Yesterday in my new bio class we were taking about melanocytes and skin color and races and migration, etc. So my new teacher (who I think is Jewish, but I'm not sure) points me out in class & says I have "a typical Jewish phenotype." I don't know what this mean aside from the fact that I have dark eyes & hair (I am 1/2 from Italian descent), although my hair is pretty straight & my skin is pretty fair.
I have nothing against Jewish people but somehow I felt really embarrassed & everyone looked at me.
Am I wrong or was he wrong to say this? Thank you. btw I was raised Catholic & I'm an atheist, just fyi.
2006-09-02 11:18:56 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Primary & Secondary Education
you should be upset about it. it was a comment that was not needed and he could get in trouble for that.
2006-09-02 11:24:25 · answer #1 · answered by scrappy06 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Your biology teacher is an ******, what about those Jewish women from Israel or the middle east? They dont look italian to me. Its probably just the dark hair + eyes (phenotype is how you look but genotype is the genes that control phenotype). So if you look like a "typical Jewish girl" dont let it get to you. Anyone can be a Jew, if they convert, so there shouldnt be a typical way that a person of a certain religion should look. Thats like saying you look like a "typical Christian" or a "typical Hindu".
2006-09-02 18:32:55 · answer #2 · answered by KassieB 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I think you should say something to him and ask him exactly what he meant by it. It sounds to me like he is stereotyping Jewish people. They all don't look a certain way even though most do have dark hair, eyes, and olive skin. I have a friend who is jewish and has darl hair, blue eyes, and is very pail skinned. If it made you feel uncomfortable talk to your teacher about it. Don't jump in his face about it but tell him how it made you feel and i'm sure he will understand and respect you more for speaking up.
2006-09-02 18:37:48 · answer #3 · answered by tnicb 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Wow, there's nothing at all wrong with what he said. If he was teaching a class about males and females and pointed you out as a female, would you be upset? If he pointed to a black male and said he is typical of a black would you be upset? I really think you are over thinking this in the worse way possible. Some people are suggesting you turn this teacher in for this terrible thing he did. That is amazing.
2006-09-02 18:54:15 · answer #4 · answered by jim m 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Wow, there are a lot of teacher haters out there.
Your teacher made a mistake, but from the sound of it, an honest one. Rather than intend to embarrass you, it sounds like he was attempting to bring the abstract information into real world context.
His mistake was in not being aware that ethnicity and appearance are sensative areas, and that he should tread more carefully.
If you are still concerned, you do have a right to politely express that concern to your teacher. He is probably unaware that he did anything offensive, and will likely apologize to you when you bring it to his attention.
2006-09-02 20:24:47 · answer #5 · answered by Unknown User 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is a disgraceful thing to say. It's categorising people for their religious belief. Jews follow Judaism and they are all over the world from all races and colours. They are not a 'people' or 'race'. The originals came from Israel and would have looked like modern day Arabs, Sammy Davies Junior was a Jew. Does that mean you have to be black? During WW II in Germany people were persecuted and executed for looking 'Jewish' purely because they had swarthy skins and bulbous noses. Your teacher should know better. Perhaps if you collected pictures of famous Jews and showed them to him/her and asked whether these people looked Jewish he/she might understand. Get people looking vastly different, black, white, tall, short etc. EG Barbra Streisand looks 'Jewish' because she fits the stereotype image.
2006-09-02 18:32:00 · answer #6 · answered by quatt47 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Based on your description of the event, I think he only meant that you look Jewish. I suggest to talk to this teacher and let him know how you felt. While I don't think he meant to be offensive, I'm not sure his example was entirely appropriate. You might want to suggest that he should have use a picture of a Jewish girl or boy to illustrate his point instead of using you. Did I understand you correctly - you said you are not Jewish? If this is true, you might want to point this out to him as well.
2006-09-02 18:25:40 · answer #7 · answered by Gypsy Girl 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Why should you be upset. Does someone thinking you are Jewish or of Jewish decent embarrass you? It shouldn't, there is nothing wrong with being or looking Jewish. He was pointing out markers that is all. You must have olive type skin, dark hair and dark eyes. You may also have a strong jaw line and nose. That was all he was saying. He could also point out genetic markers for the Asians, Scandinavians, etc... If he made a mistake and you aren't Jewish...get over it. This being PC crap is getting out of hand.
2006-09-02 18:28:50 · answer #8 · answered by Sally S 1 · 0⤊ 3⤋
I don't think it was the most politically-correct way of your teacher to behave and certainly, someone of his profession should know better than to make assumptions about his pupils' heritage/background. So, yes, I do understand that you are a bit embarrased both because he pointed you out in front of your class and he was wrong.
That said, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just see it as a lesson for yourself that there are people out there who make the wrong assumptions based purely on looks and ensure it's a trap that you avoid falling into.
2006-09-02 18:24:12 · answer #9 · answered by starchilde5 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I would let my parents and my prinicpal know what happened in class as there is no reason for a teacher to point out differences of children in school. The teacher is the "wrongdoer" in this case.
2006-09-02 20:53:41 · answer #10 · answered by jafco13 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Seriously, teachers shouldn't say that but he may have just thought that you are one. Don't get upset with him and just think that its his problem. Remeber lotsw of Italian people are Jewish so just relax. Look if your seriuosly upset then tell your teacher nicely and expl;ain why you feel bad. Definetly tell your parents and if they get cross leave it to them and don't interfere. And if your teachers Jewish then thats why!
2006-09-02 23:31:40 · answer #11 · answered by Julia S 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