Tuesday 21 October 2014

Kent Online Reporting on Unaccompanied Asylum Seekers - My comment

Kent Online has published a story about unaccompanied asylum seekers in their 20s being "allowed" into Kent's schools. Local charity Kent Refugee Help highlighted the article to their mailing list and is in the process of penning their response. In the meantime, I decided to add my voice to the heated debate on the site. The article is here. My comment is below. Make of both what you will.

"As somebody who has actually taught unaccompanied asylum seekers in a Further Education college, stories like this make me really sad. I've taught asylum seekers and I've taught English kids. Given the choice I'd teach asylum seekers every time. They're respectful, polite, willing to learn, hard working, and all of this despite (often) having experienced things that would make grown men weep with despair.

There are cultural differences, yes. There are problems with damaged young people being dropped into an ill-prepared state education system, totally. There are a few "bad apples" seeking to play a system that is put in place solely to assist our fellow human beings, of course. But all this sensationalist nonsense does is appeal to the lowest common denominator. Get a grip Kent Online, and remember your humanity!"

No comments: