Racism has real life consequences

This open letter to Annabel Crabb was written by Su Dharmapala in response to an episode of Kitchen Cabinet.

Su said "I would really appreciate it if you amplify this message so that I can have some kind of dialogue with Annabel"

I asked Su if I could share her letter here so that it might reach people who don't use X (formerly Twitter) or Facebook.

Su kindly agreed.

...

Dear Annabel, I know you probably get thousands of emails on any given day. Some, full of hate and abuse, and probably others that are nice and complimentary. This will be neither. You need to know that this is the first time I have ever been tempted to reach out to a journalist to express my deep horror about anything. And your commentary that Peter Dutton has 'muscular' politics that is affronting to people has truly driven me to a state of despair- both as a woman of colour and as a mother of son who has been on the receiving end of racism in this country. Just for clarity - my name is Su Dharmapala and I am both an author and a start-up founder. I came to Australia on 21 November in 1989 at the age of 15 with my family from Singapore. I am ethnic Singahalese but was born and raised between Singapore and Sri Lanka before I immigrated to Australia. I was in Sri Lanka during the 1983 Black July riots and I have seen first hand what inter racial violence can lead to.

There is nothing 'muscular' about racism. It does not just cause affront - it kills people. The violence is both psychological and physical. In many ways I would prefer physical violence to the hatred that drips in your mind and makes you hate the skin you were born in - because there is really nothing you can do about it. My experience of racism in this country is long. From my first day of high school to the day I was a young graduate working at Coles Myer and was accused of 'coming in and speaking better English and 'stealing' jobs'. FYI - I was racially abused in my work place a day after Pauline Hanson's maiden speech. Then there is subtle racism - when people who have trained and mentored at work get promotions ahead of you when you are three times as capable. The not so subtle daily microaggressions and need to hide yourself to fit in. There have been two times, Annabel, when I have seriously questioned my citizenship in this country. The first was when I was about 5 months pregnant with my son and I had gone out for my daily walk around Vermont - a suburb I have lived in for nearly 30 years. It was a coolish evening in late spring and I had a beanie on that was stripped and colourful. I felt safe to amble gently through the streets - my belly making all to clear that I was about to become a mother.

Only two blokes in a ute decided to follow me - up and down Mitcham road. On the first pass - they made eye contact and jeered - calling me a black bitch. I ignored them. On the second pass they threw apple cores at me. I was terrified now. I could not run. I was pregnant. On the third pass - they screamed at me to go back to where I came from. I was genuinely terrified for my life and that of my unborn child. I peed in my pants. I went home and sobbed in the shower. I wanted to leave Australia. What kind of country was I about to bring my child into? Would he be safe? Just for your information - that incident happened on 8 October 2007. A day after Kevin Andrews said that African Immigrants did not integrate into Australia. The second instance was in 2021 - and the trauma is still too brutal to talk about. It was a workplace incident. Annabel - racism is neither brutal nor affronting. It has real lived consequences. It impacts kids in the school ground and it impacts people. I would love to schedule some time with you to help you understand what it means to immigrants like myself who have to live with the nastiness that Peter Dutton enables every day. You have my email address.

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Su's original post and the responses can be accessed:

https://twitter.com/SuDharmapala/status/1691240888541097985

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A couple of personal comments:

We need to call out racism everywhere, and particularly when it's gifted a platform on the national broadcaster.

Our families, friends and communities are endangered when intolerance and "muscular" brutality is amplified, normalised and sanitised.

As a result, racists feel empowered, especially when the damage and danger it encourages and unleashes is minimised or ignored, in the name of balance.

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Democracy In Colour offers a range of bespoke workshops for organisations and as interventions in key moments in society – such as bystander intervention trainings, anti racism at work and more.

https://democracyincolour.org/

https://twitter.com/democracycolour?lang=en

Strong women as role models.

Below is a 3 minute film about Alex Nissen, a woman I worked with a few years ago.  It was the first time I'd worked with a group of strong, socially active, vocal women (and one wonderful man) and it was an eye-opener. 

In the world I was raised in, in the 50's and 60's, women weren't argumentative, didn't challenge the system, and didn't speak out openly about inequity or injustice. They certainly did good works, cared for the sick, disadvantaged and elderly and made new migrants welcome, but it was a quiet, more submissive, deferring to authority kind of goodness. And there was no way they'd challenge injustices in society.

