<p>I had more problems in Europe three decades ago when no one assumed I was an American 
Of all countries we should embrace diversity and be curious about ancestry. It won’t be that many generations, unless there is a mass immigration, that we will all be a mosh pit of ancestry. My H is many, many generations in the US so my kids are affectionately called the “mutts” by my side of the family, and we will all be that way in the not so far future.</p>
<p>I’m not a huge fan of excessive political correctness either, but I don’t think it is excessive in this case, unless the OP accuses the teacher of racism, tries to get him fired over it, or considers himself deeply persecuted. Instead, the OP just seems somewhat troubled by it - which seems appropriate to me.</p>
<p>Look, I’ve got a pretty ordinary name, so this has never happened to me. But even if I didn’t, as a white woman, even as a white Jewish woman, I can walk around pretty confident that most people automatically assume I am a regular old American. No one wonders where I am from, or expects me - whether with malice or not - to justify my being here. That means that if someone did question where I were from, it wouldn’t be threatening to me.</p>
<p>I believe it is different for people of more obvious minority backgrounds, who frequently face the assumption that they aren’t born here, or are expected to be token representatives of their race. Because of this history, yes, people are going to be touchy about such questions, and the rest of us should be careful to only ask when it is appropriate. It isn’t much if one substitute did it - but imagine if you face this question ALL THE TIME, in the same way that sseamom has repeatedly faced assumptions that she is not her daughter’s biological mother.</p>
<p>As to your hypothetical of a Nigerian teacher, Bay, the context is different in that case, because there would be a purpose behind the question. Even if the teacher were white, if he asked ONE student about where she was from, and then replied “Neat! I work at the American office of a non-profit based in Nigeria,” I wouldn’t think anything of it. Same with multicultural events, or actual conversation about national origin. But randomly asking students with foreign-sounding names where they are from for apparently no purpose isn’t celebrating diversity, it is just creating difference.</p>
<p>So now creating “a difference” is wrong. Interesting. I’m curious where some of you posters are from (lol meaning live right now). Here in CA, we evolved beyond post-colonial otherness long ago. The stuff that some people on this thread consternate about just doesn’t happen here much, other than out of sincere interest and curiosity.</p>
<p>What struck me was that the teacher asked the black and brown students and not the Asian or white students. My daughter (adopted from China) goes to a test-in high school in NYC with many East and South Asian students. The first week of school she got involved in a discussion with a group of boys about their attitudes about the police. Very, very big differences stemming from personal experience by the South Asian boys of being questioned because of their color.</p>
<p>No high school kid wants to be called out on his/her differences, nor to be called upon to be a spokesperson for his/her group.</p>
<p>It’s not creating a difference, it’s noticing a difference and nothing suggested that the attention was negative apart from the OP’s reaction. I don’t think it’s realistic to demand people never ask someone who appears to be from somewhere else where they are from. Around here it’s a pretty common conversation starter.</p>
<p>If you look up my last name in “Who’s Who in America,” those listed are just about evenly split between Irish-Catholics and Jews. </p>
<p>When I was in law school, I interviewed for summer jobs. I didn’t have a clue that ethnicity mattered. I went to an on-campus interview for a firm that seemed to have the sort of practice I was interested in. I got a “call back.” At the firm’s expense, I flew to NYC for an interview. I met several different partners. One explained that everyone gave 10% of his or her income to UJA. I was puzzled and asked, “What’s UJA?” The partner said “You are not Jewish, are you?” Startled, I truthfully answered “no.” He excused himself. I then heard him screaming a few offices down at the senior associate who had invited me back, “She’s not even Jewish, you idiot!!!” </p>
<p>Needless to say, I did not get an offer. </p>
<p>I went to work for another big city NYC firm which was politically connected. I soon learned that there was a powerful NYC politician of ANOTHER ethnicity (neither Irish nor Jewish) whose last name is pronounced the same way as mine, but spelled differently. He has a D with the same first name as mine. After a few rather embarrassing incidents, I realized that many clients thought I was his daughter. After that, I always introduced myself as the equivalent of “Jonri__J-O-N-R-I, NOT J-O-N-R-E-E.” Of course, half the people I did this to thought this was really weird. The other half would say “So, you’re not [his elected title] Jonree’s daughter?” “Nope, we’re not even the same ethnicity.”</p>
