When I was in grade 9, I got myself admitted to tuition to get good grades. There was an Urdu teacher who used to call students based on their skin tone. After numerous complaints, he was dismissed from the tuition. But here is a question. Why are people so concerned about skin colors? I think that in their early years of education, teachers or parents do not teach children much about the problems of color and the movements which are going on around to end racism. In this way, when these students become teachers themselves, they themselves do not know much about this issue, and in this way, they are on their way to do the same to their students.
To end such racial acts in schools and in general, there must be student counseling sessions in schools where students are taught about movements going on about ending racism. Moreover, teachers should go through rigorous training where they are taught about these issues, and then in return, they can convey these issues and their solutions to the students. One of the major forms of bullying in schools is racism. Students bully each other on the basis of race, and I believe that better teacher training and student counseling can help to put an end to racism.
Racism is a pandemic, and it should be eradicated as soon as possible.
While these two have a lot of similarities with each other and one basis of discrimination might be perpetuated by or linked to the other one. From what I've seen, a lot of Pakistani schools and our society in general has deep rooted problematic beliefs about both racism and colourism. I always thought society imposes these standards onto us, but it has been heartbreaking for me seeing my dark skinned 7 yr old cousin being put down by her own mother who has a fairer complexion. Throughout her childhood, she has been told by family members that she's less beautiful because of her skin tone. This resulted in her being extremely body dysmorphic towards herself and she started projecting those…
100%! I remember back in school so many kids would get called out in front of the entire class for having a 'desi accent' and many of our teachers would actively try to get us to change our accents to be more British..... I remember our principle threatening to cane many of us if pronounced 'door' any way other than the one she wanted... Not the same as being bullied for you complexion of course, but stemming from the same problematic mindset that should ideally have no place in educational institutions.
It is a very important issue that need to be addressed, especially in education sector of Pakistan.
The main purpose of education is to teach basic decency to children so that they do not grow up to be someone who causes harm to the society. But unfortunately, the teachers themselves are seen spreading hate and intolerance, and making racial remarks in front of immature children who learn from their teachers' actions. Teachers need to be educated first, as they are a part of the problem.
The problem of racism is still rampant today ,and the false image of fairer people being seen as more attractive is still very common from magazines to tvs and billboards .Ingrained racism serves only to make other people feel bad and we should learn to embrace the idea of looking past a persons skin colour and knowing them as a person instead of immediately judging them.
We are still gripped with a toxic "gora" complex. This is our colonial mentality that persists to this day which makes us inferiorize our own culture, ethnicity, skin color etc. This issue is more deep-rooted and inter generational. A change in our society's collective perception is needed to overcome these biases. Perhaps awareness and education can help.