[Denis DNT]

Thanks Sue for the insight. It's a broad topic. Your comment could pass for an introduction for a big book I imagine the title to be: Who Is An ESL Teacher? In fact, before bringing it up I knew how it was going to heat up. It's nice reading from you guys there in Korea. I teach in a Korean school located in Beijing and the experience is slightly different.
Back to the issue of "market-driven prejudice against non-native speakers" as rightly put by Susan, it is something that calls for attention especially in these modern times, with uncountable campaigns aimed at solving social problems like racism, discrimination, inequality, etc. I have been hoping that someone takes up this sensitive topic for a thesis. My experience in China and Beijing in particular is one that I will tell even to my grand children: The first school hired me in Xi'an and the boss asked me to lie to students and parents that I was American. Then I told him I couldn't do that because I loved my country and secondly because I couldn't answer the questions students would ask about America. That strained our relationship badly and I left after six months. That was my "welcome to Asia." In Beijing, after a few contacts one of them called and said my CV was quite impressive. But as soon as I finished introducing myself his only remark was: "I wonder what it will look like to have a black African teaching in class." Then he hung up on me. That night it tortured me so much that I was at the school at 7 o'clock the next morning. My plan was simple: To beg them to let me have a demo and show them how it was to have a black African teaching in class. Coincidentally some of the preferred whites they were expecting didn't turn up. So they reluctantly showed me to a classroom of giggling teenagers. As stares from all directions bore holes on my body I said to myself. "Denis, teach this one lesson and leave racist Asia."
To avoid a flood of questions all to know where I was from I started the lesson with a full introduction of myself and my origin. Then from the innermost part of my heart I taught a lesson on subject - verb agreement.
They hired me that same day. Friends convinced me to bury my anger. I taught there for four weeks. When they had seen what it was to have a black African teaching in class. They asked me to sign a full time contract. I just waited until they paid me for the four weeks I had put in and then I walked out on them to my present school where they accepted me as a teacher and not as a black African. My present school has given me a very high impression of Korea as a country and its people.
Where would you guys there in Korea place "racism" as far as ESL teaching is concerned?
Denis.