 5,091 Joined: Oct 18, 07 ♂	Apr 15, 10, 19:16 #7
Sokrates: She's correct so whats the issue? It's also correct that you did nothing to prevent Katyn.

SokratesThreads: 19 Posts: 4,464 Joined: Jan 19, 09 ♂ [Suspended]	Apr 15, 10, 19:17 #8
Bzibzioh: That England was in no position to prevent it. Not their business to deal with aftermath either. It's strictly between Russia and Poland. Maybe but still the teacher was factually correct, UK did nothing to prevent it so why the outrage?

StuThreads: 27 Posts: 1,109 Joined: Mar 31, 10 ♂	Apr 15, 10, 19:22 #9
Sokrates: UK did nothing to prevent it Neither did the rest of the world ... . So the rest of the world is guilty as well ... ? Well, that's one way of looking at history. Poland did nothing to prevent it either, did she ... :S? It happened and we learned about it later.

TorqThreads: 65 Posts: 4,024 Joined: Apr 10, 09 MEMBER ♂	Edited by: Torq Apr 15, 10, 19:26 #10
Sokrates: why the outrage? Probably because the teacher said... Varsovian: "Now listen to this [name of child], England did nothing to prevent or act on the atrocity in Katyn. Nothing." ...addressing directly the child whose father is English, as if it was his/her fault. Pure idiocy... Varsovian: Wstyd i hanba! It is embarassing indeed.

SokratesThreads: 19 Posts: 4,464 Joined: Jan 19, 09 ♂ [Suspended]	Apr 15, 10, 19:30 #11
Torq: ...addressing directly the child whose father is English, like it was his/her fault. Ah if so then its messed up. Varsovian: This is the treatment you get from a cruddy Polish teacher if one of your ancestors fought at Westerplatte but your father is a foreigner. Wstyd i hanba! Yeah i love to take credit for my ancestors too!

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07 ♂	Apr 15, 10, 19:32 #12
A bit like the Holocaust. Nobody in their right mind would want innocent people to die. That's just not right and fingers should not be pointed for non-intervention. That can jeopardise international relations in the long term.

szkotja2007Threads: 38 Posts: 2,544 Joined: Dec 29, 06 ♂	Apr 15, 10, 19:39 #13
The child was singled out - thats wrong.

aphrodisiacThreads: 22 Posts: 3,998 Joined: Apr 15, 09 ♀	Apr 15, 10, 19:40 #14
szkotja2007: The child was singled out - thats wrong. agree, besides, I am not sure if the child should be exposed to the personal views of that teacher at this point.

1jolaThreads: 33 Posts: 2,737 Joined: Sep 23, 08 ♂	Edited by: 1jola Apr 15, 10, 20:05 #15
Hysteria. Did the kid come to you or is this the result of your interogation? All the more reason for young people to study history, not only at school. Help her write a good paper on the subject and she will gain knowledge and respect.

TheOtherThreads: 5 Posts: 1,584 Joined: Jul 13, 09 ♂	Apr 15, 10, 20:10 #16
1jola: Hysteria. Did the kid come to you or is this the result of your interogation? I wouldn't call that hysteria. If the kid was somewhat exposed by the teacher in front of the class, then there's a good chance that the child will be subject to bullying later on.

aphrodisiacThreads: 22 Posts: 3,998 Joined: Apr 15, 09 ♀	Apr 15, 10, 20:12 #17
TheOther: then there's a good chance that the child will be subject to bullying later on. as far as I am concerned, the teacher made an attempt at bullying the child.

TheOtherThreads: 5 Posts: 1,584 Joined: Jul 13, 09 ♂	Apr 15, 10, 20:15 #18
aphrodisiac: as far as I am concerned, the teacher made an attempt at bullying the child. Yep, I agree.

1jolaThreads: 33 Posts: 2,737 Joined: Sep 23, 08 ♂	Apr 15, 10, 20:17 #19
You two would be great for a hanging jury detail.

