Breibart:
Toddlers who say "yuck" when given flavorful foreign food may be exhibiting racist behavior, a British government-sponsored organization says.
The London-based National Children's Bureau released a 366-page guide counseling adults on recognizing racist behavior in young children, The Telegraph reported Monday.
The guide, titled Young Children and Racial Justice, warns adults that babies must also be included in the effort to eliminate racism because they have the ability to "recognize different people in their lives."
The bureau says to be aware of children who "react negatively to a culinary tradition other than their own by saying "yuck."
"Racist incidents among children in early years settings tend to be around name-calling, casual thoughtless comments and peer group relationships," the guide says.
Staff members are advised not to ignore racist actions and to condemn them when they occur.
I can see it now: "Little Johnny, you have to eat your broccoli and not say "Yuck" not because it's good for you but because not eating it will show you are a racist 3 year old. Now clean your plate you little bigot."
The NCB has received some negative publicity about it's laudable effort to squelch food racism in the very young, and has reacted defensively to this.
Sally Whitaker, Deputy Chief Executive, NCB, said:
‘This book is brim full of important issues that professional early years workers need to be aware of and seek to address constructively. It is an excellent resource, which has been specially designed to help teachers and nursery leaders put racial equality into practice across their provision.
The book is being funded from book sales alone – and not from government funding or from any grants, as has been reported. The sales have been excellent so far which goes to show there is an acknowledged need for books like it. ’
Jane Lane, the author, who is not a member of NCB staff, but an advocate worker for racial equality in the early years sector, said:
‘Children are like sponges and the early years of their lives are critical for helping them learn to respect the opinions, differences, similarities and needs of others.’
Jane Lane gives a vigorous defense of rooting out racism in toddlers:
I know nearly everyone in the sector genuinely cares about children, but many institutional practices and procedures perpetuate racial barriers. In the absence of a strategy, addressing them remains ad hoc and depends on the commitment of individuals. I believe the main reason for these barriers is a lack of understanding.
This has led to a situation where important early years anti-racist practice is misunderstood by those responsible for implementing it. Without an understanding of racism, no one can put racial equality into practice. Without it, the very word often engenders apprehension, discomfort, guilt, and fear of using the apparently “wrong” term or being called a racist.
In my book I have tried to unpack racism and expose it for the evil that it is. Talking about it openly and honestly within an ethos of no-blame opens up ways to understand it better. We all have different backgrounds and experiences but together we can get rid of this blight on the lives of both black and white young children and on early years services and settings.
As Michelle Obama, wife of the US Democratic Presidential nominee, says: 'Real change comes from having enough comfort to be really honest and say something very uncomfortable.'
The story orginally appeared in th UK Telegraph. A comment left after the article:
"Well little Timmy, it appears you don't like Aloo Gobhi..... we'll just see about that!"
"Comrades! Seize the fascist child and put him to death!"
Seriously, PC has reached such heights (or are they lows?) that its purveyors would be caricatures of themselves if they were not - apparently - in such deadly earnest.
"Deadly earnest." What a perfect comment.
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