Things That Make You Go Hmmm

I have heard several comments in as many days that have left me saying in the spirit of Arsenio Hall, “Things that make you go hmmm.”

First up: During an interview for a prospective Spanish teacher, I asked the candidate re: her experiences while living and teaching in Ghana. In response to my knowledge re: Ghana, the candidate asked me, “Are you from Ghana?” I answered her question politely: “I am from the U.S. I was born and raised here.” Given that this individual is a White European from Scandanavia, perhaps her only contact with people who look like me are Africans from Africa. So, I understood the context of her question. Moreover, while I am indirectly descended from Africa, for the record, my peeps hail from South Carolina - from way back. So, no; I am not from Ghana.

Next up: During lunch on Thursday, a colleague remarked re: the beauty of a performance theatre where her daughter’s dance group competed recently. The performance theater underwent a multi-million dollar renovation as part of the revitalization effort for the city in question. Then it came: “Well, on my way there, I took the wrong exit, and ended up in the city!” I guess you had to be there, as they say. However, the comment was pure stereotype: White woman and her fear of the big, bad city. Her tone and words said it all. Now, I really like this individual, and, her comments turned me off a bit: Urban area=bad, bad bad. In other words, her “fear” is irrational.

Last: Twice a year, the students, faculty and some staff at BWYA Independent School engage in community service. As part of the ritual, a spokesperson from each advisory group- the students, faculty and staff perform the work as advisor groups - stands before the school community and relates where the group went, and what they did. This particular student spokesperson on behalf of her advisory group mentioned the organization, which is a Spanish name, and, beyond saying that the organization, “serves Hispanics, mostly”, had nothing more to say. At this point, the student sitting next to me, who is African American like me, and I look at each other and had the same sour taste in our mouths, brought on by the comment. A student sitting next to him, who is White, also experienced the sourness of the comment in his mouth. Now, the student spokesperson in question could have been nervous. However, an adult - her advisor - sanctioned her remarks, which leaves a lot to be said re: the advisor.

Like I said, things that make you go hmmm.