<p>I guess I’m trying to explain that while the sub the OP had didn’t ask white people about their ethnicity, (s)he shouldn’t assume nobody does.</p>
<p>Kids around where we live seem quite proud of their heritage. With all the multi-cultural emphasis and celebrating diversity events in our schools, talking about it doesn’t seem to be an issue here.</p>
<p>Teachers should not ask personal questions in front of the whole class. If you see him again tell him it is annoying- he may not realize what he has done. If the discussion pertains to certain parts of the world a teacher can ask if anyone has that background AND IS WILLING to share.</p>
<p>I kept my long hard to pronounce last name when I was married- H’s almost as long and different. I am fascinated with names and often ask clerks in the grocery store what ethnicity their name is.</p>
<p>As to where you are from. H is an Asian Indian immigrant. When asked (at a bar- in his single days) where he was from he told me he would say the name of the suburb he lived in, knowing full well they meant his origins. He also would play on the word “Indian” used for the local Native Americans.</p>
<p>I was annoyed when bank and store clerks would address other customers as Mr./Mrs. so and so but use my first name because they were afraid to try to pronounce it. They would use the familiar instead of formal but also annoyed me with the formal first name, not the nickname form I go by. Irritating for strangers to do. If the bank has a formal last name policy it should apply to all. You have to know the first name used if you are going for informality. How to make friendliness policies backfire.</p>
<p>When son was in kindergarten his class had two immigrant Hispanics for whom the district had a translator. The translator was new and I was volunteering one day while the class had phy ed- went to ask the teacher something while the translator tried to figure out who to translate for- he looked directly at my son, who of course is only English speaking. We also had to fill out forms since H’s native language is not English although he has a better command of it than 90% of native born Americans. He learned 3 languages (plus some of others) and alphabets. We can have fun using our last names and an otherwise politically incorrect phrase accurately (would love to share but too identifying).</p>
<p>Americans have a fascination with ethnic roots, perhaps because of the many places people claim in their ancestry unlike more uniform Old World countries. We say we are xyz when we mean some of our ancestors came from there. The more countries we claim (and the further from our roots we are) the less important that becomes. My 1/8 is 1/16th for my son. I once had an elderly patient named Smith (or Jones) who said he was from the old country when I was working in Indiana. He did not have a British accent so I asked him where he was from- he said Virginia! I was used to Europe being the old country like it was in Wisconsin. Was reminded of my HS history.</p>
<p>I don’t really have a problem discussing ethnicity with my peers, or even teachers I know well. Ironically, no one i know well has ever asked me that question. However this is the second time I have been asked by a complete stranger substitute. It has been the same scenario both times. The first time, it was math class and I was the ONLY student asked. </p>
<p>Long story short, my friends don’t care, my regular teachers don’t care, but random strangers care? I don’t get it.</p>
<p>Subs usually do need to kill time.</p>
<p>Maybe it is a compliment. Some cultures value individualism, others abhor it and strive for everyone to be the same. Someone from an individualism-valuing background may think that you stand out due to your name and appearance, and make a verbal note of it. Doing this does seem to offend others who prefer to live a uniform life.</p>
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<p>Yep. I subbed for a preschool class once. I had a name song that you go around and insert all the kids names individually. It knocked at least 10 or more minutes off the clock. Lol</p>
<p>Only under the following conditions:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>It is relevant to the course(i.e. US History…especially discussing history of immigration).</p></li>
<li><p>Students are notified beforehand that they have the right to refuse to answer.</p></li>
<li><p>No students of certain ethnicities/races or weird names are singled out. EVERY STUDENT is asked. </p></li>
<li><p>Teacher participates him/herself if he/she asks the question. Exemptions here would be a manifest sign of hypocrisy here.</p></li>