The professionals I was now working with, in particular Alex and Deborah, with minds strong as steel traps, confronted and challenged statements and opinions respectfully and honestly. There was no psychological game playing, no power plays or one-up-manship, which was extremely refreshing in comparison to other areas of my work life. 

At first I found it confronting  to watch and listen to people challenging each other, criticising, objecting, disagreeing. In the world I'd grown up and worked in, anger and associated emotions were hidden, denied, something to be ashamed of and they certainly weren't expressed cleanly or openly by either men or women. Expressions of anger and disagreement were met with disapproval, the cold shoulder and sulking. Conflict of any sort was studiously avoided. 

I'd never imagined a world like this - strong, vocal, assertive, secure women, speaking knowledgeably and confidently and it was like a breath of fresh air and I soaked it up, looking forward to spending time with the feisty group each week. 

By their choices and actions, Alex and Deborah showed not just me, but those with whom they came in contact with, that it's possible to live by deeply held values on a day to day basis. It might not be easy, it might not always be enjoyable but it's empowering.

One side of Alex which isn't highlighted in the video is her wonderful, warm, quirky sense of humour. 

One day, after yet again being unable to remember the complex (some people might disagree!) infuriating passcode on the security door, Alex smiled cheekily, took me by the hand, led me to the door and made up a little story and song about the number sequence. 

She had me in tears of (possibly quite loud) laughter as she bounced my fingers over the correct sequence time and time again singing the jaunty song until the numbers stuck! I'm sure passers by were bemused at the sight of two grown women singing at a security pad, but Alex made the lesson fun, and I remembered! What a skill!

Watching the video of Alex reminded me yet again of the importance and power of reflecting on values, clarifying them for you as an individual, then making daily choices which support them. 

And to that end when faced with a decision which needs to be made, you can ask yourself: 

Will this decision support my values or those of someone else?

Is this taking me closer to what I value or not?

and

Are the choices I'm making today leading me to where I want to be tomorrow?

What are the downsides of a QANTAS stopover in Dubai, UAE?

(Trigger warning - rape)
Safety signs are everywhere, at theatres where strobe lights are being used, at amusement parks, where some rides are unsafe for people below a certain height, at playgrounds and in shopping centres. They're bright, obvious and sometimes seem a bit over the top with stating the obvious:

But what they all have in common is the perceived need to keep the public safe ... and possibly the venue from being sued!

Some are clearly designed to inform the travelling public of potentially dangerous local conditions, and are very welcome for those not used to such things as wandering bears in camping grounds:

However, when it comes to overseas travel, information about dangers aren't always as well publicised or easily accessible. A vague, generalised comment might appear on the home page of an airline website about potential difficulties when travelling to specific countries, and even the "Summary" about a country in the government travel website might not mention some important information.

Recently, QANTAS airlines has partnered with Emirates, and all flights to the UK now pass through Dubai. It's being presented not only by the airlines, but by travel agents in Australia, as a wonderful place to break your long journey by a few days or more.

Easily accessible QANTAS information about Local Culture in Dubai includes:

Respect: Travellers to Dubai should always remember to respect local laws and traditions. Alcohol is only served at licensed establishments and people should dress and behave with modesty during their stay.

There is no link to further information such as: http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/?topic=United_Arab_Emirates where we see the following:

Exercise a high degree of caution
This alerts the traveller to read further.

Given the extremely restrictive laws and harsh penalties for many things perfectly acceptable in Australia, wouldn't it be responsible for both QANTAS and Emirates to direct passengers reliable and comprehensive information so that they don't end up in jail where the Australian Government will have little ability to assist?

What the brochures don't tell you:

Alcohol is served in bars and clubs at most major hotels but may only be consumed by hotel guests. Residents are not allowed to drink in hotels unless they hold a liquor licence. The legal age for alcohol consumption by licence holders in the UAE is 18 years of age, though a Ministry of Tourism by-law requires hotels to serve alcohol only to those over 21 years. Drinking in public or being intoxicated in a public place is illegal and offenders may be arrested. Foreigners have also been arrested on arrival in the UAE after becoming intoxicated on incoming aircraft or while in transit. 

Imagine that you and your friends are staying in different hotels and that you've had a few drinks together. It's not unheard of for a group of Aussies to have a few too many drinks before finding a taxi back to their own hotel! Given the lack of information on the QANTAS website they'd be unaware that:

Visitors to the UAE should also be aware of incidents arising from the use of taxis where passengers are intoxicated. Any dispute with the driver may result in the passengers being taken directly to the police station and charged with public intoxication.

