On the way to class - Part II

JP: Sir, did you know that the Twin Towers was a conspiracy?

Me: I did not!

JP: Sir, it's true!

Me: Where's your evidence? You're doing History GCSE, right? You need to have facts to prove your case!

JP: Sir, sir, go on YouTube.

Me: YouTube?

JP: Yeah, Sir. There's a video on YouTube.

Me: Riiiight...

JP: It's American money. You fold it and it's got the Twin Towers blowing up on it!

Me: Come on J. That is not proof.

JP: Yeah, but, Sir! It's so weird!

Judge for yourself here.

JP: Sir, I was talking to Mr H today about the BNP.

Me: What did you say?

JP: He was talking about the leader - the Griffin person?

Me: That's right. What do you think of him?

JP: He's a liar isn't he?

Me: What do you mean?

JP: The Holocaust was when like a million Jewish people were killed, right?

Me: About six.

JP: Yeah, well most of the things the BNP say are lies because they say it didn't happen. That's what Mr H said.

Me: And what do you think?

JP: Yeah I reckon that he's a liar then, innit.

Glad that this is JP's conclusion, following on from our somewhat disturbing conversation about immigration last week.

Pause.

JP: Sir, the Holocaust happened in the Second World War.

Me: Yes.

JP: That began in 1945 didn't it Sir?

Sigh.

On the way to class

JP: Sir, there's too many of them.
Me: Who?
JP: Immigrants.
Me: What do you mean?
JP: Why do they all even want to come to our country anyway?
CM: Cos they get stuff for free.
JP: They get everything for free.
CM: Like free health and a house without even working for it.
Me: What are you implying? That we have too many immigrants? That you don't get free healthcare when others do?
JP: We should send them all back.
Me: Really? And how would that happen? Would you have to send me back too?
JP: Nah weren't you born here?
Me: Yes. But my mother and father weren't...
CM: Yeah so that's fine you've got British citizenship so you can stay.
Me: What about my parents? They've got British citizenship but weren't born here.
No answer.
JP: But they're terrorists. Not your parents, Sir, the immigrants. The Pakis and the Afghans and them.
Me: All of them? Terrorists?
CM: Sir, we might get bombed in 2012! For the Olympics.
Me: There have already been bombings in London, but that doesn't make all immigrants from Pakistan and Afghanistan terrorists! What about your friends in this school? They're not terrorists.
JP: Nah, Sir, it's only the ones with turbans and long beards. They're the terrorists. They're the ones we have to send back home.
Me: I can't tell if you're 'joking' or being serious. It's racist to accuse everyone of being a terrorist just because they're from a certain background. Off you go to class. We'll have to discuss this at another time.

Readers

I asked my Enterprise class to review a book that they had read.

Here is a particularly interesting entry from one student:

Title: Man U

Author: Man U

Date read: --

What you liked: It was Man U

What you disliked: Wen they losst

How did it make you feel?: Happyness

Negative points: Non

MH is of Somali origins and wrote about a Darren Shan novel:

"I liked this because it is British."

I asked him why he liked it in particular for its Britishness. He replied in a jokey voice:

"Because it's not stinky Somali but it's British and I like British things because I like it here".