Seems there are just certain topics that are impossible to broach without some folks getting their knickers in a bunch. Nowhere in my post did I state, or even imply, that NO Africans from the entire continent should be hired to teach English here. I was actually quite careful to state otherwise. I was simply relating my own experience and opinion. As an American I'm very weary of the words "race" and "racist" and "racism." All of them have been beaten to a bloody pulp at home. If the truth be told I can't stand about 95% of the foreigners I meet here no matter what color their skin is. It's seems nothing short of a crap shoot to find decent, qualified folks here to teach English. I'm simply playing percentages. My PERSONAL EXPERIENCE with African men here has been overwhelmingly negative. "Racism" to me is inherently irrational. If one has logical, rational reasons for what he says he is not "racist." I've personally met exactly ONE African male teacher here who is a decent guy, does his job professionally, remains sober most of the time, keeps his, um, maleness in his pants and speaks relatively clear English without shouting. I've met a few who do one or more of those things but only one who does them all. However, in fairness, about 90% of the white foreign teachers I meet, and a high percentage of Asians and any other "race" I may have ignored in my haste to write this before I lose my motivation to bother, who are teachers here are also largely wanting and lacking in most qualities I find appealing in my fellow humans. The inescapable reality is that we "foreign teachers" here in China are largely a pathetic lot, as much as we hate to admit it. We're here because, for whatever reason, home wasn't working out for us. I'm sure I'll get a thousand or so indignant responses swearing that the author is here to save the world or has some other perfectly valid reason to be here and I'm sure some of them really aren't delusional or suffering from some other mental illness. I can only offer up myself as an example. I'd be on the first plane home tomorrow if some school in America gave me a very livable salary as well as an apartment and required me only to stand in front of a class for 16 or so hours a week and speak English so others could "practice" speaking with me. Most of us, including most posters here, KNOW this is true. For many Africans, being subjected to "racism" in China beats living in a country as badly run and impoverished as theirs is. What I say to them, just like I say to myself and every other foreigner is: Go home if you can't take it anymore. Nobody is forcing you to stay here.