I'm in my 20s working as a teaching assistant in an inner-city school. It's my first job since graduating from university. For the most part, students treat me with respect. Many of the younger kids (11-13) look up to me and gravitate towards me.

However I've noticed a pattern of disrespect from older students - they have the same profile: 15-17 years old, black, and basically 'ghetto', for want of a better word. At first it was sniggering as I walked past various students - also some muttering under their breath.

But today was much worse and has left me feeling pissed off and humiliated. I went to collect some text books from another class, and said class was filled with the most disrespectful kids (probably in the whole school). As I walked into the room there was a lot of snickering with one saying, "who is this guy" in a threatening tone. Then as I looked for the books in a cupboard with my back turned, two of them were saying "who is this sideman", "who is this wasteman". Not sure what the American equivalent is but it basically means beta/lame/loser etc.

My instinct was to turn around and confront them, but I felt myself getting angry and I'm pretty sure I would have said something regrettable and risked my job. So I just ignored it, retrieved the books and left the class. But I feel like a little bitch for just taking it.

I known I give off a beta vibe. I'm 6'4 and skinny, young looking, but there must be something about my demeanour. It's like they can smell the beta. It was like this throughout my teenage years. People seemed to be able to tell instinctively that I'm a beta. Same types of people - ghetto, basically.

What's the best way to deal with a situation like this? Did I do the right thing by ignoring and walking away, even though it made me feel like a major pussy?