Houston Community News >> Girl Refuse to Study with Asian Students
10/14/2006 London-- A teenaged schoolgirl was arrested by British police for racism after she refused to sit with a group of Asian students as some of them did not speak English, but was later released without being charged
Codie Stott, 14, at Harrop Fold High School in Worsley, Greater Manchester, accused the school and police of an over-the-top reaction. The teenager said she had not been in school the day before due to a hospital appointment and had missed the start of the project, so the teacher allocated her a group to sit with. "She said I had to sit there with five Asian pupils," Codie said on Thursday.
"Only one could speak English, so she had to tell that one what to do so she could explain in their language. Then she sat me with them and said "discuss".
According to Codie, the five - four boys and a girl - then began talking in a language she didn't understand, thought to be Urdu, so she went to speak to the teacher.
"I said I'm not being funny, but can I change groups because I can't understand them? But she started shouting and screaming, saying "it's racist, you're going to get done by the police." Codie said she was put in isolation for the rest of the day. A complaint was made to a police officer, and more than a week after the incident on Sept 26 she was taken to a police station and placed under arrest.
"They told me to take my laces out of my shoes and remove my jewelry, and I had my fingerprints and photograph taken," said Codie adding "It was awful."
(Contributed by Sify.com)