To think it's weird that our school only has pictures of white children on its website?

[BruhWhy]

Just that really. We live in an area that's increasingly ethnically diverse and my own children are mixed.

There is a mix of white, black, Asian and mixed children in every class, in every year.

They just updated their website and have taken lots of new pictures of pupils to put onto it, but they've chosen only white children.

I know it's not massively important in the grand scheme of things but it did make me sit there and think 'oh, this might have been a decision that was made' and it's made me feel a bit funny.

I think YABU to class this as a small problem. Honestly in this day and age there is no excuse for this sort of bullshit (oversight etc).

I would mention it to the school, they need to do better.

Could it be to show diversity? Advertising often shows the minorities to be inclusive. In this case they’re white.

It IS important
If a proportion of the students & their families can't see themself reflected in the image the school portrays of itself to the external world that is discrimination and exclusion and wrong.

You should raise it with the school

@EightWheelGirl

Could it be to show diversity? Advertising often shows the minorities to be inclusive. In this case they’re white.

From the OP...

There is a mix of white, black, Asian and mixed children in every class, in every year.

That doesn't sound as though there is a minority.

Rather than start a thread

Drop the school a line pin ring out your observation. No drama. Just your observation.

I reckon more diverse pictures up within 15 mins

Yes. It is very weird.
I was delighted to see amazon ad with two black women.
I don't mean to offend mixed race families but I knew my niece's lovely friend would be happy there is rarely an advertisement with black people without a white person.

My experience is that it's usually the other way round, which is even more irritating and patronising. Schools are usually desperate to show how 'diverse' and welcoming they are to the point of insisting that they have photographs of children from different ethnic backgrounds all the time.

Same.

Lots of these kinds of posts at the moment though isn’t there…?

Sorry threads not posts.

It’s the opposite here- very few non white children in the school and they’re in every photo! Don’t think either misrepresentation is good- the photos should be a true reflection of the school community.

@Etinoxaurus

It is important. Are they teachers kids? Often schools will push teachers kids forward for photos because their parents are to hand and give permission. Bad optics though.

Careful, this reads as an assumption that all of the teachers are white??

You can raise it, but I'm not sure you're entitled to the answer.

The other parents might have opted out for reasons they don't want you to know.

(Of course, unconscious bias is more likely, but you'll never know the truth for sure.)

I’ve always thought it makes sense to portray different ethnicities in relation to the % that they constitute the population. So we wouldn’t expect to see Inuits or aboriginal peoples featuring prominently in most UK soaps, for instance.

86% of the UK population is white and only 3% black (with about 6% being Asian), so there is arguably already a high degree of representation of black people given the actual number in our society. Certainly more than the representation of Asians who are twice as prolific.

Ethics often seem to be more influenced by sociological trends (BLM etc) than by actual analysis of the numbers.

Lots of these kinds of posts at the moment though isn’t there…?

This actually made me laugh out loud, what a boring troll thread this would make.

Could it be to show diversity? Advertising often shows the minorities to be inclusive. In this case they’re white.

Most children are white at the school. Our town is a commuter town to London so has been steadily diversifying in the last few years, so although the majority of children are white there's a good mix of children now.

I was wary of saying something because as my children are mixed race, I didn't want them to think I was angling for my little darlings to have their photo on their website. I know the woman who runs the PTA and she's really nice, I might mention it to her instead

@BruhWhy

Lots of these kinds of posts at the moment though isn’t there…?

This actually made me laugh out loud, what a boring troll thread this would make.

Could it be to show diversity? Advertising often shows the minorities to be inclusive. In this case they’re white.

Most children are white at the school. Our town is a commuter town to London so has been steadily diversifying in the last few years, so although the majority of children are white there's a good mix of children now.

I was wary of saying something because as my children are mixed race, I didn't want them to think I was angling for my little darlings to have their photo on their website. I know the woman who runs the PTA and she's really nice, I might mention it to her instead

No , you don't need a woman on the PTA to be your voice . Use your voice !

How old are the photos? Is it possibly a case of the website hasn't been updated for a while and the area has gradually become more ethnically diverse? I do think the pictures should be representative of the school, but I couldn't get worked up about it. There are white children there, after all. As other people have said, schools that are 99% white will go out of their way to include the ethnic minority children on their website. We aren't allowed to complain about that though, of course.

@stingofthebutterfly

How old are the photos? Is it possibly a case of the website hasn't been updated for a while and the area has gradually become more ethnically diverse? I do think the pictures should be representative of the school, but I couldn't get worked up about it. There are white children there, after all. As other people have said, schools that are 99% white will go out of their way to include the ethnic minority children on their website. We aren't allowed to complain about that though, of course.

They're new! One of the little girls featured is in my daughter's class.

@sloanerangerpandora

What's wrong with being white?

Oh absolutely everything, that's exactly what I was getting at

Most children are white at the school.

So the website is an accurate representation?

Personally, I prefer to know the truth rather than be given an idealised fantasy depiction of a school. But that’s just me.

@EightWheelGirl

Most children are white at the school.

So the website is an accurate representation?

Personally, I prefer to know the truth rather than be given an idealised fantasy depiction of a school. But that’s just me.

It's not accurate because not all of the children in the school are white, are they?

In fact, many many children are not. So what's accurate about it?

This happened when I was at school. About 75% of my school was Indian. About 75% of pictures on the website were of white girls. There was quite a drama about it.

Drop them a line FGS OP

As I say - up almost as soon as you can refresh your screen

* I was wary of saying something because as my children are mixed race, I didn't want them to think I was angling for my little darlings to have their photo on their website*

Give them some credit!

No high drama.

Just a “website update appreciated, but would be great to see a few more mixed race children in the photos”

Thanks

Not just “mixed race” obviously!

No need to tiptoe or be worried OP

You have made a very valid observation

It needs addressing. So raise with school and I’m sure will be addressed

@Unsure1983

This happened when I was at school. About 75% of my school was Indian. About 75% of pictures on the website were of white girls. There was quite a drama about it.

And now we have the reverse. A predominately white school where people have an issue with predominantly white pictures.

I’ve always wondered whether the websites for schools in Japan or Delhi etc will be full of pictures of white children. I somehow doubt it.