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The Forum > Article Comments > Racism in our schools > Comments

Racism in our schools : Comments

By Stephen Hagan, published 7/7/2010

Links between the Ku Klux Klan, a teacher, his pupil and a murder raise some serious questions about racism in some of our schools.

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An appalling report, Mr Hagan. Surely the Australian Federal Police, supposedly our protectors from terrorist organisations, must be used to eradicate this shocking import from the United States.
Posted by Caroline93, Wednesday, 7 July 2010 10:42:25 AM
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Thanks for this article, Stephen. I also live in the Southern Downs region and was disturbed at the report, albeit not all that surprised. It's truly appalling that scum like McNeil could have been employed in positions where they can poison young minds as he evidently did. I find it hard to believe that none of his colleagues was aware of his loathsome KKK connections, but we're both aware of the strong racist undercurrent that still persists in rural Queensland.

I hadn't made the connection between your activism and McNeil, but I suspect that you're quite correct in thinking that he, as "Imperial Kluk" (!), would have been instrumental in the hate campaign against you. However, what goes around comes around, and hopefully he has many Indigenous cellmates with whom he can discuss his odious activities over the coming years.
Posted by CJ Morgan, Wednesday, 7 July 2010 11:10:51 AM
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What do they put in the water up in Queensland ?! More to the point in Toowoomba, what aren't they putting in the water, not enough of the good stuff ?

I'm all for freedom of expression, but like everything else, only up to a point: when morons make obnoxious remarks, they show themselves up and are fair game for a range of (unspecified) responses. After all, even words can be extremely hurtful (as they are meant to be) and can have very long-lasting consequences, long after the idiot who uses them has forgotten the harm he/she has done.

But when they incite hateful and hurtful action - action designed to physically maim or destroy, and to sanction the violence of others - even indirectly, like these KKK half-wits, then they go beyond 'freedom of expression'.

I guess the rule should be 'Speak of others as you would expect them to speak of you. And don't be surprised if people act towards you as you seek to act towards them.'

Good on you, Stephen.

Joe Lane
Posted by Loudmouth, Wednesday, 7 July 2010 1:01:21 PM
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A truly sad story that is something reminiscent of a typical US film script along the lines of 'Mississippi Burning' or 'Ghosts of Mississippi' - yet more amazing that this is happening in Australia.

Thankfully most Australians do not think like this and I imagine the KKK are on the counter-terrorism and law enforcement radar. However, I do understand this is little comfort for those targeted by these nutters. I note the KKK is not listed as a terrorist organisation in Australia (nor in the US for that matter) despite committing acts of terrorism ie. politically motivated violence.

Typical of any radical group is the focus on influencing young and vulnerable youth, in this case with horrific consequences.
Posted by pelican, Wednesday, 7 July 2010 3:40:39 PM
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I wonder how many KKK members are in the local police? This may prove a barrier to exterminating this loathsome US import.
I had no idea the racist red-neck element was quite as organised, accepted, and protected as the more profitable criminals groups are.
Thanks for the heads up, and good luck
Posted by Ozandy, Thursday, 8 July 2010 11:50:31 AM
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I am familiar with this story too, and note the Toowoomba newspaper ran a story attacking Koch as being 'southern media' and 'blow ins' who shouldn't have reported the KKK connection.

The Australian had a mug shot of the offender as he was at the trial that day, looking like Yosemite Sam, while the Toowoomba paper had an old and more polished one of him from their old files.

How much sympathy does the editor there have for KKK, given his snide racist remarks that Media Watch ran some months ago, and his well known month long assault on Hagan as the paper ran endless racist sms messages denigrating Hagan?

But what is not mentioned in this story, is the responsibility Geoff Wilson, the Education Queensland minister has in all this.

According to Koch's report, Education Queensland encouraged the KKK chaplain to hand out his email and mobile contact details to students so he could counsel them after school and at weekends.

No school teacher should either do that, or be put in that position by Ed Qld.

Clearly a breach of protocol, and probably a Code of Conduct issue for all concerned from the principal to Regional Director to Minister.

The question we have to ask ourselves is to what extent do school chaplains (this man was not the school chaplain, just the KKK chaplain) get similar encouragement to have private contact with school students at weekends and after school?

Who was supervising this KKK chaplain as he offered 'counselling'? Who supervises school chaplains when they do the same?

Geoff Wilson has run a mile from this, and is pretending it never happened, but read this story:
http://www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au/story/2010/06/23/chaplain-shares-lifes-tragedies-triumphs/

The school chaplain even admits to having students staying at his house overnight.

Now.... when simple protocols are bypassed because 'the religious man' is trusted, we can all read about the downside as priests, parsons, vicars and KKK chaplains employed by Ed Qld go 'off the rails'.

How many more 'Pittsworths' will it take for Education Queensland to come to grips with their responsibilities here?

Will Koch do a follow up?
Posted by The Blue Cross, Thursday, 8 July 2010 3:38:58 PM
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