To ask what should the top 3 priorities be in terms of addressing race based inequality in the UK?

[lemonsandlimes123]

I am interested to hear what people would consider to be the top priorities to be tackled in the UK in terms of improving race equality.

I am not sure myself and am aware that many areas intersect and there are many more than 3 things that need to be tackled but this is hopefully a way to start a conversation.

I think that the impact of structural racism in the NHS and particularly in maternity care is a big concern

Representation within the judiciary and legal profession

Social exclusion and over representation of poc in detention.

I think that's where I would start but open to all and any ideas

Yin that's why I say that the only real answer is to use positive discrimination to get black people into positions of power in these institutions otherwise whatever is done is tokenism

Imagine if there were black academics on the interview panels at Oxbridge?

Think the government need to go back and revisit the recent windrush deportees too, horrific decisions were made.

I would start with more awareness. Race education programme for employers and schools. More debate in the subject at an accessible level. How do we challenge the racism of the average man on the bus, and the woman in the village shop?

I think the government has a huge responsibility too. Look at the language on immigration. I can't remember a time where immigration and race wasn't subject to random, irrational change in order to shore up a political party's perceived reputation.

Come down really fucking hard on the continued racism in some sections of the media.

Use the courts to address racism too. I'm not sure what the research is here, but surely deterrent helps? I'm not sure racism is taken seriously by the police, and most of it doesn't even get reported.

I'm going to say, from experience, that racism in small towns and schools is worse than in the cities. In my experience, anyway. Because the villages are more white, so it doesn't come up, and when it does it isn't properly addressed. That's what my (white) kids told me, anyway.

You have to be careful about the law of unintended consequences.
Re. Uni admissions: DS2 goes to St Andrews which is very difficult to get into if you are a Scottish student due to the cap on numbers set by the Scottish Government. The students are roughly one third Scottish, one third English, one third International.
Students have been online this week demanding "something is done" about diversity. Scotland had less than one percent population who identify as black last census (probs a little bit higher now). The really under-represented group at St As are local state school pupils of any colour, especially in the humanities. Any increase in minority faces in the hall photos would most likely be well off international students who dont tend to mix with locals or stick around after graduation, you'd end up with pseudo diversity , I'm not sure it would do a lot for systemic racism or social mobility in Scotland (in my mind you cant separate the two) and could foster resentment. In an ideal world some of the English candidates would be the sort of kids from sixth form colleges in East London who are applying to Oxbridge but i doubt Scotland would ever be on their radar.

I’m from an ethnic minority but have not experienced much racism. That might be due to middle class parents and the area I lived in. And luck.

Hopefully the school curriculum includes a wider range then I learnt. The things we touched on empire were the American west - dreadful treatment of the American Indians and how Britain and other colonisers just divided up the African continent. Didn’t go much on slavery.

I need to read what people who have gone through have said to educate myself. Then I need to listen to what is said now. Then realise there will be diverse sometimes incompatible ideas.

I am not so sure that the use of the term "BAME" is helpful in an educational/employment role.

I saw on the govt website recently that approx 62% Indian children pass GCSE English and Maths on a grade c or above. Whilst only 26% of Black Caribbean children do.
Chinese students manage an amazing 75%
White 42%
Worst of all were Roma/Gypsy children with just 5% passing.

Given this disparity of results, surely it is unfair to lump every none white child in the same "BAME" category? When in theory a university can achieve its "BAME" targets even if it does not admit one Black kid.

Chinese and Indian students clearly out perform everyone, why are they afforded the same "advantages" as Black and Roma students.

I am happy to be educated about this, just seems unfair to me.

@Serin

I am not so sure that the use of the term "BAME" is helpful in an educational/employment role.

I saw on the govt website recently that approx 62% Indian children pass GCSE English and Maths on a grade c or above. Whilst only 26% of Black Caribbean children do.
Chinese students manage an amazing 75%
White 42%
Worst of all were Roma/Gypsy children with just 5% passing.

Given this disparity of results, surely it is unfair to lump every none white child in the same "BAME" category? When in theory a university can achieve its "BAME" targets even if it does not admit one Black kid.

Chinese and Indian students clearly out perform everyone, why are they afforded the same "advantages" as Black and Roma students.

I am happy to be educated about this, just seems unfair to me.

beautifully explained