<p>I too think it’s inappropriate. The sub isn’t just asking about the name. He is singling out only certain students, and ASSUMING that non-American SOUNDING names are from somewhere else. It’s assigning an “otherness” that isn’t necessary. But he doesn’t stop there. He goes on to question the students with “otherness” names about their “country of origin” even though it might be parents or grandparents who are from there, while the student was born here.</p>
<p>It’s not the end of the world, but it’s not ok either. It’s like when people used to look at my D and ask, “What is she”? Um…Or the time someone asked “Where did you get her?” Sure, people don’t mean any harm and they’re trying to be conversational, but it’s rude to ask such questions. My D is not a “what” and I “got” her by giving birth. Biracial people exist but that concept seems to elude people.</p>
<p>Assuming some but not all students are immigrants is just rude. I’d talk to the regular teacher about it, OP.</p>
<p>As part of a general “celebration” of multi-culturalism, my kids were frequently asked in school to do projects that involved identifying their cultural heritage. We lived in a very international area. It was always cast as a positive. In fact, it was the kids who were many-generations-American with northern European roots who felt awkward and unsure how to represent their “cultural heritage.”</p>
<p>I think this sub’s behavior was inappropriate–not in that he expressed interest and curiosity about the diversity of cultures in the classroom, but that he seems to have been confrontational and to have made the students feel awkward.</p>
<p>However, I certainly think it may be appropriate in other circumstances to discuss students’ ethnicities.</p>
<p>This. My D is a virtual clone of me, except for her coloring. When she was littler, I got asked what kind she was and where I got her from all the time. Her other parent, who resembles her only in coloring, is always assumed to be her biological parent (despite not being genetically related at all).</p>
<p>It does seem that the sub was likely sincerely interested, but showed questionable judgement for asking in that context. </p>
<p>My last name is Polish but many people assume it is Japanese before they meet me. In fact, I’ve met or read of several Japanese people whose names are very similar to mine. When I got my first job…the old days, with only a telephone interview…everyone assumed I was going to be Japanese and were they surprised when this blonde white lady showed up!</p>
<p>My maiden name is unusual and I got asked about it a lot. I personally have always felt that life is too short and there are too many other great things going on to be offended by such a thing. Now, if I was called a racially charged name, that would be different. But as the OP related it, I wouldn’t even waste a minute of negative energy on it. The OP obviously feels differently.</p>
<p>Personally I think this “fear” of offending someone is why we have a stalemate in government. What a horrible thing that someone can’t express interest in something that is not common. No one in the senate or congress feels comfortable saying what they really think or ask questions they really want to ask for fear of offending someone or some group. We are in a really horrible period in our history. I have an unusual first name and maiden name and I enjoy it when people ask me about that name and the heritage and don’t find it offensive what-so-ever. The OP needs to look deep and find out why he/she is so bothered.</p>
<p>Maybe it is you who have the problem. Not everyone thinks that those who immigrated to the US from other places are “others” or “exotic.” Many of us just think they are lucky to have interesting backgrounds. </p>
<p>I have an unusual birthplace that is not apparent from my appearance. When the subject of where people were born comes up, I enjoy being able to tell my story. It doesn’t make me feel like an “other.”</p>
<p>My boss has a name that is a very common word in italian cuisine. Think pasta. However, he is Pakistani and he and his kids get asked about that all the time. Because he isn’t the type of person to seek out or manufacture offense over little things, he has had many great conversations with strangers over his name and ethnicity. Additionally, he likes people to see nice Pakistani Muslim people who are professional people with adorable kids and aren’t planning suicide bombings. He thinks his name/ethnicity combo is a great ice breaker.</p>
<p>The correct answer to the question of “where are you from?” is the name of the town where you were born. IF you were born in the US, just say “Oh, me? Philadelphia.”</p>
