It's illegal to teach about white privilege, apparently

[BIWI]

Anyone see this?

article in today's Guardian

I'm absolutely astounded - not only that this is the equalities minister saying this, but also that she black herself. How can she justify this?

Sorry - I was so astounded, I forgot to ask my question, which is why I posted this

Am I missing something? Do you think she's right, and that it's not the 'purpose of education' to teach British children about the true nature and impact of imperialism?

It's not quite what she said. It a difficult issue as well intentioned plans can have negative consequences. I don't think that we need a separate item on the curriculum for white privilege, schools education should primarily be focuses on the three Rs. I would like to think that liberal open values are fostered not just in school but in wider society.

This is what she said:

Schools which teach pupils that “white privilege” is an uncontested fact are breaking the law, the women and equalities minister has said.

Addressing MPs during a Commons debate on Black History Month, Kemi Badenoch said the government does not want children being taught about “white privilege and their inherited racial guilt”

Any school which teaches these elements of political race theory as fact, or which promotes partisan political views such as defunding the police without offering a balanced treatment of opposing views, is breaking the law,” she said

And sorry - didn't make it clear - it was the headline in The Guardian that said "Teaching white privilege as uncontested fact is illegal, minister says"

@Eng123

schools education should primarily be focuses on the three Rs

Really?! I would have hoped we'd progressed a bit more than that these days.

The woman is Binfolk, as far as I am concerned. She has no shame, and must not own a mirror. Dawn Butler was speaking the truth.

Going by her voting record, Kevin Bademoch doesn't give a fuck about anyone except rich white men who can further her political career. It must be working because she was gifted what must be one of the safest Tory seats in the country (she's my local MP, unfortunately). I expect she's the sort of person who thinks that because they succeeded, there's no such thing as racism (or sexism) and will completely disregard any evidence that doesn't sit nicely with her own Tory world view.

Kemi. The personification of 'Conflict of interest'

Look how much attention she’s gotten for this now. In case anyone was wondering why she did it.

Think it's saying it has to be taught as a theory that some disagree with rather than an uncontested fact.

There is debate, for example, as to whether telling kids to expect racism helps them or holds them back and lowers their expectations.

I was talking after school to a kid recently who felt he was on the receiving end of subtle racism and managed to talk about it in the context of yes it could be or it could be his perception etc and he was very reflective about it. I advised talking to his mum about it and seeing if they wanted to take action and suggested several approaches if they did and made clear I was always willing to talk if he needed it or to be more directly involved if he wanted to take action.

He was saying he wasn't sure if it was racism or whether having had them talk' with his mum had made him really vigilant and expecting it.

It was my job to explore it and his feelings with him and to look at his options and encourage him to talk to his parent. He didn't need a strong opinion or political position but an ear and safe space to explore it and make his own conclusions and choices.

What schools are being asked to do is explore things but whether it's mermaids or BLM (the organisation and it's agenda rather than the sentiment) not to unquestioningly present as fact outside agencies agendas.

@Eng123

It's not quite what she said. It a difficult issue as well intentioned plans can have negative consequences. I don't think that we need a separate item on the curriculum for white privilege, schools education should primarily be focuses on the three Rs. I would like to think that liberal open values are fostered not just in school but in wider society.

I agree, schools should concentrate on teaching facts, not opinion. Teaching opinion is a rocky road and very subjective.

But white privilege isn't an opinion, surely?

Just like male privilege when it comes to sexism.

I feel like Franz Fanon wrote about the concept white privilege in “Black Skin, White Masks” which I studied at university well before the phrase was created. It can be taught in the context of history where it’s been used as a framework for anti colonial movements.

Binfolk shill

The world she is helping create will turn on her and her own family members once they are done with her. Nobody could pay me enough to be a mouthpiece for things that actively hurt me and my community

The way the Guardian reported this made my hackles rise.

Please, go and read the Black History Month parliamentary discussions in Hansard for yourselves, freely available here:

bit.ly/3obgLbH

It is the first time in 5 years that parliament has made a big thing of Black History Month. It’s good they have, it deserves their attention and ours.

You can read dozens of great speeches which obviously the media is ignoring as they are balanced, open-minded, full of interesting facts and anecdotes and optimism.

