What do I do if I have people being racist to me at school? I’m fully Chinese for context. I know I can report them but they will just bully me harder (for snitching, etc). And anyway, what happens if I report them? What action does the school take, because if it just lands them in detention it’s just going to rile them up and make them come down harder.
I can’t physically retaliate (and I won’t), and if I talk back they’ll laugh. If I ignore them, they persist. What am I meant to do? All the times people have been racist to me have usually been one offs.
Sam
Hi there,
Racism and racial bullying is never okay. You have the right to go to school without being abused or harassed, and you deserve support when it’s happening.
Reporting what’s happening when you’re being bullied doesn’t always feel easy. It’s natural to worry about things getting worse, but it’s important to remember that bullying won’t stop on its own. Talking to an adult you trust is the best way to get the bullying to stop.
All schools will have an anti-bullying policy, and that includes making sure people aren’t singled out based on their race of background. If you did tell someone at school, they would follow that policy to make sure they’re supporting you. What your teachers do next might vary, but they’ll want to make sure you can feel safe in school, even if it is people making one-off comments.
Lots of young people have spoken to us about their worries of things getting worse. If you are worried about that, remember that you can explain that when you report what’s happening. Your teachers could even help you make a plan of what to do if it does happen again. We’ve got loads of advice on how to ask someone at school for help.
What you want to do when someone bullies you should be your choice. It can make you feel powerless when you try to ignore people and it doesn’t stop, but it’s positive that you don’t want to physically fight someone. Getting physical can put you in danger and lead to you getting into trouble.
When it feels safe to, some find it helps to respond assertively that they disagree with what’s being said. Sometimes calmly and confidently telling someone that what they’ve said is racist, childish, or untrue can be enough to make them back down. You could even just keep repeating back calmly that they’re racist or wrong, as it’ll often make it hard for them to keep going. We’ve got lots of tips to help you be assertive.
You can talk privately to a counsellor online or call 0800 1111 for free.
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