To wonder why it's so controversial to talk about white behaviour throughout history?

I agree as in black history should be taught all the time too, it shouldn't be separate.
Although I am kind of fence sitting a bit as having a black history month does raise awareness.
I sometimes follow the hashtag on Twitter during Black History month for example and have learnt things I never would have known about without it.
Eg about Juneteenth.
Yes to it being taught more in schools generally as well though.

The main reason for colonisation was based on white superiority.

It really wasn't.

It was so we could take resources to make us richer.

Balanced how?

No it was for raw materials to feed the Industrial Revolution.

Lol I have been quoted in a few posts and people are just being deliberately obtuse but it is Mumsnet I suppose so I wouldn't expect anything less

The responses on here just reinforce the point the OP is trying to make. We are only just starting to teach History in schools in a more balanced way.

The main reason for colonisation was based on white superiority. We are sweeping the reality under the carpet by saying “but the Irish were persecuted too”. Yes they were. However, the main reason for the colonisation of places like India, North America, Australia, parts of Africa, places in the Caribbean was white superiority. The indigenous people were sub-humans to the colonists (the white British) and the land needed to be civilised. This narrative of the British saviour has been taught in schools until the last 5-8 years.

It is reductive to say “but white Irish people were also targeted” or “other skin colours have created atrocities”. Yes they have but that once again skirts over the issues created by white superiority over the centuries that we still see today.

Sooo did they do it because they were white? Or because they were a bad person? Are we responsible for the actions of a person dead hundreds of years? It's racist like it or not and I actually feel it needs to be made just as illegal as it is do something like this to a person of colour.

All this white shaming is doing extensive damage to this country we will lucky if we escape a right wing, racist government at the next election and reading things like this shows me why it's happening.

Yet the nature of colonisation meant that many people were oppressed and dehumanised irrespective of skin colour, for example the Irish

@Alalalalalongalalalalalonglonglilong

I'm white and Irish. Technically as 'white' as is possible. I'm not going to explain our history here, nor do I expect anyone to apologise for their forefathers actions. I have never experienced racism but my father did as a young man

I guess I mean White English mentality (of some, not all!) to clarify
I say this as white English myself

It's hard to have a discussion where 1. You haven't actually said what "white behaviour" is, and 2. You haven't explained why "white behaviour" is in a different category to "black behaviour" or "Asian behaviour", other that just saying it's obviously different.

Maybe if you could be clear about what you actually mean people might be able to have a discussion about it.

And now you're reducing it to just white English? I honestly haven't got a clue what you're on about, I'm not pretending not to understand.

It's hard to have a discussion where 1. You haven't actually said what "white behaviour" is, and 2. You haven't explained why "white behaviour" is in a different category to "black behaviour" or "Asian behaviour", other that just saying it's obviously different.

Maybe if you could be clear about what you actually mean people might be able to have a discussion about it.

And now you're reducing it to just white English? I honestly haven't got a clue what you're on about, I'm not pretending not to understand.

In my experience it really doesn't. My (admittedly) state school spent Years 7-9 covering World War history- which centred - quite understandably - on English British history. Irish and Commonwealth history was ignored and anything covering the impact of decisions made in the mid twentieth century that still have an impact on the world today was not covered. Private educated people I've met of all ages have also demonstrated a lack of knowledge of and the importance of the Comnonwealth to Britain in this current day. Which is quite shocking if you think about how impactful the last few centuries have been.

I don't know. I think for several centuries white people had the means to colonise other countries and enslave people. They were therefore in a position of power for a long time. White people were particularly successful at building empires.
As a naive teenager I used to think white people = bad, black people =good. However the more I learn about history the more I see that people of all colours and races have opressed and enslaved others. OP - perhaps you're not aware that black and Asian people have also enslaved others. There have been some dreadful atrocities perpetrated by non-Whites.
I also don't think we (the British) shy away from the shameful things we did in the past. I know quite a lot about Britain's wrongdoings from school, from British TV documentaries and books, from news articles. It's not hidden - these things from our past are openly examined and discussed.
Some people will always be defensive if you start making statements about "white people" but most people I know acknowledge our history - the good and the bad.

The responses on here just reinforce the point the OP is trying to make. We are only just starting to teach History in schools in a more balanced way.