Korea: US school anti-discrimination policies

Korea Times

PJ: Watching the behavior of some adults, especially when watching political rallies such as those organized by the Tea Party, makes you appreciate how learning respect for one another must start at an early age.

US schools up the ante against discrimination
By Jane Han

NEW YORK ― Even a small careless comment, if directed at a particular race, can get students into big trouble now, as more schools in America are cracking down on racial discrimination at new levels.

Last week, New York City public schools launched a ``Respect For All’’ curriculum, which primarily promotes cultural diversity and prohibits students from bias-based harassment, intimidation and bullying.

Based on the rulebook, some of the banned behavior includes threatening, harassing, teasing, using derogatory language and physically assaulting another student because of their race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender and sexual orientation.

``Teaching our students to embrace diversity is essential to preventing hate among future generations,’’ said City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who added that a strengthened safety system will ensure students a safe learning environment.

Under the new initiative, students who’ve been a victim of one or more negative acts can report the incident to school authorities for immediate investigation. If the conduct violates the strict discipline code, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken, according to officials of the New York City Department of Education.

Korean parents welcomed the wide-ranging efforts against discrimination.

``You’d think that making fun of people’s skin color is a thing of the past,’’ said Eunice Rhee, a New York mother of one 10-year-old daughter, ``but it surprises me to hear some horrible things kids thoughtlessly say to each other. We need to root out discriminatory ideas from a young age.’’

Lim Hae-jung, teen counselor at a Korean community center, stressed that the new discipline codes must be strictly enforced for real change.

``We need school teachers and principals to really push these new rules and punish students who break them,’’ she said, adding that rules on paper won’t improve anything.

Racial discrimination in schools recently grabbed national attention and rekindled a call for fresh solutions after a high-profile incident in Philadelphia saw more than two dozen Asian American students get attacked by their black peers.

The Asian students, many of them recent immigrants, boycotted classes for eight days, saying school officials ignored their complaints.

After an official complaint was filed with the U.S. Justice Department, the Philadelphia School District signed a two-and-a-half year civil rights agreement in December to address anti-Asian immigrant violence by submitting an anti-harassment action plan and implementing policies to prevent harassment based on race, color and national origin.

Following the case, other states including New York, Missouri and Oklahoma took a more combative approach in addressing school bullying issues by introducing new policies.

``We've been giving it lip-service for a long time, but there is a ground swell of support to end it now. Until every child feels safe in school, no one is really secure and protected," said Dr. Roxanne Henkin, professor of interdisciplinary learning at The University of Texas at San Antonio.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2011/02/117_82160.html