No doubt QANTAS was aware of these laws before encouraging Australians (who are known to enjoy a drink) to visit. What were they thinking?

Would any Australian reading the extremely superficial cultural information on the QANTAS website realise that if they do happen to be arrested for being drunk that:

If you are arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you but we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail. Any custodial sentences will be served in local jails. (smarttraveller.gov.au)

We're used to being warned about potential dangers, and safety reminders are often welcome. Here is a very real danger, yet the warning about the possibility of a jail sentence after having a night on the town while on holiday is not obvious.

But it's not just the danger of having a few drinks too many, are you aware that:

Medications available over the counter or by prescription in Australia may be illegal in the UAE.

If you're travelling to the UAE, do you know where to go to find which medications are deemed illegal? Can your travel agent direct you to the information?

The crime of being the victim of rape
Did you also know that if you're unfortunate enough to be raped in the United Arab Emirates that you should not report the crime to the authorities?

Did you also know that if you're raped by one, or a multitude of men, that if you're injured and need medical attention, that you shouldn't seek medical assistance until you've first contacted your Embassy?

Did you also know that if you're employed by some companies in the United Arab Emirates and are raped, that it's best not to tell them or you could end up with the additional stress of being fired.

Unfortunately these and other horror stories aren't isolated examples. Yet this is the country that QANTAS is now funnelling unwary Australian tourists through on their way to the UK and in which travel agents are encouraging stopovers.

Helpful information about the potential danger of travel to the UAE is tucked away in the Australian government travel website www.smarttraveller.gov.au, rarely read beyond a cursory glance by the novice traveller because, understandably, being jailed for being raped is a possibility that hasn't been considered. A victim of rape would naively assume that seeking medical help would be safe and they certainly wouldn't think that if they'd been violently abused, that seeking necessary medical attention would result in being charged with "having sex outside marriage" and ending up being held in custody, with your passport confiscated and not allowed to make a phone call for assistance.

Being jailed for being raped has been reported about at least two young women, one an Australian who was jailed for 8 months for the "crime", the other a young Norwegian who will be in jail for 16 months on charges including being raped.

The UAE with its vastly different expectations of behaviour and brutal attitudes towards women and sexuality, is "set to be one of the hottest destinations from Australia in 2013" (QANTAS website)  where even our Embassy may be unable to assist if you're the victim of rape and have been charged with that "crime".

Victims of sexual assault: It is possible that victims of sexual assault may be charged by UAE authorities for engaging in sex outside of marriage and be dealt with according to the criminal law. There have been cases in the UAE where sexual assault victims have been imprisoned after reporting an incident to local police or upon seeking medical assistance. Sexual assault victims should contact the Australian Embassy in Abu Dhabi or Consulate-General in Dubai, or the Consular Emergency Centre in Canberra, as quickly as possible to obtain relevant information on these issues and guidance on what support services may be available. Consular officers cannot provide legal or medical advice but can provide lists of English-speaking service providers who may be able to assist you in this process. Contact details are listed under Where to get help.

Note the use of the word "may" - it's not clear that there are support services or that they will be able to assist. 

All women, but particularly young, unmarried women need to be extremely careful when travelling in the UAE - even if it's just a stopover. Drink spiking happens - you will be blamed if you're the victim of sexual abuse and could well end up in jail. Is it worth it?

Good one QANTAS - more young women will now be exposed to this vile attitude towards women and rape and a culture which appears to condone the abuse and jails the victim. A culture where women are less than second class citizens. I have the horrible feeling that these two publicised cases aren't going to be the last.

Thinking about ethics as I often do, I'd be uncomfortable promoting Dubai as a stopover for men or women without encouraging them to read the extended DFAT website thoroughly. It's relatively easy to search for information about being drunk (a crime), holding hands (a crime) and even the crime of looking at local women (another crime), (here) but it's not on the QANTAS website and there is no link or even the hint that you need to understand local customs in far more detail than one would normally expect. The issue of rape is not surprisingly, avoided or ignored expect on the DFAT website.

Jewish Australians 
If you're a Jewish Australian, forget it, it's possible you may not be allowed to leave the airport, although that's unclear (here) - which could be a blessing in disguise! It's certainly not clear from information provided by QANTAS. Good one QANTAS for supporting discrimination. But what happens if lots of aircraft are grounded and airport hotels are full? Where do our Jewish friends go? If they're not allowed to leave the airport - will they be forced to sleep on the floor in the transit lounge?

