Before people were educated about the damage the sun can do to our skin—not to mention the risk of skin cancer—we lounged in the sun without sunscreen.
But now we know better and most parents make certain not to send their child into the sun without protection.
However working parents usually have to entrust their children to others at least part of the day. So what if they aren’t as vigilant?
What if they refuse to provide skin protection for your child?
A mother was faced with this issue and addressed it. But after pushback she turned to the “Am I The A**hole” (AITA) subReddit for perspective on her response.
Redditor Mediocre_Scallion_96 asked:
“AITA for writing a bad Yelp review about my childs daycare calling them racist?”
The Original Poster (OP) explained:
“A while ago my daughter, 8, was complaining about her daycare because they were not giving her sunscreen. She asked for sunscreen but they said that Black people do not need sunscreen but they actually do.”
“Before the pandemic they went on a field trip and they made all the Black kids sit in the sun and made the White kids sit in the shade because it would damage their skin or some BS.”
“I talked to the ladies at the daycare and they said that it was justified but said if we brought in a doctors note they would give her sunscreen. I made my daughter take sunscreen to school and let her share it with other kids but then the teacher took it saying she was not allowed to do that without permission.”
“The other day she came home with a bad sunburn and her skin was peeling and I had enough and wrote that they were racist and segregating kids and that she could get skin cancer because they are forcing her in the sun without sunscreen.”
“I sent the lady in charge articles about cancer and that Black people can get sunburned and sent her names of the workers who enforced this. She said that they were under her orders and that she was right because we have more protection against this and said that I was blowing this out of proportion and asked me to take my review down.”
“I am seriously thinking of contacting a news channel about this. My friend said I am being a Karen for complaining publicly and that Black people have melanin so that gives them lots of protection that other kids dont have.”
“We live in the deep south.”
Redditors weighed in by declaring:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You’re The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
Redditors decided the OP was not the a**hole.
“Absolutely leave bad reviews and go public. This is insane behavior on their part.”
“Absolutely insane. Refusing to apply sunscreen is just crazy.” ~ thereforthecomments
“NTA. As a White girl I was ashamed that I didn’t know Black people could get sunburned until I was a senior in high school.”
“The fact that a bunch of grown a** people in charge of small children still don’t know this is absurd. They are definitely stupid and racist.”
“Their ignorance has harmed your child. I would make everyone aware of it.” ~ Aspy17
“NTA. What vile attitudes to have about CHILDREN.”
“All children need sunscreen and even if they were ignorant at first, they should have listened to you as the mother! They’re major AHs.” ~ floss147
“NTA. You need to shout it from every rooftop you can find. In this day and age people have no excuse for such blatant racism.”
“Any one of the staff members could have disregarded the owners words and put sunscreen on the kids that didn’t have any but they all followed this racial abuse and should be called out on it.” ~ Derbyshirelass40
“I am very confused how sunscreen seems to be that valuable or rare or expensive that the daycare is not able to provide it for all children.”
“Also NTA but the daycare is!” ~ sweetlittleuincorn
“You are NTA and you are NOT being a Karen. I can’t believe anyone would think it’s okay to say and do these things, especially after you educated them and made your wishes regarding your own child clear.” ~ Striking_Description
“NTA – I can’t even express how utterly horrified I am by this. Do NOT take your review down.”
“Even as a White woman, I would want to know to avoid that place. I don’t want my child exposed to that kind of thinking.”
“I’m horrified and gutted by what those kids are being put through. It’s abuse, plain and simple.”
“I’m so glad to see you’re trying to get your daughter out of there. And THANK YOU for standing up for what is right and for those poor babies.” ~ kitsunekurai
“They are literally segregating children by race and putting the Black children in inferior and more dangerous conditions, then justifying it with a weird racist stereotype?”
“This might be the biggest NTA I’ve ever seen on here. I would do way more than leave a bad review.” ~ buttcheeseahoy
“I work at a daycare, and that being said, we are legally not allowed to give kids medicine, sunscreen, lotion, or ointment unless the parents sign a consent form. So I understand why they wouldn’t let your daughter give sunscreen out to other kids.”
“The people at the daycare should have been giving consent forms to parents.”
“However, the segregating of the kids, the comments, and acting like they know everything is extremely racist. I suggest you report them and find a new daycare.” ~ EbayEgirl
The OP returned with an update.
“I decided to ask my daughter how she feels about all of this and she said that she likes going to daycare and that all of her friends are there. I’m having my daughter come home from school with her grandma instead of the daycare.”
“I emailed the owner of the daycare franchise (not the manager) and they are very furious and have decided to let go the people who were participating in this.”
“I am not going to report them yet unless they do this again and I am in a group chat with the parents and I told them to all tell me if they do this to their kids again and I am afraid that reporting the place could make a lot of the people who didn’t know about this lose their jobs.”
“Turns out the manager and her friends were just power tripping.”
“I am not very confrontational and my husband also said reporting would not be a good idea since if they close down other parents would lose childcare.”
When it comes to children, parents are expected to protect them however they can. Reddit didn’t fault the OP for giving other parents a heads up about her experience with her daughter’s daycare.
There is a common misconception people with darker skin have a get out of skin cancer free card. That’s false.
The sun will still cause longterm damage to skin, regardless of the level of melanin. The damage may be more visible on lighter skin, but the damage is still happening.
This mom only had her child’s health—and other people’s children—in mind when she made her valid complaints.