What Kemi said (Right at the end around column 1011) was in a rant at the end of over six hours of discussion. Obviously what she said has grabbed media attention as it is controversial. Pity.

I don’t agree with how Kemi expressed herself, but I want people to read all of what she said AND at least some of the other speeches, for balance. The Guardian is biased.

It is a shame this thread exists, and we aren’t having a thread comparing which speech we liked best/ learned from in the Parliamentary discussion, I’d be interested in a thread like that. Wouldn’t it be fantastic if we rewarded politicians with our attention when they say something right and good, rather than only ever fanning the flames of comments that divide us and cause dissent.

@CustardyCreams

It is a shame this thread exists, and we aren’t having a thread comparing which speech we liked best/ learned from in the Parliamentary discussion, I’d be interested in a thread like that. Wouldn’t it be fantastic if we rewarded politicians with our attention when they say something right and good, rather than only ever fanning the flames of comments that divide us and cause dissent

Why don't you start one then?

I started this one because I was astounded by the views expressed in the article. I wanted to know if I was missing something.

When you say The Guardian is biased, what do you mean - in the context of reporting on race issues?

Please start one @CustardyCreams i don't think I have 6 hours to listen myself right now but be interested to hear some highlights from the balanced speeches

@BIWI Kemi Badenoch has a very high profile, she is a very intelligent woman, she should know and do better. I'm really really disappointed in her.

Regardless of context.

I don't want to be quick to label her a sell out because maybe her wealth (and family wealth?) has shielded her from racism and she is completely detached from the reality.

Either way she needs to be very careful because there's usually a cost. She might face the reality of being black later in life or as I've seen a few times the very very real blowback is in the mental health of their children. Specifically, when children of 'racism deniers' face real difficulties in life due to racism it will be difficult for them to process.

I listened to Kemi’s statement, at least the video I saw was about 7 minutes long.

What I cannot stand about her is that she shuts down any opposing views by offering her bona fides as a “real” Black person.

She said she is the only MP in the debate who was born and educated in Africa so she can speak with authority that African schools don’t teach slavery from the perspective of Africans as victims. I would love to know which school she attended in Nigeria and how representative it is of education across the country given her parents are professionals (a GP and a professor according to Wikipedia).

She did something similar in a debate on COVID telling an Asian Labour MP that she won’t be lectured to on race essentially from a non-Black person. As if Asians don’t face racism! They are also disproportionately affected by COVID.

The Tories get to pat themselves on the back because a real life African immigrant agrees with them that racism is all overblown.

How this actually helps Black people in Britain I truly do not know.

Am I missing something? Do you think she's right, and that it's not the 'purpose of education' to teach British children about the true nature and impact of imperialism

So what would that do?

Not every child who goes to school is British. Ds’s class as a white British boy he was in the minority.

Is the idea that you teach how awful British people were hundreds of years ago and then the minority of white British children can apologise to their classmates and spend their school time in purgatory.

I am still struggling with white privilege having been the subject of racist abuse because my family were immigrants.

So xenophobia? @Oliversmumsarmy

If you received racism because of where you were born that does not cancel out racism others people face because of the colour of their skin.

Nobody is denying your experience so why are you denying ours?

Not every child who goes to school is British. Ds’s class as a white British boy he was in the minority.

Why does that preclude them from learning about British history, given that they are living in Britain?

Oliversmumsarmy Your post is ridiculous. Nobody is asking children to apologise, and you know it.

They do learn about British history and about empire and slavery in ks3. We also cover the civil rights movement in the USA. There's obviously a difference between learning about the facts of history in history lessons and teaching white privilege as a contemporary undisputed fact though.

Where would that be in the curriculum? Racism is broadly covered in history and within ethics in RS and pshe.

It seems it's only the non critical presentation of white privilege as an undisputed fact is not allowed.

@BIWI

But white privilege isn't an opinion, surely?

Just like male privilege when it comes to sexism.

It is subjective. History is taught and from there it is up to the individual how they interpret it. White privilege cannot be taught as an undisputed fact, because it is an opinion, not fact. I would also say that applies to male privilege.

Additionally, I am not sure how useful it is to make a blanket statement to young children that simply because they are x they will have to struggle harder to achieve, and if they don't achieve it is down to that factor. It could be a self-fulfiling prophecy which would be counter productive.