Do travel agents remember to ask all travellers? Do they remind travellers to get a new passport if they've travelled to Israel? Do they give clear information about who to contact and NOT to contact in the case of emergencies and why this is vital? Can they direct travellers to information about local laws?

GLBT and defacto couples
Not only will there be a clash of cultures with attitudes towards drinking and holding hands in public, but sex outside marriage is illegal and you may be asked to prove that you're married. I wonder how many Australian couples are made aware of this before travelling? What does QANTAS suggest they do?

Homosexual acts and sex outside of marriage: Homosexual acts and all kinds of sex outside of marriage are illegal and may lead to severe punishment, including imprisonment and fines. Foreigners have been imprisoned for having sex with people to whom they are not legally married. De facto relationships and civil unions are not recognised in the UAE and any sexual acts within these relationships are considered to be sex outside of marriage. It is also against the law in the UAE to live together or share the same hotel room with someone of the opposite sex to whom you are not married or closely related. If checking into a hotel as a couple, you may be asked by management to prove that you are legally married. These laws apply equally to UAE residents as well as visitors.

QANTAS, I won't be staying in Dubai, and I'll discourage everyone I know - I refuse to support a country which openly condones violence towards women and blatant discrimination towards fellow Australians. You haven't provided clear information or obvious links to smarttravellergov.au and appear not to have thought through the implications of your partnership with Emirates, not only on your own staff, but on Australian tourists.

Tourists could understandable be forgiven for assuming that if Australia's trusted airline QANTAS and their travel agents are encouraging a visit to the UAE, that the country is relatively safe. Given the warnings on the Australian Government travel website, that is a questionable assumption.

Travellers need much more than a superficial "be careful, they have different laws there". That is such a vague statement as to be meaningless for the unwary, inexperienced traveller who knows nothing about Sharia law. The sign at the start of this post about bears is more helpful. It's clear the situation and danger is taken seriously and the traveller is appropriately warned about the danger which could be experienced. You are able to make an informed decision before staying.

Lift your game QANTAS and Emirates and give the travelling public adequate information about the "hottest destination for 2013" so they can make a fully informed decision about whether they choose to visit or not.

Racism
For anyone who wants to use this a platform for racism think very carefully about blanket assumptions about any group which has repressive attitudes towards alcohol, women and sexuality. Right wing, fundamentalist men in many religions including Christianity and Judaism as well as Islam have more similarities than differences in this regard.

So called christian men in the US and Australia profess very similar brutal attitudes towards women and are keen to impose repressive, backwards ideas onto the rest of us. Some make laws about what women can and cannot do regarding pregnancy, others are determined to impose their creationist views and disregard for science onto schools. In Australia, men have used their position as priests to sexually abuse children and have systematically, knowingly and deliberately covered up the crimes.

All countries have their share of both progressive and fundamentalist groups - thankfully, so far in Australia they haven't managed to gain as much power as those who make the laws in the UAE.

Let's keep it that way.

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https://www.facebook.com/smartraveller.gov.au

http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/United_Arab_Emirates

http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/flights-dubai/global/en#local-culture

http://travelinsider.qantas.com.au/a_date_with_dubai_travel_city_guide.htm

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/dont-kiss-dont-swear-rules-of-a-dubai-stopover-20130326-2grsc.html

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/get-to-grips-only-with-rules-on-dubai-transit-20130323-2gmef.html

http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-advisor/qantas-answers-questions-on-emirates-deal/story-e6frfqfr-1226609581728

http://www.jewishnews.net.au/qantas-no-need-to-fly-via-dubai/27830

 

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Would you give your car keys to a stranger?

I was at a barbeque just before Christmas when the conversation got around to phone scams and how each of us manage the calls.

You know the calls I'm referring to. The phone rings and you're greeted by someone with a heavy accent, and it goes along the lines of "Are you (insert name here) of (insert phone number here)?" They may even mention your suburb.

If you've distracted and aren't really paying attention, you might thoughtlessly confirm the details.

The standard spiel continues along the following lines: "I'm calling on behalf of Microsoft to let you know there's been a serious issue reported with your windows programme.  I'm from X company and need to perform an immediate mainteance check to ensure the problem doesn't happen again."

They're full of tech talk and use words designed to bewilder and confuse the average computer user, but most of all they're working hard to make you worried that all is not well with your computer, and are insistent that this needs to be fixed NOW! The caller is insistent, persuasive and convincing.  They use phrases like "corrupt files", "viruses" and "error code".

