Man rejected for multiple jobs in Seoul because of his skin color

A 30-year- old man named Sean Jones, from Oklahoma, United States applied for an English teaching position in Seoul only to be turned town for because of his skin color. Jones’ recruiter sent him a message stating the school,”only wanted white teachers.”

The message read, “Sorry, they just told me that they actually want a white teacher.” Despite having two years of experience of teaching English in a foreign country and being able to speak Korean at an intermediate level, the school dismissed him without a word.

The discrimination didn’t just stop at that particular school, as just two days later he was faced with yet another incident of discrimination from a different school.

He received a message that said, “I’m sorry, I just found out today that my school is one of ones that won’t hire black people.”

Astounded by the reason behind why he was rejected for the teaching position Jones stated, “This is telling students that black people are bad and white people are good. Why should white people get all the privileges? White privilege is not right. We all deserve an equal chance.” 

Aside from Jones, Katie Mulrennan, an Irish woman who attempted to earn a job at the school was rejected because of her assumed “alcoholic nature.”

A spokesperson for the English department at the particular high school claimed that their students were too young to come in contact with “strange foreigners.” Jones quickly countered the argument saying that the only way to truly understand American culture is to be able to experience other races.

School officials issued an apology and stated, there may have been possible miscommunication, and they quickly set up an interview with Jones.

However, Jones stands by his statement, saying that the schools should be responsible for racism.

Source: The Korea Observer