🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <rsutc-2203950952550001@nsc189t100.twu.ca> rsutc@twu.ca (Rick Sutcliffe) writes:
>From: rsutc@twu.ca (Rick Sutcliffe)
>Subject: Re: No job waiting? Yell RACISM !
>Date: Wed, 22 Mar 1995 17:52:55 GMT

>In article <pfleiderer_j.292.00098BBF@wizard.colorado.edu>,
>pfleiderer_j@wizard.colorado.edu (Jean Pfleiderer) wrote:

>> 
><snip>
>> 
>> No, Karen, he is "yelling racism" because he is being told he is not
>QUALIFIED 
>> to do this kind of work (even though, apparently, he has already been doing 
>> it, IN CANADA), because his qualifications come from another country. I don't 
>> say he is right--maybe, in fact, his credentials are not the equivalent of 
>> those needed to obtain a BC teaching certificate, and he should be
>required to 
>> obtain one.  The article indicates that he is having problems even getting BC 
>> to say what more he needs to do to obtain such a certificate; maybe they are 
>> telling him he has to start over again with a bachelor's degree, who knows? 
>>  
>> My point is, whether he is right about the fairness of being excluded or not, 
>> and, if he is, whether that unfairness stems from racism or some other cause, 
>> he is NOT complaining because he can't "find full-time teaching
>positions," he 
>> is complaining because he is being told he doesn't qualify to hold one. 
>He is 
>> not saying that the country "owes" him a job, he is saying that the country 
>> ought to recognize his job qualifications and not eliminate him from
>competing 
>> for jobs. That is a very different complaint.  And if you have any 
>> intelligence at all, you know that.  So why do you keep distorting everything 
>> you read this way?

>An excellent response.  May I add to the mix (without knowing first hand
>details about this case) that when I taught high school, it was generally
>accepted wisdom in BC that Alberta and BC credentials were roughly
>interchangable, but that most other credentials were to a greater or
>lesser degree inferior, and their holders were usually required to take
>extra courses to bring them up to BC standards.  Although I have been
>teaching at the university level the last twelve years, I doubt that the
>situation has changed substantially in that respect.

>What HAS changed is the introduction of the College of Teachers to the
>scene. When confronted with a new or different situation relating to
>teacher qualifications, the College can be remarkably slow to respond --
>in one case I know of that was first brought to the College for a decision
>shortly after it was started (87?) there is STILL no decision.
>> 
><snip some more good stuff>
>> 
>> Karen, there are doubtless abuses of the system by immigrants, some quite 
>> egregious.  There are also abuses by native born Canadians.  It is in the 
>> nature of political and social systems that they can be abused, and
>apparently 
>> in the nature of some people to abuse them.  I don't believe this tendency is 
>> any more heavily apparent in one race of people than in another.  Do you?  I 
>> have to tell you, if you do believe that, then you are, in fact, a racist.
>> 
>Right on.  Let me add, that like most others my age, I grew up and went to
>school with the children of refugees from Eastern Europe following the
>war.  Among the parents there was a lot of national prejudice, (Italians
>wouldn't talk to the Irish, for instance, and the term "DP" was among the
>worst insults one could hurl.) This was as bad as any modern-day racism,
>but it was based on language and national origin rather than skin colour. 
>We kids didn't care about such things.  I (an anglo fist gen) grew up in
>little Italy, and learned to eat pizza before there were any restaurants
>serving it.  There wasn't another Anglo in my entire circle of friends,
>and very few in the whole school.  We all wore green on St. Patrick's day,
>even though if some of the parents knew why, they would not have approved.

>Today, my children go to school with those of other nationalities too --
>so what if their names are Thoung, Kim or Chan instead of Szczepanczyk,
>Scrobogna, or VanDoremalen?  They -- why should their parents, when we
>didn't before?

>If there is any issue in immigration at all, it is whether there is room. 
>Personally, I think there is evidence that the Lower Mainland of BC
>already has too many people, and that further immigration (from anywhere)
>to this area perhaps should be discouraged.  However, I couldn't care less
>whether the immigrants who do come arrive from Calcutta, Seul, or
>Halifax.  However, I cannot make the case too strongly -- after all, I am
>an immigrant myself (from Calgary) and my father was too (from Manchester,
>UK in 1900.)

>Karen sounds like someone who has had a bad experience with one immigrant
>and is ready to label them all as a result.  BTW, Karen, when did your
>family immigrate?

>Rick

Rick, I'm gonna faint.  I just finished agreeing with a posting of yours, and 
here you are agreeing with a posting of mine!  A red letter day, indeed!

Jean