MommaC

Oh for goodness sakes. This political correctness is getting out of hand now. Why take offence? Kids take it in the spirit it is meant so why do the parents need to get their knickers in a twist over everything.
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RobinH

MommaC; I hear you, but let's face it, these are a bit dodge. If my kid were awarded a "coconut" award (were I a black urban person) I would be most annoyed. The principal needs some lessions in basic good taste.
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Limpopoist

Seems to me that these Boonzaaier .is family a racist, here in randburg another racist Boonzaaier,then my prevous work. Boonzaaier a racist client , Engen Filling station at roodepoort Run by a racist Boonzaaier.....
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Makenzofela

I bet you these awards came from the scholars themselves to have fun... Parents can spoil the fun sometimes!!! Tlogela bana ba je joy sematla sa motswadi...
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MommaC

RobinH

We had a girl in our class who was voted 'Most likely to end up a prostiitute' and another who was voted 'Most needing of cosmetic surgery'. I was voted 'Most likely to end up in prison'. Its done by the kids and is a laugh, nobody took it seriously.
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RobinH

if they were concieved by the kids, it's a different story, but I very much doubt that this is the case. Anyway, we will have to differ on this one. Because you or I happened to be particularly resilient to gibes does not make them right. Today, 45 years on, I am still angry about having spent my schooldays (in an Afrikaans medium school) being called "daai Engelsman met lang hare" and my free time (in a very colonial English suburb) as "Afrikaner vrot banana" or "k*fferboetie" by those that saw me playing with my black playmates. It hurts.
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tpaz

Do not take away the fun in school....
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Stigga

Really now? whats so news worthy of this article?

we had awards like this when i was, and we nominated the awards and the winners.

lol this is just stupid
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MommaC

RobinH

They are done by the kids. That is why the headmaster doesn't know anything about them.

Kids are casually cruel little beasties at the best of times. You can't fester over it for the rest of your life. Guaranteed, you made some comments that bit someone else. Its all part of growing up.
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Ramatlhale1

Kids play around with these sort of titles everyday and the minute parents start to complain & brand it as inappropriate, disrespectful & harmful to the kid's self esteem it will then be perceived as such to the kids.....then it really becomes hurtful. Sometimes we parents take a bit too far, kids should be left alone to be kids.....we should only come to the party only when called upon or if you see negative changes in your child's development.
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candilious

@MommaC-Hi there i agree

@RobinH- Hi there i dont see anything wrong here in our life time all of us were teased or was the teasers its being a child. The mother here point blank is only seeking publicity


Next thing you know the Movie itself willbe said to be racists because the name is The Rise of the Black Knight......people shouldreally goolge their ora stroes
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OLDLADY4

The most interesting part of this article is that "coconut" is a derogatory term. I hope bloggers take note. The ones who are usually so quick to complain about certain comparisons are the ones who so often use the word "coconut."
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Tabza325is

"The unnamed parent said that the Stellies Star award categories at Stellenberg High School, in Bellville, were offensive to her and her child."

It's every parent's right to question information or culture tought to thier child at school since they spent most of thier time there, if this parent finds such awards offensive based on the morals or what ever culture they are trying to instil in thier children then....
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OLDLADY4

Tabza325is, we live in a society where there can be 50 different cultures in a school. At some time one group's cultures or practices are going to be offensive to another group. Which group does the school satisfy? Or would it be better to have certain schools for certain cultures only, so no one steps on someone else's toes?
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Tabza325is

@OLDLADY4, so you are saying this should be forced and that as a parent one can't monitor and try to control what's been learned from school or what influence is instilled on thier child, already certain cultures are promoted in public schools, one religion is given preference over others in schools, you as a parent are responsible for what you teach your child, speaking out as a parent is part of what your child learns from you, by keeping quit and yet telling your child this is wrong doesn't give strong values to your child, this parent is active not only do they denounce silly cultures tought to thier child but they are taking a stance agianst it, if you are ok with your child learning such crap from others then thats your choice, if others are not ok with such practices then it's thier choice, all I'm saying is one has a right to guide thier child on what to accept and what not to accept.
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thabiso992000

We called one dark guy in class, mshecho, the tall one LONG, the thin one STRATA, one girl with the name Carrol, Di-Carrots, its happening and its going to happen, quoting Showerman's phrase, till Jesus comes and i was called SHUTLHE
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MommaC

Tabza325is

It isn't really part of the curriculum. It is going to be difficult to convince kids that nicknames are against the law
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MommaC

candilious

Hi doll,
These thin skinned people wouldn't have lasted a week in my school :)
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cornelius

There are probably awards poking fun at white kids as well, the point is that it can only be conssidered offensive if it is intended to be. The kids all know that it is just fun among themsleves, the fact that they have such awards shows that they have learnt hoew to deal with race in a harmless and humorous way. If I were black I would not mind being caleed a Black knight, although I woiuld prefer Black Stallion
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Maezizsto4Sure

RobinH
if they were concieved by the kids, it's a different story, but I very much doubt that this is the case. Anyway, we will have to differ on this one. Because you or I happened to be particularly resilient to gibes does not make them right. Today, 45 years on, I am still angry about having spent my schooldays (in an Afrikaans medium school) being called "daai Engelsman met lang hare" and my free time (in a very colonial English suburb) as "Afrikaner vrot banana" or "k*fferboetie" by those that saw me playing with my black playmates. It hurts.
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Wow Robin my b'aas it that really you disagreeing with your future wife?Are you not with MommaC on this one wow this is amazing.
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Tabza325is

@MommaC
Tabza325is

It isn't really part of the curriculum. It is going to be difficult to convince kids that nicknames are against the law.