They create a sense of panic.

Reports of this particular scam have come in from London to Brisbane, New York to Christchurch and most places in-between. Far too many people have been caught on the hop; the figures are sketchy due to many people being too embarrassed to report the theft once they realise they've been taken in by scammers.

from "The Little Black Book of Scams" - Australian Competition & Consumer Commission

They've been gullible, trusting or naive or maybe ill, elderly or confused and followed the instructions thus enabling the scammer to instal viruses and spyware on their computers. The scammers could be using payphones or disposable cell phones, so they're well nigh impossible to catch even if you get a number and report them.  The victim may have paid for 'Life Time Support' by PayPal, credit card, or given bank details, thus enabling accounts to be emptied as they sit and watch.

Each of us sitting round the table had had up to 10 calls a week over a period of a couple of weeks - the calls stop for a while, then start up again. The calls are invasive, irritating and time consuming.

They've been known to leave some people feeling that their privacy has been invaded, and if the scammer has become abusive, people can be left feeling insecure and rattled.  This is the reaction of people who haven't succumbed to the scam.  If you had lost money and thought the scammer could appear at your front door, you'd be sick with fear and apprehension.

The conversation got around to musing if there could be some sort of a link between anger towards Indian students in Melbourne and other Australian cities, and anger about the scam. Could someone with a short fuse, who has perhaps been "got" or who knows someone who has lost money and peace of mind, react physically? Might some people target an unsuspecting student who appears to be of the same ethnicity as the scammer? We have no idea, but it's possible.

We put our heads together to try and come up with some different ways to use the experience as a chance to do something worthwhile. Amongst other things, we decided we wanted to express our concern to the scammer about the possible repercussions to foreign students in Australia as a direct result of their scam.

Being rude - nope.

Appeal to the scammers better nature - no.

"I'm recording you" - a recording could be used as an instructional tape so people know what to listen for. Could be useful.

Putting the phone of speaker so your children can listen - discuss how language can be used to persuade - good!

Tell the caller you're expecting a call from their Embassy to discuss scams. Could work.

Ask them if they believe in Karma - remind them of the repercussions of their actions. Seems to work.

Most recently though, I've decided simply to say "This scam has a direct impact on students living in Australia. Your action makes them unsafe and encourages racism." This seems to work although it needs to be refined so the word scam comes later - strangely they usually hang up when they hear the word scam. I'm probably tempting fate here, but since using that one, the calls have tapered off significantly.

If you have been caught off guard and given the scammer access to your computer: Disconnect immediately, phone your bank to alert them to what's happened and cancel your credit card, and as your bank statements come in, check them carefully. Contact a reputable company, (trusted friends and neighbours are a good source of information) let them know what's happened and they'll remove any malware that's been installed.

How do you manage scammers? Do you hang up immediately, are you rude, do you play along for entertainment value or have you devised a wonderfully creative response?

More information on scams:

• The Microsoft scam page information is here
• Information on how to recognise different kinds of scams is here
• An A-Z of fraud is here
• A Police warning about the above scam is here
• The Little Black Book of Scams can be downloaded for free from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission here
• ... and I'm sure there are many, many more links and that this is just the tip of a massive scammy iceberg.

The title of this piece came from a forum where someone asked "Would you give your car keys to a stranger? That's the equivalent of what you're doing if you allow a stranger access to your computer."

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I: International Students (and others). Bullying.

International Students (and others) are vulnerable to bullying in a number of areas. In general they have little idea of the expectations, laws, responsibilities and rights they can expect in their host country when they seek part time work to support themselves.

Employment conditions in the new country may include a minimum wage, paid annual leave for full time or part time employees, carer's leave, parental leave, freedom to join an industrial union or the right not to be sacked unlawfully. If you don't know about this, your rights at work could be abused by a predatory employer.

Unfortunately, some employers are unscrupulous and prey on new arrivals, convincing them that conditions are the same or worse than in their homeland.

Misunderstandings can also lead to a perception of being bullied when the dominant culture is not understood or doesn't live up to the myth. For example, Australians have a reputation for being extremely laid back, but has one of the highest populations in the world working more than 50 hours per week. Many international students are surprised that reality doesn't fit the myth.

Prior to the global financial crisis, 38% of Australians didn't take their annual leave compared to 13% of Germans. I suspect that figure has increased over the last year or so with more people feeling insecure in their jobs due to the overall economic downturn. People who are unable to change jobs easily are also more vulnerable to being bullied.

