Bloody hell, my local school had an open letter about institutional racism signed by over 900 pupils

[Rootsofgrey]

I was looking online for reviews for local secondary schools and found an open letter signed by over 900 pupils, listing examples of racism. The 900 comprised current and former pupils, but it was from a few years ago, so most are probably former now. That is a huge number. Do you think the school would have changed its spots by now? It was addressed to the current head.

Why don't you just name the school, then people can help answer.your question about whether anything has changed?

Otherwise there is no context. Those examples you quoted may have been historic as far as we know.

The BLM movement triggered petitions in many schools.

I've googled some of the quotes that you listed and the only thing that comes up is this thread. That makes me a bit suspicious.

Ahem - I've read your subsequent posts (rookie error not to have done so - apologies). I see your concerns... 😔

Absolutely, @MyrtlethePurpleTurtle, and we've even got a poster on this thread who won't actually use the names of "black and brown" children (sic,).
Many problems.

Here's the link - Amazon

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dont-Touch-Hair-Emma-Dabiri/dp/014198628X/ref=sr_1_9?adgrpid=1183076297331626&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.fG86ZvbV8szvdBuCRSno18LjbpkqpPukyIJPXrOGuheMHM_h5jk6BlGHL3qH1dq-3xzYQ5dCNqrKd29UbWQO6vaxxTMtGvzNiBEw7qtLHq4DYpKWHIveL98qQXLXLrPfL95hZ1WuWu34dZD-MlybDn_LUTrUHFg8rBXhixv8Dmvs1nmhH7uosJIqDlnk4s0RzUAYeZfkW4AxukWuA0hjlLuZATEIUxSdkNsZA7o21QQ.3ZeNEqnTlKiRD81ua3p6WY2WApIz8jtpxOiD-wUw0mg&dib_tag=se&gb=2&hvadid=73942492255547&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvexpln=0&hvlocphy=41471&hvnetw=o&hvocijid=9070441228453941278--&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-73942615553176%3Aloc-188&hydadcr=24433_2423354&keywords=please+don%27t+touch+my+hair&mcid=761f1e70639a38c4b9097cb68d94c858&qid=1790752846&sr=8-9

Policies are policies, just that - it's how they're enforced, embedded and 'socialised' that matters

Not unless I was 100% sure of their name no. I didn't want to be called racist for getting their name wrong.

Yes. I do know this.
I've implemented many a policy.
The poster was asking for how to get information about the school.

Why didn't you learn their names?

Black and brown is the accepted anti racist term. You are behind the times.

If that was the only time any teacher had called any pupil by the wrong name, or had made any comment about any pupil's appearance, then I would agree.

I had a 'big hair' perm in the '80s and was astonished at how many people (strangers) thought it was okay to comment on it and touch the curls.

I tried to learn every child's name. I was not a teacher. I saw a lot of different kids. But I am not great with names. With white kids it was fine to say Julie and get it wrong, nobody cared. I didn't dare do the same with black and brown kids. So it was safer not to use their names at all unless I was 100% sure.

You're accusing me of being behind the times... but you don't bother to learn "black and brown" students names?!
Good grief.
At least have the courtesy to learn names, no matter how unfamiliar they are to you.
Keep up with the times.

There has definitely been a solid uptake in the last few years of white students making racist comments and attacking other students of non white backgrounds. It's all over social media and it is terrifying. I suspect Russia has been sneaking in some propaganda about Britain somehow once being a nation of pubs and black labradors or some other fictional representation of Britain and parents have been passing this prejudice down onto their kids.

It's heartening to see that some pupils aren't being led astray and are actively still working to break barriers of prejudice and hate. Diversity is and always will be our strength. There is no unity like the unity of people of many different faiths and backgrounds coming together to tear down the bigoted cultural practices of the nation that brought them together in the first place.

You shouldn't touch anyone's hair. But I agree red headed girls, especially with curly hair also get their hair touched a lot.

I remember when buzz cuts came in for boys (of all colours). The girls sometimes used to ask if they could run their hands up the back of their heads because they had a lovely velvety feel.

It's obviously appropriate to ask before you do such a thing.

I did not say I don't bother to learn names. I do really try. Maybe you can learn a few hundred names and always get the name right? I can't. So what I said was I never used a black or brown kids name unless I was 100% sure. Whereas I would use white kids names and get it wrong at times.

I don't think this is necessarily a problem for the school now. It could even be a positive thing, that it was identified so clearly.

A school I work with was horrified to realise the extent of the misogyny experienced by it's pupils (mostly from fellow students, not staff though) and has put a lot of resources into turning that around, to the extent that their success has been shared nationally.

It depends what the school's response to the complaint has been.

Some of those incidents listed are situations I can imagine happened with good, if misguided intentions. E.g. "encouraging children to use English", but there will also be staff who needed to be moved on etc.

Learn them. Are you the same with Irish names?
Listen to how it's said, work it out phonetically. I teach hundreds of children. I use seating plans as an aide memoir.
It's not acceptable not to use the names of children because they are "black or brown".

We’ve got our wires crossed. I meant the racism aspect. I’m a random prospective parent, so I doubt the school will do more than direct me to their policies or tell me how diverse the school is. Schools (or any organisation) can have similar policies to each other, but enact them to different degrees or have different systemic issues.

As a Secondary teacher you have 300+ pupils a week, Would you never get a name wrong ? I have 6 children and manage to get names wrong on occasion, sometimes they get the dogs name or the cats name. What does that make me ? Sexist, ageist ?

I do apologise. My bad as the kids say!
(At least I learn their names though 😉!)

@Rootsofgrey When the 'me too' movement was in the news, it triggered many peopled to come forward with stories of past harassment incidents. They were mostly alumni rather than current students. Your letter/petition may be in the same vein. Unless you name the school and/or provide a link to the actual petition people won't be able to answer your questions and are just reacting without knowing the full context.

Can you be any more patronising? I try and learn them. I was a TA, I was not going to spend hours in the evening unpaid trying to learn names.

And no it is not about pronunciation, nice that you make as assumption though.

I find names hard to learn. So with white kids I would get it wrong. With black and brown kids I wouldn't dare risk it. So if I wasn't sure I didn't use their names.

I am white and my name is constantly misspelt. I had to send back a certificate for a qualification I passed last month and ask them to do me a new one with the correct spelling. I have a professional award given at a ceremony where my name is wrongly spelt. It's a very common experience for me. I do think that is wrong when it is easily checked. But many people struggle with names.

And no need to put black and brown in quotes. It is the accepted anti racist term these days.