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Gypsy Rose Kim
Joined: 08 Dec 2006
Posts: 151
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 Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 12:06 pm Post subject: |
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I might be able to agree that the Japanese police are less than 100% competent, but I wouldn't say they'd work any harder or more efficiently if the defendant were a foreigner.
How do I know this? Surely I am not the only person who's worked at a large, Tokyo Nova branch. Which would mean I'm not the only one who knows a handful of English teachers who've been arrested on drug charges.
Even when there was plenty of evidence available, the police failed to procure it. All of my former acquaintances (arrested at various points over my years in Tokyo) had the charges dropped at the end of their 20-some-odd-day stays in police custody. I could've scrounged up enough evidence to hang all of them in half a day, and I'm no police officer.
I'm not saying my former co-workers should or shouldn't have gone to prison. I'm just saying that the Japanese police work in mysterious ways, and I don't really think they're any harder on foreign criminals than Japanese ones. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 1:25 pm Post subject: |
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| My gripe was with the fact that Glenski wanted this swept under the rug. Hopefully my choice of words this time will meet the requirements of this online discussion. |
I did not want this "swept under the rug". That implies hiding something, and I don't want to hide anything. My concern, as I thought was clear, was with the political ramifications of such a thread. While politics sometimes plays a part in our lives as teachers, in my opinion this is not one of those times, and I was only trying to put forth what I thought was web site policy. It's not my place, since I don't work here, but I felt someone ought to stick up for it. Moderators are very busy.
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| The dialogue here is very similar to a discussion I had with workmates, teachers and administrators alike, regarding the Blackman trial. Some were understanding of the verdict, some quite fired up. Much as it is here. In any case, it is a topic that is on the minds of many English instructors here in Japan. A topic that we would like to discuss and analyze in further detail. Isn't that what this board is all about? |
I'm involved in this exact discussion topic on another forum, not for teachers. Perhaps some of the posters there are teachers; I wouldn't know. However, I would just like to point out 2 things:
1) If you feel this point DOES relate to EFL/ESL teachers or our profession, I'd like to see some discussion on such a point. So far, I don't. As an example, has anyone brought up any concerns about teaching privately in one's home vs. a student's home (perhaps with anecdotes)? Would you like to bring them up?
2) Here and on that other thread, all that seems to be written is the occasional similarity to the OJ case, and there are 2 groups of people (here and there) -- those absolutely in favor of Obara being convicted based on the "evidence" (with quite a bit of saber-rattling about court systems in their own country and how Japan's must be deficient in some way), and those stating that there wasn't enough evidence (what the court has decided and what mere English teachers, including myself, are not qualified to determine, especially since none of us has been in that courtroom privy to all the facts). It's a deadlocked discussion and pretty boring after the first half a dozen threads or so.
I'm glad a moderator has stepped in, simply because it seems that some comments have needed editing (I wouldn't know what they were, but being a moderator myself elsewhere, I can empathize with what it takes to keep topics on track and reasonably civil).
However, I am not really sure what the topic is here. Yes, teachers everywhere in Japan are talking about this case. Who else are you expecting to find on this forum? And, other people are probably discussing it, too. But, as much as this is an ESL forum and we have let a few threads by in the non-teaching category, the forum itself is Employment in Japan. That's my take on this. |
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gaijinalways
Joined: 29 Nov 2005
Posts: 2279
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| Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2007 2:02 pm Post subject: |
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I agree with Glenski that I am surprised this is considered relevant, though from a safety perspective certainly it would be related to our lives in Japan. That and any comparison with justice systems elsewhere is always useful info.
My apoligies Mr. K, it just seems the Japan section could use a offtopic one and since we're getting almost as active as the China one, I don't see why we don't merit one. My impression was that these regular forums were primarily for discussing teaching topics, but I guess other teacher in a foreign country life issues fit into this topic basket as well.
As a parallel, the recent Nova teacher who was killed is a similar situation in that she also went a guy's apartment, even though she thought hima bit odd before she went there. I have women I work with that refuse to teach some Japanese guys who are just a bit too forward in their comments in the midst of lessons. Any other female teachers wish to comment on that related issue? Do you feel comfortable teaching most Japanese males? |
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JimDunlop2
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Posts: 2286
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 12:30 am Post subject: |
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| gaijinalways wrote: |
| it just seems the Japan section could use a offtopic one and since we're getting almost as active as the China one, I don't see why we don't merit one. |
Quite frankly, I don't like the China off-topic one... (I used to have to moderate there too during my short stint as a mod).
Despite a lot of seemingly off-topic posts, when you really look at them, they aren't that off-topic considering they do relate directly to our lives in Japan. But more importantly, if we DID have an off-topic forum, people would think that would give them carte blanche to threadjack any post that was in there. Off-topic forums attract trolls, and that requires a lot more moderation and work on the part on the mod team.
I can understand why the mods don't want to put an off-topic section here. The reason why China has one was mainly out of necessity and not as a matter of privilege. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 12:50 am Post subject: |
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| I agree with Jim. Off-topic posts often degenerate into flame fests that require lots of moderation. Too much for volunteers, at times. |
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gaijinalways
Joined: 29 Nov 2005
Posts: 2279
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| Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 2:07 pm Post subject: |
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| The reason why China has one was mainly out of necessity and not as a matter of privilege. |
Thanx guys for that explanation, I didn't realize that the China forum was that 'raw'. I got the impression that their off-topic forum was just a lot freer in the range of topics allowed.
Anyway, my question still stands, do the female teachers generally feel comfortable teaching Japanese males? |
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