Racial Teasing is never okay.

I'm so mad right now, and probably need to just vent. So, if you want to bypass this post, by all means....

Both my children are in the Chinese Immersion Program in their elementary school. Half of the day is taught in Chinese, and the other half in English. This is a very good school, and I feel that there is a huge cultural make-up which is an asset. I grew up in a very small town, and went to private school. I was one of the only two minorities in my whole entire high school. So, I really wanted my kids to go to a diverse school, and live in a diverse community. I think for the majority of the time, we do.

Well, tonight, during dinner, my son mentioned that a little boy in his class keeps teasing him at lunchtime. I asked him what he did. My son said that he's speaking to me in a funny way. I asked him what did it sound like..."well, he sounded like he's trying to speak Chinese, but he's not."

The irony? My son doesn't speak a lick of Chinese, and this boy is in the Chinese Immersion Program. I would like to think that this kid is so prolific in Chinese that my son just doesn't understand him. Coincidentally, I volunteered in the classroom today, and this kid was out of control. He wouldn't sit to do his work, and talked back to the teacher. So, I'm guessing this kid does not speak Chinese fluently, but just a bad egg.

My question is...do I speak up to the teacher or ride it out and see if it improves? I'm very touchy about this, because I was teased alot in school, and gave me all sorts of self-esteem problems. My parents pretty much told me to suck it up, but I don't think that my son has to deal with this. At the same time, I don't want to step in all the time, and seem like an overbearing mom.

I've never had to deal with this with my daughter or at our previous school. I also want my kids to be proud of their heritage and not be embarrassed that we are Asian. It just broke my heart when my son said that he wishes he was Caucasian. Can you believe that? I better stop or I will never stop typing....