Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Draven]

For the most part, I've been pretty happy in my present work situation. However, in the last several days, two events occurred which have made me rethink my loyalty.
First, my company is looking for a new teacher and posted an ad on Dave's job board. Quite accidently, some coworkers and I came across the ad and found it to be quite agreeable. Initially, we didn't know it was for our hagwon. The contract terms were quite attractive and it explicitly stated no Saturday classes, which has been about the only real bone of contention with the foreign staff. Our supervisor happened by and commented that we were looking at an ad for our own workplace.
Now, our supervisor is kind and honest, and we confronted him about the no Saturday classes provision. He told us that the director was lying in the ad, that he had argued with the director about it, but ultimately the director placed the ad anyway. The plan is to reveal to the new teacher that he has to work Saturdays upon arrival.
Moral of the story: If you're applying for work at a hagwon, it is your responsibility to talk to the other foreigners that work there. We (speaking specifically of the staff at our hagwon) won't lie for our company and you'll get the truth.
The second event was that my school actually had someone interested in the job. The director saw and liked her resume and was pleased after a phone interview. They offered her a contract. The next day they recieved an email with her picture attached. Turns out she's black. They didn't know this previously and rescinded the job offer immediately. Because of her race.
Today I'm sad and disheartened... I find these actions unconscionable. Needless to say, I'm rethinking my status with this company.

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

Well, let's tackle the last one first.

Schools do not hire black people because it is bad for business. It has nothing to do with racism by the boss. But the fact is, and the bottom line is, if you have "hagwon A" with a black teacher, and "hagwon B" with a white teacher, guess which school parents chose to spend big bucks on for their kids to learn English?

I personally think it's not fair, but that's just the economics.

Hagwon owners do not make schools so they can lose money. They are in business.

Now for the first one:

Any teacher who gets a job should always check it out first and insist on talking to a teacher who works there.

if the school does not let you talk to any teachers there, it's a safe bet it's not worth going to.

And if any teacher lies to me about a job and then I find out after I am there with contract signed, etc....you will see one big whining wall collapsing all around you....

[mokpochica]

I don't know about the whole economics thing--it may be true that some parents would prefer not to send their child to that hagwon, but it is not the case that a hagwon with a black teacher can't get students at all. Also, if I were the director I would feel it were my job to talk to parents who had a problem with the race of a teacher and try to give a little good PR to my school and the teacher (focusing on qualifications, etc.).

I know a few Koreans that have studied with black teachers and aside from saying, 'oh, my teacher is black' I didn't notice that the found anything remarkable about it. Maybe that's because the more mature and open-minded people are the ones that stick around the hagwon. And maybe that could be a good thing for the school.

I think that we should sometimes give Korean people a little more credit--a lot of them could be more worldly and open-minded if given the chance. I'm not saying all, but a lot--and some of them are even eager to get to know different kinds of people. And I think that a lot of Korean people don't change their 'racist' feelings because they aren't given the chance to meet and get to know people from other countries.

[Korea Newfie]

[Draven]

[sonofthedarkstranger]

"Schools do not hire black people because it is bad for business. It has nothing to do with racism by the boss. But the fact is, and the bottom line is, if you have "hagwon A" with a black teacher, and "hagwon B" with a white teacher, guess which school parents chose to spend big bucks on for their kids to learn English?"

Ah, I see!! So it is not racist to discriminate against blacks if your reason for doing so is that it is bad for business. Very interesting.

[cheem]

[sonofthedarkstranger]

I suppose it depends on how you define a racist. However you choose to do so, I think what is being described here is unquestionably racial discrimination, and therefore a racist act. Can one perpetrate a racist act and not be a racist? If one knowingly chooses a course of action that further legitimizes a racist mindset, can we say in any meaning ful way that that person is not a racist? I have a hard time seeing how we can.

[cheem]

That is a good point. I suppose my definition of "racist" is focussed more on one's outlook. Hypothetically speaking, if I owned a hogwan and was faced with the choice between hiring exclusively white instructors or going bankrupt (again hypothetically), I would opt for the former rather than the latter. I'd do this and be comfortable knowing that I'm not a bigot and that "back home" I wouldn't have to resort to such measures. In this case, or any case, I'd be devastated if someone were to call me a racist.