- Joined
- Mar 24, 2014
- Messages
- 12
Today, one of my peers sent me a text accidentally saying that she felt that she was being followed up on because she's black. She said that she thinks that the ETLs (we are ETLs) micromanage her in a way that we don't do to each other.
I confronted her about it and told her that I thought she was making the racism up in her head and she just has a guilty conscience. She gave me examples of times she thought that racial discrimination happened. She gave an example of how a black team member was coached for FFF because she did not saying hello to a leader after that leader kept her waiting outside for 30 minutes before opening the door in the morning... but then a team leader (my team leader) sent confrontational text messages to her about work when he was off the clock (she's black) & he wasn't even coached. She also gave an example of a white team member making a negative comment about the texture of her hair. I thought the examples were kind of funny, to be honest. I basically told her that racism exists in this world, so I'm sure that racism exists in our store, which is true I'm sure. She had also claimed that the black team leader said he thought the STL was racist, but when the STL asked him he was afraid to admit it. She apparently has text messages from him. I don't know. I told her I don't believe her and it's all in her head. She told me that I "was out of line for saying these things because I'm white and I "don't understand her struggle & will never be in her shoes".... I told her that I'm sure that there could be some black people who could be racist against white people in our store too. She said if that were ever brought to her attention that she would address, but she hasn't heard or witnessed anything like it. She mentioned that one of my peers called a black team member a monkey but I'm friends with him and I don't think he's racist. He's Hispanic so I don't think the monkey comment was that bad. I told her I was insulted that she thought racism was going on and that I would only be having a professional relationship with her going forward. I feel like she was wrong for even saying that to anyone, even though she didn't mean for me to see it. I told her that I'm going to tell the STL, and I am (He's on vacation). She was visibly upset when I walked out of her office. I honestly don't feel bad, I feel like it was the truth.
I just want your opinions on the situation.
I confronted her about it and told her that I thought she was making the racism up in her head and she just has a guilty conscience. She gave me examples of times she thought that racial discrimination happened. She gave an example of how a black team member was coached for FFF because she did not saying hello to a leader after that leader kept her waiting outside for 30 minutes before opening the door in the morning... but then a team leader (my team leader) sent confrontational text messages to her about work when he was off the clock (she's black) & he wasn't even coached. She also gave an example of a white team member making a negative comment about the texture of her hair. I thought the examples were kind of funny, to be honest. I basically told her that racism exists in this world, so I'm sure that racism exists in our store, which is true I'm sure. She had also claimed that the black team leader said he thought the STL was racist, but when the STL asked him he was afraid to admit it. She apparently has text messages from him. I don't know. I told her I don't believe her and it's all in her head. She told me that I "was out of line for saying these things because I'm white and I "don't understand her struggle & will never be in her shoes".... I told her that I'm sure that there could be some black people who could be racist against white people in our store too. She said if that were ever brought to her attention that she would address, but she hasn't heard or witnessed anything like it. She mentioned that one of my peers called a black team member a monkey but I'm friends with him and I don't think he's racist. He's Hispanic so I don't think the monkey comment was that bad. I told her I was insulted that she thought racism was going on and that I would only be having a professional relationship with her going forward. I feel like she was wrong for even saying that to anyone, even though she didn't mean for me to see it. I told her that I'm going to tell the STL, and I am (He's on vacation). She was visibly upset when I walked out of her office. I honestly don't feel bad, I feel like it was the truth.
I just want your opinions on the situation.