Absolutely disagree with your statement. While it is common knowledge that parents set the demand and preference for “white English teachers” in schools it is definitely not the norm to see it advertised as such in Asia.
I’ve worked in Korea, Japan and Vietnam. I have never seen such blatant discrimination against people of color there as I have in Taiwan. In all three of those countries I had black co workers. They were popular with the kids and the parents. If somebody put such an advertisement as “no blacks or dark skinned” teacher applicants there would be absolute uproar in the foreign community. Newspapers have and would be called.
Therein lies the problem with Taiwan. The foreigner community here is as bad as the local Taiwanese one in sitting back and watching injustices unfold. Yes, people here are disapointed and surprised here to see such a racist advert but who here will do anything about it? It’s their problem not ours is the general attitude here. Apathy all around.
We can do small things as educators (of which many are here) to teach the younger and current generation that racism is wrong. Period. We may not be able to change all but perhaps we can change a few. Many examples of racism here are just taught and enforced from a young age. Nobody challenges that behavior so it becomes the norm. Most have never even met a or personally known a black or colored person and yet they’ll have no qualms calling them "nigger " for laughs. I’ve seen this depressingly often here.
I would very much like to get in contact with the idiot who posted such an advertisement. I’ll give him a peace of my mind and I don’t need to be black or colored to do so. Black and colored people have played a large role in my life and continue to do so. I’m tired of seeing racism in this country and this is the part of Taiwan that greatly upsets me.
Taiwanese are friendly? That old chestnut is repeated time and time again by locals and expats alike. Tell that to the colored people here. Let’s pop that bubble now. Taiwan isn’t friendly to non whites.
It would be fantastic if a black or colored person would reply and prove me wrong. But hey, that isn’t going to happen sadly. This advertisement really set me up in a bad mood so early in the morning.
Please go back and re-read the article. No one posted an ad saying persons of color need not apply. A girl was looking for a replacement teacher and added a note saying she was told by the school that they would not hire a black person.
There is a back story to this, not sure if it’s true. The girl is a disgruntled employee who added the note on purpose in order to get the school in trouble. Meaning she made the covert racism overt.
Well that sounds like a convinient excuse by the school to cover their own backs. Does anybody have some proof that the original author of the advert was stirring the pot? Because the racism against colored people I’ve witnessed here… Its certainly easy to imagine the school issued such a requirement.
On another note. Why is a national newspaper not questioning that foreigners are working in Kindergartens? Whilst everyone knows all kindergartens hire foreign faces it should be kind of pointed out that the majority of ARC holders are not permitted to work there. Does the journalist not know? Or do they simply not care?
The threads on FB are very long. Hard to tell what the true story is. My take is the school told her off-the-record “we won’t hire black people, the parents don’t like it”. And for some reason she added it to her ad. “I’m sorry, so, so sorry”. It might have been a positive action on her behalf. Not sure. Certainly it’s a dialogue long overdue in Taiwan.
I’d also be highly interested to know what Kangqiao would do if a black (or dark-skinned kid) rocked up to the school to enroll.
Probably to say they are full for the academic year. Though if it is a wealthy and prestigious school they’d likely overlook anything for money.
I’ve heard it is not just colored people who face the brunt of the bad treatment here. Supposedly mixed race children also get a hard deal. I know white guys who married local women and had kids with them. Their kids get subjected to some strange insults about skin tone, eye shape and head size.
Whilst working in Japan I witnessed kids say some really horrible things to a half black half Japanese kid. I can only assume those little kids learnt such behavior and words from home.
Actually, I don’t know about Taiwan but Japan actually has a word for children who are not ethnically 100% Japanese. The call them "hafu " literally meaning "half ". It’s completely socially acceptable in Japan to use this word (according to Japanese ) which can lead to some downright uncomfortable situations where kids and adults will point or shout in excitement “Hafu! Hafu!” When they see a mixed race kid
In England a term to describe a half black half white kid was "half cast " though that term eventually went the way of the dodo. Wouldn’t it be nice to see Taiwanese broaden their minds also and actively move to prevent racism.
I don’t know if Taiwanese in general are more racially prejudiced than this or that other society. That has to do with what’s in people’s hearts, which is often a mystery. But they may generally be more open about it.
Its off Topic but as a Legal first Generation Immigrant and naturalized Citizen to the US, I completely agree. I know many people who try to immigrate to the US legally the right way and its very difficult. Meanwhile illegals are free to come and get 12 years of free Public Education for all their children, subsidized health care, Drivers licenses, encouragement to vote, ID cards, sancutary cities, the right to protest the government, jobs, media support, free legal defense, welfare, lobbyists and Democratic government support much of which is paid through my income taxes…representatitves who should be representing Citizens. Somehow if anyone speaks out against the MSM portrays Americans as racist Nazis or Anti Immigration. I’ve yet to see CNN or MSNBC show a Legal Immigrant speak their mind against Illegals a contrary POV that doesn’t fit their narrative/agenda
Immigration is not fair, i think it’s funny when people are like but it’s not fair for those who waited in line and did it fairly. If you got money, you can always skip the line to be a resident and citizen in most countries. But still, there needs to immigration laws and boarder control.
Love is the master key that opens the gates of happiness. — Oliver Holmes