Plan B Forum

US SPORTS TELEVISION network ESPN has apologised for using a racial slur in a headline for a story on basketball star Jeremy Lin.

ESPN ran the headline “Chink in the Armor” on its mobile website after Lin had nine turnovers in the New York Knicks’ loss to the New Orleans Hornets in their NBA clash on Friday night.

The offensive headline could be seen on mobile and tablet devices before it was later removed.

Lin is the NBA’s first American-born player of Chinese or Taiwanese descent who’s unexpected dominance on the court sparked a seven-game winning streak and led him taking on a cult following, or ‘Linsanity’, akin to that enjoyed by American football star and devout Christian Tim Tebow.

ESPN said in a statement yesterday that it removed the headline 35 minutes after it was posted.

The network said it is “conducting a complete review of our cross-platform editorial procedures and are determining appropriate disciplinary action to ensure this does not happen again. We regret and apologise for this mistake.”

The story was first reported by Outsports.com which has a screengrab of the controversial headline.

The mother of a seven-year-old boy was told to sign a school form admitting he was racist after he asked another pupil about the colour of his skin.

Elliott Dearlove had asked a five-year-old boy in the playground whether he was ‘brown because he was from Africa’.

His mother, Hayley White, 29, said she received a phone call last month to say her son had been at the centre of a ‘racist incident’.

She was then summoned to a meeting with Elliott, his teacher and the deputy head of Griffin Primary School in Hull.

Ms White, an NHS healthcare assistant, said: ‘When I arrived at the school and asked Elliott what had happened, he became extremely upset.

'He kept saying to me, “I was just asking a question. I didn’t mean it to be nasty” and he was extremely distressed by it all.’

Ms White claimed she was asked at the meeting to read a copy of the school rules and in particular its zero-tolerance policy on racism.

‘I was told I would have to sign a form acknowledging my son had made a racist remark which would be submitted to the local education authority for further investigation,’ she said.

‘I refused to sign it and I told the teacher in no way did I agree the comment was racist. My son is inquisitive. He always likes to ask questions, but that doesn’t make him a racist.’

The school had launched an investigation after the younger boy told his mother about Elliott’s comment and she complained.

Ms White, who lives in a three-bedroom house with her son and nine-year-old daughter Olivia, has now applied to have Elliott moved from the school.

She claimed she was told there were places at nearby Thanet Primary School, but the council informed her last Friday that this was not the case.

‘I am going to appeal against this decision because I think Elliott is being victimised,’ she said.

Karl Turner, Labour MP for Kingston upon Hull East, last night insisted that the school and Hull City Council had a statutory duty to take racism seriously.

‘However, having spoken to Hayley, I’m satisfied that her seven-year-old son, Elliott, was not being racist in his remarks but just inquisitive,’ he said.

‘It seems the matter has been taken out of all proportion and common sense seems to have gone completely out of the window.’

In a statement, Griffin Primary head teacher Janet Adamson said the school had acted ‘in accordance with the council’s guidance for schools on the reporting of racist incidents’.

Vanessa Harvey-Samuel, head of localities and learning at Hull City Council, said: ‘There is a statutory duty to report any incident that is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person.’

Last year, it was revealed that teachers are branding thousands of children racist or homophobic following playground squabbles.

More than 20,000 pupils aged 11 or younger were put on record for so-called hate crimes such as using the word ‘gaylord’.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z1mrsEEke2



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z1mrs1n3h3

More than 20,000 pupils aged 11 or younger were put on record for so-called hate crimes such as using the word ‘gaylord’.

Jeremy Lin headline slur was ‘honest mistake,’ fired ESPN editor Anthony Federico claims

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baske ... z1my2SxYUp

ITV were forced to apologise today after a reporter covering a Downing Street football racism summit twice referred to black players as 'coloured'.

Richard Pallot was talking about the lack of black managers in the game when he made the mistake.

ITV admitted that the report - recorded in advance of the 1.30pm news - should have been more carefully checked before it was broadcast.

The journalist was covering the summit held by David Cameron on racism in football with leading black footballers including John Barnes and Jason Roberts.

Mr Cameron said in Parliament today that there are 'worrying' signs that racism is creeping back into football.

Following the ITV broadcast, dozens of viewers objected to the uses of the term 'coloured' on Twitter.

In modern times, it has come to be considered offensive because it classes everyone who is not white as being the same.

The incident happened after Alan Hansen was forced to apologise for using the same word on Match of the Day.

The pundit, who reportedly earns £40,000 a show, said 'coloured' twice during the BBC1 programme as he talked about racism in the game in December.

After Mr Pallot used the same term, one Twitter user wrote to ITV: 'When was it okay to use the word coloured? And to make it worse is that you were talking about racism!'

Others who attended the summit included former executive deputy chairman of Millwall FC Heather Rabbatts, left, general secretary of the Premier League Nic Coward, and Reading FC footballer Jason Roberts

Others who attended the summit included former executive deputy chairman of Millwall FC Heather Rabbatts, left, general secretary of the Premier League Nic Coward, and Reading FC footballer Jason Roberts

Another person said: 'Why do the itv news keep saying "coloured" when they mean black. It's a bit uncomfortable to listen to..'

An ITV spokeswoman said they were sorry and the recording should never have gone out.

'ITV News apologises for the inappropriate use of the word "coloured" in a report on racism and football in today’s News at 1.30,' she said.

'We take this error very seriously and we regret any offence caused.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z1n92nVL00

dgs49 wrote:Is it offensive when you refer to an Englishman as a Brit?

Why isn't he referred to as an Engllishman? Scots are called Scots. Ulstermen are called Ulstermen. Welsh are called Welsh.

Why are Englishmen called Brits?

dgs49 wrote:Refer to a Scot as a "Brit" and you are likely to have a fight on your hands.

dgs49 wrote:When you use the term Brit, it invariably refers to an Englishman.

dgs49 wrote:And by the way, "Great Britain" is not an island. But I'm sure your fingers were just flailing out of control in your haste to disagree with me.

No harm done.