Racism amongst Toddlers

Racism is an ugly trait to have and in the U.K the government funded National Children's Bureau has alerted playgroups and child care centres to racism amongst the youngsters who attend. How many toddlers do you know will turn their noses up at certain foods and a common way of expressing dislike for that food is "Yuk". This has to be political correctness going overboard when the NCB ask that any incidents of the toddlers saying "Yuk" to foods that are from a source foreign to their usual fare, are reported.

It advises nursery teachers to be on the alert for childish abuse such as: "blackie", "Pakis", "those people" or "they smell".

Surely the comment "they smell" can't be classed as racist. It matters not of race, color or religion, if someone smells, they smell. It may be a case of manners not to say it but how can saying someone smells be racist when the comment comes from kids who aren't even in primary school stage.

The guide goes on to warn that children might also "react negatively to a culinary tradition other than their own by saying 'yuk'".

Staff are told: "No racist incident should be ignored. When there is a clear racist incident, it is necessary to be specific in condemning the action."

Warning that failing to pick children up on their racist attitudes could instil prejudice, the NCB adds that if children "reveal negative attitudes, the lack of censure may indicate to the child that there is nothing unacceptable about such attitudes"

The problem here lies with the adults who are in charge of these institutions such as the NCB. Over dramatising and enforcing this 'RULE' is nothing more than political correctness gone mad. McDonalds was started in America, vegemite is Australian, so if a child says "Yuk", are we to be offended and consider it a racial slur? A favorite saying I hear often is, "YOU CAN'T ARGUE TASTE" and if a kid doesn't like a certain food, why not allow them to say so.