Don’t ignore it : The problem exists !!! 5 th workshop carried out on 17th June 2014 with the students of the hairdressing class from the Social Promotion.

Don’t ignore it : The problem exists !!!

5th workshop carried out on 17th June 2014 with the students of the hairdressing class from the Social Promotion School of Marcinelle-Monceau (adults)

Introduction

• 13 students participate to this last workshop carried out for the project : Comenius Regio.

• This project between Belgium and Greece has been subsidized by the European Community and is called :

« Schools without Borders »• Here is the logo :

The partners :•In Belgium: The Education Department of the town of Charleroi, Social Promotion Schools + the Secondary School of « La Garenne », together with several associations such as : CAL (Centre of Secular Action Charleroi), CRIC (Regional Centre of Integration of Charleroi) and LEP (League of Schools and Permanent Education)

•In Greece : The Education Department of the town of Trikala , several secondary schools, together with different local associations such as : « E-Trikala Office » (new technologies) and « Asklipios » (sport, culture and social services)

• Fighting against problems linked with immigration, social exclusion, racism and violence at school.

• How? By cooperating at regional and bilateral levels and by organizing different activities : Talking workshops, video-conference with Skype, creation of a common website, survey, meeting the different organisations in Belgium and in the partner country.

Objectives :

MethodologyWith the help of a video support illustrating various situations of discrimination, bringing the participants to a global consideration of the approached subject.1.Personal examples. (food for thought)2.Theory on the different types of discrimination. (food for thought)3.Video4.Theory on the protected criteria about discrimination.

Targeted skills :Targeted skills :Questioning, reformulating, identififying presuppositions, giving examples and counter-examples, nuancing, giving definitions, making comparisons, identifying consequences, finding the problem, thinking about a hypothesis, considering an opposite position, supporting with arguments.

Synthesis• After having watched a video the students are divided in

groups of 3, 4 people; David (CAL) invites them to think together about a question that can be written on the board, in reaction to the video.

• Fabrice (CRIC) informs us about the different types of discriminations : race, nationality, physical disability, gender

• Elsa (CRIC) at the camcorder.• Thanks to Mrs Bequet, English teacher for her precious

collaboration.

Students’questions

• Shouldn’t the different governments try to install the same laws for everybody?

• Are disabled people favoured as far as employment is concerned compared to other people?

• Can the fact of wearing the veil cause discrimination? • Why do the media only tell us what they want to tell us and

what we want to hear? Media manipulate to encourage discrimination.

• What’s the international dimension of the government’s procedures to avoid discrimination? European laws for the same rights for everybody!

• Is there a mediatic determination towards foreign people?

• David asks the participants if the questions contain presuppositions .

• What can we do to make the questions more neutral?• Some questions have to be reformulated :• Example : « How can « wearing the veil » represent

discrimination ? »

• Students are asked to vote to choose a question : « How can « wearing the veil » represent discrimination? »

Discussion can start:

- Many media use the theme of religious problems. The link between « wearing the veil » and fanatism is used by the media. The problem comes from the fanatics ! Moderate people (like the Muslims of the class) don’t cause any problems at all .- In the past Italians were discriminated.-What disturbs is putting people in categories, it slows down communication.-In hospital, at the emergency ward, many people can’t speak French properly , tolerance is needed.-Big problem at the Law Courts in Brussels where the Christmas Tree had to be taken away!!! Reaction : Why changing our traditions?-For Muslim people « wearing the veil » is rooted in traditions! Just like our Xmas Tree!-The culture of everyone out of every country should be respected.

• « Excision » has nothing to do with religion! It’s a female genital mutilation , a cultural « tradition » in some African countries.

• Culture is often religious for Muslims; religion hasn’t changed but culture well, compared to their parents.

• Fabrice (CRIC) lets us notice that religion and culture have to be distinguished. Sometimes some religious practices go against religion !

• One of the participant talks about the « holy » war between Israël et Palestine despite the fact that murder is forbidden in the Coran.

• Don’t mix up identity and assigned identity . Prejudices are attributed to an identity, values are subjective ! There is often a shift between appearance and reality.

• « Holy » war ? Who is it for? It’s mainly political, religion is a pretext. Citizens suffer from that ! Why not putting two Heads of State in front of each other?

• Something similar exists in Belgium between Flemish and Walloon people. Is this situation encouraged by the media?

• David (CAL) answers : « no, not really ! » Flanders and Wallonia have never been united . Enormous compromises exist between both communities. (cf. history)

• Example of positive discrimination : employment allowance to counterbalance a situation that could strengthen discrimination.

• Maybe would it be better to suppress all the employment allowances and to pay more attention to skills !

• Example : Mylène, victim of difficulties to get a job because insertion allowances are settled for foreign people…

• Fabrice reacts : no allowance is settled for foreign people but for long -time unemployed people, or for some jobs.

• Politicians should earn less instead of decreasing or suppressing the unemployment benefits!

David, (CAL) proposes a short role playing :

• A company manager wishes to hire a glazier. His customers hate Chinese people; however, only Chinese people apply for the job. Suppose you are the manager, how would you react?

• I take the Chinese worker and talk to my customers! Better a Chinese worker working properly than a Belgian worker working badly!

• Probationary period, moving with the new worker and showing the customers he works well.

• The problem comes mainly from « the Arabs » in the region of Charleroi. What can we do???? Most of the time they receive a bad welcome .

• The same problem occurs with men’s jobs for women.

Thanks a lot for your collaboration !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=CnZaDXSZNJU