TheOtherThreads: 5 Posts: 1,584 Joined: Jul 13, 09 ♂	Apr 15, 10, 20:17 #20
1jola: You two would be great for a hanging jury detail. Shoot first, ask later... :)

1jolaThreads: 33 Posts: 2,737 Joined: Sep 23, 08 ♂	Apr 15, 10, 20:19 #21
You could also join ACLU. :)

SokratesThreads: 19 Posts: 4,464 Joined: Jan 19, 09 ♂ [Suspended]	Edited by: Sokrates Apr 15, 10, 20:20 #22
1jola: All the more reason for young people to study history, not only at school. Help her write a good paper on the subject and she will gain knowledge and respect. Those whiny bytches prefer to paint a big bad Pole picture, why would he want a smart way out when he can Varsovian: sort this teacher out Anyway the kid deserved it, if she's British she's bound to have horse teeth.

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07 ♂	Apr 15, 10, 20:26 #23
Horse teeth? Are you a horse breeder or sth? ;) There is no call for xenophobia and such people should face stern discipline.

SokratesThreads: 19 Posts: 4,464 Joined: Jan 19, 09 ♂ [Suspended]	Apr 15, 10, 20:32 #24
Seanus: There is no call for xenophobia and such people should face stern discipline. Hell no! If you've got british roots you're an evil bastard who's probably a nazi racist extremist fanatic pedophile serial killer waiting to happen, the teacher showed incredible restraint, i'd put the kid down there and then as an example and warning.

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Apr 15, 10, 20:36 #25

Wow, that's a bit of a generalisation there, Sok. Incredible restraint, what? Sok, you guys just can't get over yourselves and all my good Polish friends agree. Are you even aware that this is the 21st century?

You always talk about the Poles having this and that capability but Stalin easily captured those men and did away with them. Payback for the starvation and horrible conditions they inflicted on Russians in 1920 according to Stalin.

richasisThreads: 5 Posts: 833 Joined: Jul 25, 09 ♂	Apr 15, 10, 20:36 #26
1jola: All the more reason for young people to study history, not only at school. Amen.

SokratesThreads: 19 Posts: 4,464 Joined: Jan 19, 09 ♂ [Suspended]	Apr 15, 10, 20:38 #27
richasis: Wow, that's a bit of a generalisation there, Hell no, everyone who's not polish is evil. Seanus: Are you even aware that this is the 21st century? Ok while this is fun, you're aware i'm not remotely serious right?

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07 ♂	Apr 15, 10, 20:40 #28
Well, I guessed as much but you can never be sure these days. I don't know anyone that is polish, we are human beings and not a substance ;) ;) As for xenophobia, plenty of morons are willing to point the finger without first looking inwards at themselves.

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Apr 15, 10, 20:46 #29

Thanks for the comments - very supportive (sometimes funny!)

The thing is, as a foreign adult you're bound to get some stick for it - it's in people's nature - and you should be able to stick up for yourself more or less. As a kid in class you stand no chance unless you're a real loudmouth lout with zero respect for the teacher.

(... and her teeth are very nice, whoever that was who so politely inquired)

My only problem is getting exactly the right tone in Polish. As an ex-schoolteacher myself, I think something along the lines of ... unprofessionalism ... encouraging xenophobia ... should do the trick.

No wife to bouce ideas off at the mo - stuck in a very long line outside a public building in Warsaw, if you get my meaning. The Polish teacher at school gained entry at 6 a.m. this morning, after 13 hours.

I was happy to cook the dinner instead.

szkotja2007Threads: 38 Posts: 2,544 Joined: Dec 29, 06 ♂	Apr 15, 10, 20:48 #30
aphrodisiac: bullying the child. leads to....... Sokrates: she's bound to have horse teeth but dont worry because.... Sokrates: you're aware i'm not remotely serious right? yeah, just fun to a 14 year old aint it ?

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