<li><p>Teacher/substitute…and moreso admins are very mindful of the fact they have comparatively greater power in the teacher/admin-student relationship.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Incidentally, I did have a White-looking US history teacher in HS who got on everyone’s cases for asking about her ethnicity out of curiosity after she recounted how her family went through Ellis Island and how their D(her) ended up with a PhD. </p>
<p>However, she never posed such a question to us so she IMO was well within her rights.</p>
<p>So what happens if a sub breaks one of those rules, cobrat?</p>
<p>Bay, I would say that the sub should be called in and told not to do it again.</p>
<p>I am white, of northern European ancestry. My last name is unusual. I am asked about it ALL the time. I’m asked how to pronounce it, what the ethnicity is, etc. That doesn’t bother me at all. I usually give a mini-lesson in the construction of Finnish names, and explain why mine is unusual. (My mother and I are currently the only people in the US with this name.) One could hypothesize that the fact that it doesn’t bother me is due to white privilege: I ASSUME that there is no ill intent. I know people of color who have become upset by similar questioning. Their assumptions are different.</p>
<p>When I was in school, by age 6 I grew accustomed to the teacher running through the class list and then stopping dead at my name, taking a closer look at the page, making a stumbling attempt to sound it out, and then looking helplessly up. I got to the point where I simply raised my hand as soon as they paused. Teachers and others have often asked me if I know any of the language (I don’t, unfortunately). And so forth.</p>
<p>What DOES irritate me are the people who dismissively say, “I’m not even going to TRY to pronounce that!” In fact, my name is pronounced exactly the way it is spelled, that’s the irony.</p>
<p>So I would suggest that you not assume that it is all about race. Nevertheless, I think that the substitute handled the whole thing in a very weird way.</p>
<p>BTW, I really, really object to the concept of only certain types of names being “American.” This is a nation of immigrants. ALL names are American names!</p>
<p>Sweetcupcake: The sub was out of line. There is no reason for the sub to be more or less forcing a chosen few to answer questions about their ethnicity in front of the entire class.</p>
<p>Regarding all the side-topics that have been mentioned regarding ethnicity, it can also work the other way. My married name is European and I’m white, but when I say that my daughter is a certain other ethnicity (especially when answering the ethnicity question for college apps), she and I get challenged on how its possible. I’m not always in the mood to defend the family tree.</p>
<p>It feels counter-intuitive to me, to make classroom discussion about students’ backgrounds a disciplinable offense, but it could be because I grew up in, and currently reside in very ethnically diverse places, where people of every ethnicity are either presumed to be American, or that no one in the classroom really cares whether one actually is an American citizen or not. I suppose if I grew up in a place where being of my particular heritage was a liability, I might want to hide it.</p>
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<p>I had a 6th grade teacher with whom I and several other classmates had a heated back and forth for the first month because he insisted on everyone pronouncing his Italian surname perfectly while having no issues with butchering the pronunciations of other names including my own. </p>
<p>It got to the point we went to the principal who upon being notified and understanding the rank hypocrisy, promptly put him in his place. He no longer insisted on us pronouncing his name perfectly and he made a much better effort at not butchering our surnames. </p>
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<p>In this case, I think it’s more about the way the teacher went about asking it, the venue/context, and the fact he singled out only certain students rather than the entire class. Not necessarily that someone’s trying to hide their heritage.</p>
<p>I don’t think, of course, that it’s a matter of trying to “hide it.” If the sub asks some people and not others, he’s drawing a line. It’s not random. Lots of stories here about white people with unusual names being asked, but this sub did not do that. He only asked the darker kids.</p>
<p>I think it’s being deliberately disingenuous for those who say there’s no meaning there. It isn’t a matter of being PC or not. It’s a matter of treating everyone as equivalent, or not. No one’s asking for a discipline offense, just an acknowledgement of the fact that the sub was, in fact, sort of clueless. Especially going on to ask her about terrorism in Nigeria. This isn’t a cocktail party, it’s school, where the student and sub not on an equal platform to begin with.</p>