<p>Just refuse to answer the implied question which is: “why aren’t you white anglo-saxon protestant?” My husband is an absolute master at this – He proudly volunteers the name of the New Jersey suburb where he was born, and when he’s asked “No, what Are you?” or some variant thereof, he answers “Oh, me? I’m American. America’s pretty diverse these days. Just ask Barack Obama.” or something along those lines. </p>
<p>I think you need to stand up to the teacher and politely but firmly (and multiple times), make the point that you too are American – because America belongs to all of us.</p>
<p>I live in NYC where many people have cherished ancestral histories. We have parades and festivals, which are quite wonderful. I have no remembered ancestral culture beyond American, and I always felt less because of that. I wanted to be Puerto Rican, but I am Wonder Bread American. But ethnicity questions come up often and who cares anyway.</p>
<p>If the gorgeous mosaic is a good thing, which it certainly is, then being asked about your own beautiful piece shouldn’t be divisive and cause for people to be unpleasant.</p>
<p>apprenticeprof: Could you (or anyone else :)) possibly discuss the concepts of othering, exoticising and post-colonial theory using the OP’s post for illustration? In a short paragraph?</p>
<p>Subbing isn’t easy. Giving your teacher some feedback to share should help the substitute. Since it was a government class it seems more topical to talk about what is going on in country than in a physics class. The sub may have been trying to show students that he knew the subject. It sounds like it backfired with you.</p>
<p>"Just refuse to answer the implied question which is: “why aren’t you white anglo-saxon protestant?”</p>
<p>I don’t believe this is the implied question at least not here. The implied question(s) here are things like “are you Dominican, Colombian or Puerto Rican?” “Are you Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi?” “Are you from down south or Liberia?” And in my immediate neighborhood “are you Sicilian or Italian.”</p>
<p>My bio grandma did this at my cousin’s wedding (referring to my aunt, from LA, who is Asian):
Grandma: “Where’s X from?”
Cousin: “LA”
Grandma: “But no, where’s she <em>really</em> from?”
Cousin: “I’m pretty sure she was born and raised in LA…” </p>
<p>That’s not OK as what my Grandma was getting at was that she wasn’t <em>really</em> “from” here (ironic considering my grandmother is an immigrant but whatever) due to her being Asian. However, I think that’s different than what this sub did. </p>
<p>I think people are too easily offended sometimes. I’d love to talk about my heritage but no one asks because I’m white and my name is Irish O’Irish even though I’m like 1/32 Irish :/</p>
<p>If the sub was black with a Nigerian accent, would OP be calling him out on the question? It might be helpful to imagine that scenario in order to check yourself as to whether you might be the one making inappropriate assumptions about the sub and his intentions.</p>
<p>I always get confused on the “Where are you from” question as to whether I’m supposed to answer “Ann Arbor” or the appropriate foreign country. Usually I answer “Ann Arbor” and if that’s not what they meant they’ll say.</p>
<p>I’ve never been offended or bothered by the question. It doesn’t matter.</p>
<p>“Subbing isn’t easy. Giving your teacher some feedback to share should help the substitute. Since it was a government class it seems more topical to talk about what is going on in country than in a physics class. The sub may have been trying to show students that he knew the subject. It sounds like it backfired with you.”</p>
<p>I see your point, and Subbing definitely isn’t easy. But in this case, he was subbing for a well behaved AP Class. Our teacher left Very specific instructions on the work we needed to complete. I don’t think he didn’t need to demonstrate knowledge of the subject; he needed to pass out the worksheets and let us work quietly. Instead, he didn’t give us our work
he spent the class time asking students (what I consider to be) irrelevant questions, and then rambling about idioms.</p>
<p>Parent here. My honest opinion is that the substitute was killing time. He probably wasn’t familiar with the subject. I don’t think this is or isn’t a commentary on political correctness. My kids are half east Indian and half black (blendian lol). Just yesterday I was in a store and a stranger (who happened to be black) asked if my baby was Mexican… A stranger nonetheless. Personally I think the sub should have just read the names and moved on.</p>