Employers may often observe other religious holidays through negotiation, but new arrivals are sometimes not aware that this needs to be discussed prior to an event, and not just take the day/s off. New arrivals have reported they believe they are being bullied when they have their pay docked for taking time off without negotiation.

Unscrupulous employers may also encourage students to accept cash payments - this doesn't go down well with the Taxation Department and may result in being paid less than the award wage. This is a form of abuse.

Some jobs are advertised on a regular basis. Beware! There is a reason for this which may have to do with either appalling conditions or a bullying boss.

There have been instances of newly arrived female students being targeted by men from their homeland. Some wait at the airports for incoming flights at the start of semester, meeting the girls as they disembark. Pleased to be met by a "friendly" person from their homeland who offers to help them negotiate the new country they may become victims of serial abuse and bullying...

Interviews: There are some vile brutes (men and women) who delight in belittling interviewees. They are scornful of the application, make degrading, intrusive and offensive comments and are proud to 'toughen them up for the real world'. These serial bullies have a new target in each interview, and do untold damage particularly to young people who go into the interview bright eyed and bushy tailed only to emerge crushed beyond belief.

One brute phoned the candidate after the interview to discuss how she could have improved her performance in the interview. He then proceeded to criticise her clothing in none too complimentary ways. The young lady wore a tailored outfit which wasn't a designer brand - she was a student after all!  There was no discussion of her suitability for the job, or her competence in answering his questions.

International students may have a lot of pressures on them from home. They're in a foreign country and many are expected to receive an education to enable them to get a 'good' job that will support their family when they return. Unfortunately the employers who prey on students can undermine not only their studies but their confidence which can have a negative impact both in the host country and on their return.

Here tomorrow: Journal


Click here to find out how to do a hyperlink signature


There are many outstanding resources on line. A couple I find useful are Bullying. No way! an Australian resource for teachers and students, and a UK site Bully On Line. This is in no way an exhaustive list, and each country will no doubt have equally good or more relevant websites. If you're being bullied please seek advice from a professional health care practitioner experienced in this area.

Over at jumpingaground I'm spending the month Drabbling using alliteration, mostly with a climate related theme.
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Racism, intolerance and prejudice?

Ethical workplaces. Ethical co-workers. Ethical behaviour. Simple enough isn't it?

So many of the people I work with want to behave ethically and with integrity, and yet feel pressured into putting their own deeply held values aside when they enter their workplace.

This leads to extreme tension for many people, and impacts on their psychological, and often their physical health.

I was working with a University leturer recently who confessed that what he perceives as a lack of ethical behaviour at his university is making him seriously consider resigning from his prestigious post.

You see, in his university, English language standards for international students (who will remain in Australia on completion of their degree) are apparently being bypassed or ignored.

To be enrolled the students are supposed to have English language of a satisfactory standard to complete their course. They are expected to have sat, and passed, an exam to ensure they will understand lectures, course notes and reading lists. The English language exam is also meant to indicate their ability to be able to produce satisfactory written and oral work.

Where does this go wrong?

This lecturer has been accused to being racist for pointing out that if a student is unable to complete the requirements to the University standard, then the student should fail.

Sure we can and do teach requirements for the presentation of their reports complete with referencing and bibliographies. His university also offers bridging English courses for students who may need them. Fair enough, that’s how it should be.

But somewhere along the line some students are being passed who don’t have the required English skills to, for instance, write a report independently, read (and understand) Warning labels on bottles, or adequately understand mathematical questions. (This is naturally of great concern when some of these students will work in the medical field, and has a negative ripple-on effect in those workplaces).

This post isn’t about the rights or wrongs of the system per se, but about the effect of name calling, and being required to compromise your own standards. It’s about the effect of this on an individual employee. (I'll talk about the effect on the students in another post).

Simplistically it boils down to - pass the students, or have your hours reduced. And the effect is an uncomfortable dilemma. Do you pass students who aren't up to scratch, or fail them and not make your mortgage repayments?

Unfortunately this is all too common an occurrence. I regularly work with academics, teachers and administrative staff who are deeply distressed about having to compromise their values; to be pressured into passing students whose work is sub-standard.

Some leave, some stay and struggle on, disillusioned and unhappy. Being an onlooker, I do wish that someone; someone in a position of power would acknowledge the damage that is being caused, (not just to my clients, but to the students and their future employers) and have the courage to say “This is wrong. The buck stops here. I will address this issue.”

But I'm not holding my breath.




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