Ethics

At my secondary school I often hear racist and homophobic remarks but no longer say anything when I hear them because I don't think that things I say will make any difference. Is it wrong for me to hear offensive remarks yet not say or do anything about them?

Comments

I think the issue here is what is likely to be effective. If you think that your colleagues would be impressed by your opinion then you should make those opinions public. If you think they would attack you then this should give you pause for thought. If you think that you should dissociate yourself from those remarks, and refuse to make them yourself, then this is an entirely reasonable position.

When I was a teacher trainer we often discussed what one should do when a pupil uttered a racist remark. Some said that it is only right to immediately condemn the remark and establish that it is entirely unacceptable. Others argued that this would tend to amplify the racist behavior since the remark would then receive a good deal of attention, something that perhaps its utterer was seeking in the first place. If everyone reacts with shock, then a good way of getting a strong reaction is to make racist remarks. Whatever the truth of the matter, the important factor here is your judgment of what is likely to be effective.

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