Turned down: Abigail Howarth
Posted on 08/05/2007 9:55:18 AM PDT by Stoat
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, who wanted to join the Agency's flood management programme, saw an advert in a local newspaper offering positions in the Anglia region where she lives, complete with a £13,000-a-year tax-free grant.
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Turned down: Abigail Howarth
It made no mention of the ban on white English applicants, merely noting that candidates from ethnic minorities, such as "Asian, Indian' and "White Other, e.g. Irish, Welsh, Scottish', were encouraged to put themselves forward.
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. I know why there are positive action training schemes to assist those who are genuinely discriminated against but when it's broken down to this level it seems crazy to me.
"I really wanted to work for the agency and I was very excited - followed by feeling very disappointed.
"I would not have minded had I been beaten for the position by somebody better able than me."
Abigail, who is awaiting the results of A-Levels in environmental science, geography and geology, emailed PATH National Ltd, the company handling applications.
She asked: "Am I correct in assuming that as I am English (White) I need not apply as the preference is for the minorities you have listed, or can I apply anyway?'
Three days later, PATH recruitment officer, Bola Odusi, replied: "Thank you for your enquiry unfortunately the traineeship opportunity in <\[>sic] targeted towards the ethnic minority group to address their under representations in the professions under the Race Relations Act amended 2000."
Such a policy may breach Race Relations legislation as employers must prove ethnic groups are under-represented before using positive discrimination strategies.
The Environment Agency admitted it had 'no evidence that white Welsh, Scottish or Irish workers were under-represented' in the Anglia region.
South West Bedfordshire Tory MP Andrew Selous said: "I think this is complete nonsense and the Environment Agency should be taking the best people, irrespective of their background.
"This is obviously borne out of some idiotic quota system. Abigail should have been able to apply and been judged on her own merits. I will raise this when I have a meeting with the Environment Agency next month."
PATH National's organisational development manager, Mary McDowell, said: "The "White Welsh", "White Irish" and "White Scottish" is a technicality in law - if they are a minority, they are entitled to places on these schemes - they are not part of the majority group, which is "White English".
"The "White English" in this area are the majority group and hence could not apply.
"That is the way the law is laid. This is a chance for people who might be less employable to gain experience, just experience. Public-sector organisations have a duty to ensure they reflect the make-up of the society they serve."
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."
A CRE spokeswoman said: "The Commission will be checking with the Environment Agency to clarify the current situation regarding their positive action initiatives.
"Positive action can only be used to encourage or train particular under-represented groups."
Great Britain'I was refused a job because I'm white' (It's legal and it's called Positive Action)
Great Britain White men may wait three years to get into the Metropolitan Police
Lakeland walkers 'wrong colour'(British Park to axe program because it attracts white people)
Policeman 'passed over for promotion because he was white' (Great Britain)
White construction worker sues Colville tribe (He was subjected to racist slurs, harassment)
White Privilege Conference (Seattle School District sending students from 4 high schools)
White women lag in pay among college graduates (Black and Asian women earn more)
Wow...I wouldn’t turn her down.
Welcome to the club, Abigail. I am part of a generation of White males caught in the generation that had to watch all the Affirmative Action types get appointments and jobs and grants and so on, to make up for generations of bias. You’ll get used to it, but you may never like it.
Take a look America, this is your future.....
There is no such thing as racial equality in government. Discrimination is SOP when it comes to the white man - and in this case, woman.
I had a sister who was turned down for welfare benefits, and food stamps and the Latino princess in the Glendale Ca office told her she was being turned down because she was,,,, WHITE.
Me neither :-)
This is merely another installment in the long, ugly story of how how Socialism and all it's myriad related cancers destroy every aspect of life, wherever the policies may be implemented.
I had a sister who was turned down for welfare benefits, and food stamps and the Latino princess in the Glendale Ca office told her she was being turned down because she was,,,, WHITE.
They furthered that by telling her that she can send her Iranian husband down and they would give him benefits, but not her.
Exactly this kind of thing has been happening for years here in the US, but it rarely gets attention, for obvious reasons.
Being discriminated against is just fine as long as you are not a members of some minority.
The Euro-peons are committing cultural suicide. How do whites think they’ll be treated once they become the minority? The same thing is happening here.
Here is another related article.
My suggestion. Take it to a lawyer and the bank. That is how the left screwed things up and it is the only recourse.
Amen brother.
This whole world has gone nuts!
She should go into fashion modeling. She’s very attractive.
Simple, re-apply with the ethnicity they are asking for.
I see that she stated that she understood why these programs existed to help those truly discriminated against, but when the quota program was applied against her, it was nonsense.
Nothing like a wake up call.
I would bet she is a Tory as well. The Tory/Labor line jumps out as much as the Conservative/Liberal line here in the US.. You can glance at most people and tell if they are conservative or liberal.. Conservatives always look confident, liberals beaten down.
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