Job Discussion Forums

[rxfaith]

I've heard some stories and experienced something interesting with Tom K (Mod edit)....just wondering if it's a fluke that they employ mainly 'white' people or if the rumors are true that they are somewhat prejudice.

Anyone have any stories?

[trapezius]

True. I experienced it, even though my degrees are from the US (BS + MS). But since I have brown skin, I didn't receive any kind of response, even though on the phone when I called, "they" told me that I would be called to Riyadh for an interview. Forget the interview... "they" even forgot I had applied, so I called again in 2 weeks, and then "they" told me to send the application again!!!

And get this: my cover letter is a multi-page document, and my picture is on the 2nd page. "They" said "they" couldn't find my pic in my application. And I kept on telling "them" that it is on the 2nd page of the cover letter, but apparently, "they" could only see the 1st page, and never bothered to scroll down... but why couldn't "they" just hit print, and all 3 pages would have come out??? When I called back in 2 weeks, "they" were still going on about not finding the pic in my application (but "they" didn't bother to contact me "them"selves about it... which means had I not called, nothing would have happened) So I sent the same document again, that I hadn't touched since I had sent it initially, and then "they" magically found my pic!!! Doesn't bode too well for the school, does it? Perhaps "they" had called in a grade 5 student to "their" office, and the student helped "them" locate page 2

But after that, "they" again just forgot that I had applied, and I never heard from "them." Two weeks to locate my picture on page 2, but for what, if "they" weren't gonna even look at me??? Very professional, isn't it? Oh I know, once "they" saw the unfortunate brown hue of my skin, "they" dropped me like a hat. But then again, "they" could have easily guessed from my name that I have brown skin and not played me around... but as clear by now, "they" ain't too bright! In the meantime, the threads (see paragraph below) about KFS started appearing on here, and after reading people's accounts, I sure as hell wasn't gonna accept even if they did respond.

There are several threads about KFS here. Search for them. They are all from the time when they were recruiting. Some even started by supporters of the school, obviously the ones favoured by the admin and "them". Even "they" responded


So, what is your story? Bet you can't beat mine!

[rxfaith]

Interesting story.....and yeah i don't think we can beat it.

well my husband sent out an email applying to one of the jobs posted....the person in charge must have been online at that time because within about 15 minutes we got an email saying they'd like to hire him to teach there and asked for a phone number and best time to reach and wanted to talk to my husband within the next day or 2 since the school year was starting....so we emailed back right away telling Tom K when to call and we never heard from him....later in the week he sent an email saying he's having a hard time getting through??? then we got an email 2 weeks later from him basically saying 'sorry no time to issue a visa'....our guess is that after he saw my husband's picture and realized he had a beard and didn't necessarily look 'white' he then changed his mind.

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'

interesting isn't it?

[scot47]

There are other employers in KSA. Would you WANT to work for people like this ? Regard it as a lucky escape.

[kai.logan1]

[rxfaith]

scot...i agree, definitely a blessing

this happened just a few months ago

[007]

[kai.logan1]

How does the fact that they "only hire native English speakers" or the fact that a picture shows white men mean that it is a racist organization?

[veiledsentiments]

I see that you are in Korea... have you ever lived or worked in the Middle East? If you had, you wouldn't need to ask that question. Places here openly discriminate by skin color in English teachers. Many managements and even more so the students have the perception that they can only learn English from a white face...

And then many of the ones who will hire non-native speakers often only do so in order to pay them less. No 'equal opportunity commissions' here...

It looks like stereotypical racism to me... also a fact of life in this part of the world.

VS

[kai.logan1]

No, I haven't taught in the Middle East yet, but that's not to say I was born yesterday. All I'm saying is that nobody here has mentioned any solid proof of discrimination on their part.

Simply being turned down a job offer does not mean that you were discriminated against.

-Thanks for the info though.

[veiledsentiments]

This happens repeatedly in the Gulf and repeatedly at this school... and has for years.

One wonders why you are jumping in here to defend the indefensible...

VS

[007]

[Cleopatra]

As VS said, students - and occasionally employers - are quite open about the fact that they prefer white teachers (the word "Western" is sometimes used as a euphemism). Racist behaviour - mainly by the locals but all too often by expats too - is taken as a sad fact of life by anyone who has spent more than five minutes in this part of the world.

I may have related this anecdote before, but a colleague of mine walked into a classroom to find a group of students busy designing a poster declaring their unwillingness to be taught by "Indians". And these were wealthy young women who were widely travelled and quite sophisticated by Saudi standards.

[007]

[rxfaith]