Was This Headmaster Racist?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2318498/Headteacher-Tim-Luckcock-faces-calls-resign-Facebook-picture-shows-turban-caption-Nearly-gone-native-Leicester.html

Is this an example of what I posted last week "It has also been said that Political Correctness makes racism worst not better"?

/// Dr Luckcock, a father of two, said last night: ‘The picture was taken at a school Divali celebration more than a year ago. ///

/// ‘Most members of staff were wearing similar headgear or Indian clothes. ///

/// ‘I put the picture on Facebook when I thought my privacy settings were at “friends only”. ///

This headmaster was not being racist only in the eyes of the PC brigade.

[Bbbananas]

No

[jim360]

I find it surprising that the Headmaster is insistent that "most members of staff where wearing similar headgear", but that it is those (presumably) same staff who are calling for him to be sacked. Someone is lying here.

No, he wasn't being racist -- but perhaps a bit silly. Made a mistake I think with the caption to his photo, too. "Gone native" by wearing the turban.

[Sharingan]

I think it's ill advised and pretty stupid but I don't think it's racist. He does however need to learn something very basic- if you do something stupid it will eventually come back and bite you on the backside, I think that is one of the first rules of leadership, so be more careful and sensitive to other people's sensibilities if you are a headmaster.

[Kevink]

I don't think it's the wearing of the turban that offended, but the caption, ‘Nearly gone native in Leicester.’

Not racist perhaps, but definitely not in keeping with the behaviour you might expect from a headmaster.

"This headmaster was not being racist only in the eyes of the PC brigade."
Ah, it's good to know that you are the final arbiter.

[zebo]

Had he been wearing a feathered head-dress, carrying a tomahawk and wearing moccasins, would we even be having this discussion?

[anneasquith]

id say his biggest mistake is 'being on facebook '.. racist no.

[anotheoldgit]

triggerhippy

/// We can confirm that trade unions have raised collective grievances against the head teacher and the governing body. ///

/// I wonder what the other grievances are? ///

I don't think there are more it is simply saying 'collective' grievances meaning both the headmaster and the governing body.

I would presume that the headmaster is a member of the union, so I thought that it was their duty to defend their members?

That's unions for you.

[andy-hughes]

AOG - the head teacher will not be a member of the same union as the teaching staff in the school. they will probably be NUT members, he will probably be a member of the NASUWT - so it is appropriate that the NUT represent their members' grievences, and the NASUWT defends their member against them. THAT is unions for you.

[andy-hughes]

AOG - with regard to your original question - was this headmaster racist?

I would say no, but he should certainly hold up his hands to the twin arguments that he was foolish in behaving in this way, and lacked judgement in placing it on a social media site.

[youngmafbog]

No he is not racist and the Union shold butt out.

Smacks of a witch-hunt by the teachers. I wonder if I can guess their political allegiance?

[andy-hughes]

youngmafbog - "No he is not racist and the Union shold butt out."

The Union only become involved if their are approached by one of their members. You need to butt in before you can butt out - so that's a bit tricky for any Union, wouldn't you agree?