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trapezius
Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 1670
Location: Land of Culture of Death & Destruction
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trapezius
Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 1670
Location: Land of Culture of Death & Destruction
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 Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 7:55 am Post subject: |
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| a friend of my husband's was actually in Saudi and went there to interview with them and was ACTUALLY told he couldn't be hired b/c he was brown....he was told 'don't you know that our head of the english department is Tom blah' |
Are you serious? They just flat out told him that because he is BROWN, they couldn't hire him, and directly like that? 
And what did they mean by what you quoted in your 2nd sentence? Umm, yeah... so? That would have been my answer. But seriously, what did they mean?
"don't you know that our head of the english department is Tom blah... and he is racist"
"don't you know that our head of the english department is Tom blah... and he hires only white people"
"don't you know that our head of the english department is Tom blah... and he doesn't like brown/black people"
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rxfaith
Joined: 26 Jul 2007
Posts: 71
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| Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 10:37 am Post subject: |
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| trapezius wrote: |
| Quote: |
| a friend of my husband's was actually in Saudi and went there to interview with them and was ACTUALLY told he couldn't be hired b/c he was brown....he was told 'don't you know that our head of the english department is Tom blah' |
Are you serious? They just flat out told him that because he is BROWN, they couldn't hire him, and directly like that?
And what did they mean by what you quoted in your 2nd sentence? Umm, yeah... so? That would have been my answer. But seriously, what did they mean?
"don't you know that our head of the english department is Tom blah... and he is racist"
"don't you know that our head of the english department is Tom blah... and he hires only white people"
"don't you know that our head of the english department is Tom blah... and he doesn't like brown/black people"
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My husband's friend is totally not one to make up stories. He was told b/c he was brown he couldn't be hired...yes, I"m serious. What did they mean by 'don't you know that our head is Tom blah?' I'd guess all of the above |
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rxfaith
Joined: 26 Jul 2007
Posts: 71
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| Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 2:32 am Post subject: |
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interestingly enough my husband was contacted by another school that said they wanted to conduct a phone interview. They asked for another picture b/c the one we sent was too dark. We took another pic and haven't heard from them even though they said they'd call last week. For now I won't mention the school and I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that perhaps they're busy...but my gut tells me they're not going to call.
Amazing what some facial hair does to these people |
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007
Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 2684
Location: UK/Veteran of the Magic Kingdom
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| Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 9:14 am Post subject: |
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| rxfaith wrote: |
interestingly enough my husband was contacted by another school that said they wanted to conduct a phone interview. They asked for another picture b/c the one we sent was too dark. We took another pic and haven't heard from them even though they said they'd call last week. For now I won't mention the school and I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that perhaps they're busy...but my gut tells me they're not going to call.
Amazing what some facial hair does to these people |
Don't worry Rxfaith, this is the nature of the Saudi administration, they keep things at the last minute, and sometimes they loose contact with candidates.
BTW, next time when your husband send his picture, just tell him to put contact lenses with Blue or Green colour, and trim his beard to look like Uncle Bandar�s one, then I think he will be accepted!  |
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tomboy666
Joined: 15 Nov 2005
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 7:34 pm Post subject: |
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Was just told about these posts...I was also warned by friends (colleagues, of all colours) that i shouldn't reply. However, what I read here by all but Kai.logan made me a little ill. So let me have my say, although i am sure you career posters will not let it stand for long:
1) The King Faisal School has around 90 teachers, around 12 of whom are white (whatever that means.) The others are every other colour.
2) Saudi Arabian schools (like most countries in asia) prefer to have some 'white' staff in their schools to show they can attract people of all ethnicities.
3) I hire people I am told to hire by my boss. I have never refused to hire someone because he was black, brown or any other colour. I have repeatedly asked for the ability to hire Indian and Filipino teachers, though, and have been told flat that the kids would not allow it.
4) The school prefers not to hire people who are strictly religious because it is worried about the muttawa attacking their use of multimedia in the classroom.
That having been said, do you guys / gals really think spreading all this muck around is professional? It is laughable that somehow I am racist and that before I came schools all over Saudi were happily hiring people on an even-handed basis. No-one seems to mind the lack of female hires (another area where I have tried to move the school) or other cultural imperatives. Does the King Faisal School like to have a balanced mix of ethnicites? Yes, as it wants to be a national-school alternative to students who want Arabic and Islamic Studies but want western-style education. is this my policy? Nope. Am I going to resign in protest? No.
1) If you are not part of the system you can't change it
2) I have a duty of care to the students
I realise I have been at KFS for 5 years and so become a target as I represent the school in various forms, but by people making it personal it really shows a lack of understanding about what the system is in Saudi (for national schools) and a lack of any attempt to get better informed.
Just to repeat - I have never had the power to hire anyone I like. Is the school, racist? Of course; mainly by paying its Arabic-origin teachers too little. This is the case across the country. I have opposed it rom the beginning.
I don't really expect to be given a break, but I repeat the offer I made on 'davesesl' before: visit the school, I will show you around. See the school, warts and all. I have never (just check the posts) said KFS was perfect ... but have any of you visited a normal Saudi national school? Do it, and compare.
I am sure some posters are disgruntled applicants, and I understand that. Others have heard terrible stories. I can tell you that very little of what I read here is true. What is definitely true is that 40% of our students are spoiled rotten. The rest include some of the nicest kids I have had the chance to work with.
This is Tom K by the way...just in case you guys left me shrouded in too much anonymity...
(MOD lock: both sides have had their say) |
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