English girl barred from Government job...because she is wrong kind of white

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

A teenage science student has been banned from applying for a training programme with the Environment Agency because she is white and English.

The recruitment agency handling the scheme told Abigail Howarth, 18, that there was no point in her submitting an application because of her ethnic background.

But bizarrely she could have applied if she had been white and Welsh, Scottish or Irish.

...

...

Abigail, of Little Straughton, Bedfordshire, said: "I was really disappointed. To be told being "White English" ruled me out in my home county shocked me.

...

The Environment Agency says 387 of its 12,000 workers claim BME (Black and Minority Ethnic) status. A spokesman added: "The Commission for Racial Equality has confirmed we are acting legally."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/arti...in_page_id=1770

[GaryC 7]

Racial quotas gone mad. The best way to not racially discriminate is to not use race as a basis for consideration.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Its hard to believe that that is legal - I'm mean if they outright tell you "we're not hiring you for this job" because you're the wrong race/colour - I'm pretty sure that's breaking several EU laws.

[JoeMama 0]

Racial quotas are #######. Hire people based on their qualifications. Not their damn ethnic background or skin color.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Racial quotas are #######. Hire people based on their qualifications. Not their damn ethnic background or skin color.

Or at least don't tell people you are doing it... Given the legal ramifications of discrimination (UK is bound by EU Labour laws) that's a pretty dumb thing to do.

[Cassandra+Yuibi 0]

Racial quotas gone mad. The best way to not racially discriminate is to not use race as a basis for consideration.

I agree. I think that by putting so much importance on race as the government (in the USA and UK) it's actually had the opposite effect on racial equality. I'm getting sick of hearing things like "We couldn't qualify for a scholarship/college/job/etc. because I wasn't a minority".

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Racial quotas gone mad. The best way to not racially discriminate is to not use race as a basis for consideration.

I agree. I think that by putting so much importance on race as the government (in the USA and UK) it's actually had the opposite effect on racial equality. I'm getting sick of hearing things like "We couldn't qualify for a scholarship/college/job/etc. because I wasn't a minority".

That's the weird thing though - certainly as far as employment goes. Its a given that everyone discriminates in one way or another - but its very unsual that they would tell you that this is the reason. I wouldn't be surprised if this didn't end up in the European Court. Lesser things have.

[Dr_LHA 3]

The Daily Mail alert!!!

OH NOES - pretty white girls are being discriminated against! Time to set fire to some asylum seekers.

Sorry, but this paper has no credibility, I'm quite certain the facts are being twisted beyond recognition here, like all their stories.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

The Daily Mail alert!!!

OH NOES - pretty white girls are being discriminated against! Time to set fire to some asylum seekers.

Sorry, but this paper has no credibility, I'm quite certain the facts are being twisted beyond recognition here, like all their stories.

The Daily Mail is a tabloid with broadsheet pretensions - that seems to fall short of both; being more or less a 'hate-rag' for jaded tories and the BNP.

[Caladan 19]

Racial quotas gone mad. The best way to not racially discriminate is to not use race as a basis for consideration.

I agree. I think that by putting so much importance on race as the government (in the USA and UK) it's actually had the opposite effect on racial equality. I'm getting sick of hearing things like "We couldn't qualify for a scholarship/college/job/etc. because I wasn't a minority".

Odd, as there aren't quotas for race for scholarships, college, or jobs. (Affirmative action isn't the same thing.) It's surely not how colleges work. Region is weighted a lot more than race at the Ivies, for example. Contrary to popular belief, being black doesn't mean you can get Cs and get into Harvard. It's worth, statistically, about as much as being a star athlete would be at an Ivy -- about 100 SAT points. That's a statistical blip.

Scholarships are need-based. So... well, my take on it is that whiny upper-middle class boys going on about how THEIR spot was taken by someone should recognize that THEIR spot wasn't actually given out by God.

(And no one ever seems to complain that if they did go straight merit on scholarships and college admittances, most of the Ivies would be 30% Asian-American... It's not bad affirmative action, I guess, when it benefits Joe WASP.)

[L_n_O 3]

messed up

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

A teenage science student has been banned from applying for a training programme with the Environment Agency because she is white and English.

The recruitment agency handling the scheme told Abigail Howarth, 18, that there was no point in her submitting an application because of her ethnic background.

But bizarrely she could have applied if she had been white and Welsh, Scottish or Irish.

...

This is, indeed, Daily Mail-ism again. If you read the advert, it states that "applications are encouraged" from the stated backgrounds -- nowhere does it say that if you are White English you need not apply. The issue, as I read it, is with the recruitment consultant telling her not to bother -- either the consultant is an idiot, or young Abigail misinterpreted what the consultant said.

As others have said above, EU and UK law prohibit racial requirements in job adverts, and as such this advert is technically compliant as it only encourages applicants from certain backgrounds underrepresented at the Environment Agency.

[essjay 0]

Am I being dense??? Is England no longer part of Europe?

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Am I being dense??? Is England no longer part of Europe?

Indeed. The whole advert is a wonderful (?) example of poor draughtsmanship.

Having read the article now (I admit I hadn't before -- can't stomach the idea of having anything to do with that rag), the whole situation has been bungled. The girl does sound qualified, and the Agency does have a legitimate (and legal) preference to attract applicants from underrepresented groups (whether or not we agree that the non-English whites are any more or less represented than the English).

It is an imperfect system, and I have a feeling that if Abigail was not blonde and busty the Daily Mail would not be promoting this as it has. Can you imagine them rushing to the defence of a slightly overweight, spotty, bespectacled girl in the same position?

[Ban Hammer 13,255]

Racial quotas gone mad. The best way to not racially discriminate is to not use race as a basis for consideration.

discrimination due to skin color is bad, unless you're white