It's not about convincing the kids but as a parent addressing the school on such activities and you as a parent trying to guide your child to not accept such behaviour, yes other kids will continue with their mindless activities but you as a parent should have the power to speak out against such things and teach your child whats wrong and whats right, also the Principal as authority should be able to listen to parents grieviances as they attend that school and whatever goes on in there affects thier child's well being, to just live in a society were poeple feel it's ok for others to grow up with such deaming cultures and are expected to accept it ,why?, because that's the norm in that society is plain stupid, as a parent its your job to teach your child to think for themselves and if possible to stand up and walk away from such practices, doing so we wont end up with another generation of victims and victors childhood, but a generation of a balanced and thoughtfull young adults, this is high school kids what kind of future generation are we breeding that accepts such mindless thinking all in the name of fun and jokes.
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OLDLADY4

Tabza325is, I'm not saying anything should be forced. I'm not even commenting on whether what happened here is right or wrong. All I'm asking is how does a school keep let's say 2 000 parents happy, all with different ideas and ways of doing things?
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MommaC

Tabza325is

I fail to see what 'culture' has to do with this. Are you somehow trying to make this a cultural issue?

As parents we need to teach our children how to be functioning adults. Part of that is the ability to take things in your stride. These aren't little tots in a nursery school, they are teenagers. There is also no signs that this was about victimising anyone or bullying. The kids themselves come up with these 'awards' and they vote on them. Why wait until the awards are given out and THEN make a fuss? If the kid had felt that an award was not acceptable then the time to say so would have been when they came up with the award, not afterwards.

My honest belief is that a kid came home and jokingly told his mother about the awards and she got her panties in a twist.
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Tabza325is

@MommaC
Tabza325is

I fail to see what 'culture' has to do with this. Are you somehow trying to make this a cultural issue?

Culture is behaviour and shared tendencies within a paticuler group of people, its the way we live. Unlike us growing up we had a defferent culture this means our teenage interraction and behaviour was defferent from teens today. Think of culture this way the older generation comes from a politically minded culture as such through out thier high school days they were more politically active than us, today look at the type of adults they have become, this is due to the teenage culture they had during thier time, my generation comes from the yizo yizo generation and we were called the lost generation by our parents why? because of the culture we had developed back in the mid 90s, we were indipendent thinkers and wanted to do things our way, today look at the kinds of adults we are, now what kind of adults do you think kids today will inherite( Bare in Mind Hiphop, Kwaito or the current youth pop culture they have today was developed by our generation) as they are not disciplined and grow up in a generation were the culture of victimization, deaming and bullying is a norm, what kind of adults do you think our youth will become, culture is not about some heritage from the year 1600 but a behaviour and conditioning developed by people of the same group. I am not saying this parent must try to stop whats happening but the parent has a right to speak out on activities they don't want their child to par-take in, also that they have a right to teach thier child whatever they think is right or wrong, it's the principle's job to hear to parent's complain to bare in mind, if the child walks away they must not be forced or bullied into taking part in such activities and if so the parent should be allowed to return the nonsense award but at the sametime voice out her oppinion for denouncing such a thing.
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Tabza325is

@OLDLADY4
Tabza325is, I'm not saying anything should be forced. I'm not even commenting on whether what happened here is right or wrong. All I'm asking is how does a school keep let's say 2 000 parents happy, all with different ideas and ways of doing things?

By employing logic, if one parent doesn't want thier child taking part in this kind of recreational activities then the school should allow for it, this is a simple activity compared to school rules or things like school uniform or subject and respect for teachers etc, thats a defferent issue, but for a recreational activities thats not even part of the school curreculum preference can be made, example look at the initiation activities that school pupil intiate themselve, do you think it is right to do so, do you think kids should be left to initiate other kids...they is always a need by other kids to deamen others or ridicule others in order for them to feel important or relevent amongst their peers, they is always a need by high school kids to be popular and kids will do anything all in the name of fun and games to achive this, in such a situation they is always a victor and a victim.
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MommaC

Tabza325is

... and letting your kids listen to the Beetles would make them degenerates and banning Elvis would be good because of the way he dances and Deep Purple will turn your children into satanists ......

That argument has roots older than you could imagine. The fact is that NOWHERE in the article does it say that the teenager was forced to participate or that the school was promoting this.
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ilse_coetzee

Dear tabza325is...I understand that you can feel that way, but please take the context into consideration. I am a very proud teacher of this particular school...and knowing from where this comes, I get angry at people saying things that they know nothing about. This particular parent never considered to bring this to the parties involved. So the decision to send it straight to the media was the first step taken. Therefore any comments made cannot be considered as valid, because no-one commenting actually took the time and effort to find out first-hand what really happened. Please try and understand that we try our best to build our learners rather than contaminating their minds. Mr Boonzaaier is the best principal I have EVER worked with as this is the fourth school I am teaching at. Please keep your uninformed comments to yourself rather than causing harm to a school which is not even in the province you live in. Thank you very much.
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CloeteC

OH FOR HEAVENS SAKE...CAN THAT PARENT GET A LIFE PLEASE!!!!!!!! These awards are supposed to be FUN awards....

My daughter is also at Stellenberg and it is a GREAT SCHOOL!!! Oh...I am coloured by the way!

I just wish that parents with their OLD RACIST MENTALITIES will leave this NEW GENERATION of kids growing up in a wonderful DIVERSE country to just ENJOY LIFE!!!

There was nooo racist intent with these awards but YOU make this out to be nasty!
I am a proud COLOURED Stellenberg Mommy....with another daughter starting there in 2013!
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