NJC Says It’ll Investigate Viral Post Regarding Alleged Racist Teacher
Recently, a post on Instagram page Minority Voices garnered attention due to its calling out of a discipline mistress who allegedly displayed racist and discriminatory behaviour.
National Junior College (NJC) then told AsiaOne on 26 Jun that they’ll commence investigations into the alleged incidents.
They also hope that the alumna will come forward.
A day earlier, she’d submitted a post on the Instagram page saying she’d like to have her privacy respected.
NJC alumna talks about racist incidents by teacher
The anonymous writer submitted her post to Minority Voices on 21 Jun.
In it, she described several incidents where a discipline mistress, X, allegedly targeted her due to her ethnicity.
For instance, X once made the student stand at the entrance of her office and explain to every staff walking past why she was there.
X would also target her for her clothing even though others who were non-Indian didn’t receive the same treatment.
Others would note in the comments section that they were in fact targeted for their clothing despite not being of a minority race.
In another incident, other Indian students also reported being singled out for “causing a ruckus” even though they were merely studying together.
Finally, the last straw was when X went up to her when she came back to school as an alumna and asked what she was doing there.
She felt singled out as she was the only Indian person who was asked this, and that was when she spoke out for the first time.
NJC hopes to reach out to alumna regarding racist teacher
NJC principal Ang Pow Chew told AsiaOne on Saturday (26 Jun) that they’re committed to prompt investigations.
They will not hesitate to counsel and discipline anyone engaging in “such acts”.
As for the teacher in question, Mr Ang said they have no evidence suggesting any racial bias against students.
Past and present students of various races have written to state categorically that the teacher has not shown any racial bias.
However, it is aware that X may have been strict with students in her role as disciplinary master.
As such, NJC would like to reach out to the poster to assist in investigations. It also regrets reading about her experience.
Alumna chooses to remain anonymous
On 25 Jun, the original poster had another post published on Minority Voices.
In it, she stated that she wishes for a “collective voice” against X, who’d been identified by others in the comments of the initial post.
However, she said she fears the consequences of speaking out without anonymity due to X’s standing in the school.
She said also that she doesn’t have evidence she can provide of the incidents, besides her word.
For these reasons, she wishes for privacy.
Others also report discrimination
The OP is apparently not the only person who’s allegedly faced racial discrimination by X.
While many comments talked about how generally mean X was – some even reported feeling traumatised years later – there were also others who appeared to be her target.
Another was berated because she checked into the boarding school on Deepavali, and appeared to be racially profiled due to her ethnicity.
Yet others noted that she was generally mean to everyone, and it may not have had to do with race.
However, it doesn’t change that the poster as well as others felt singled out and marginalised.
Hope for a thorough investigation
In light of these testimonials, an investigation is certainly in order — as long as the matter is thoroughly looked into.
We’re not sure if the alumna will assist in investigations given she has asked for privacy, but perhaps others may speak out thanks to this incident.
With stricter action promised by MOE regarding racist behaviour in schools, we hope schools will become a safer place, especially for minorities.
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