I am a teacher in a school - is this right?

[TTlover]

Hi all.

I am a primary school teacher (UK) and after the racism that has been happening in the football, I taught the children in my class a lovely lesson on equality.

The children then made equality posters and anti racism posters.

We then went to put the posters up around the school.

The head teacher approached me and asked all of the children to take them down.

I feel really upset by this. It wasn’t an issue with the blue tac on the walls as there are always posters going up from other classes.

I had to turn all of my children around, ask them to take their posters down and then come back up to the classroom with the children confused.

Perhaps I should have asked first, but I really didn’t see it being an issue.

Did I cross the line? Now I feel anxious.

While it's one thing for schools to teach the different movements that are happening, the school is not a place for political agendas as such. Not everyone will agree with things that are being posted and it is a cause for possible conflict. Let children be children imo.

@Unfinishednam what the hell are you talking about ?? Please explain to me how raising awareness of equality is a political agenda? What the hell ???????!!!

I've already explained this in a previous post.

@User5827372728

you don't get caught out by this.

Caught out by who? You sound pretty paranoid.

Well as I don't post my students work on MN I've not much to worry about so no, not paranoid.

Its mind-blowing, isn't it @cherry2727 ?

But its fine. They keep saying it, the rest of us keep calling them on it.

MissKeithsNeice

Suggesting that there is any ambiguity about what the term anti-racism means is disingenuous, cyclical nonsense. Its rhetoric of rhetoric used to shut down discussion. As you well know, for 99.99% of people, anti-racism means to neither support nor engage in discriminatory behaviours based on racial prejudice.

I haven't said that there is ambiguity, I have said that there is a movement surrounding the term anti racism.
Strange that the rhetoric is being used to shutdown discussion.

Also nice use of made up numbers.

But there's zero nuance in what you've posted so far

You are going to have to explain this further, I have stated that I am against racism, and have pointed out that there are elements that have twisted terms and the BLM movement. None of this is incorrect.

I am having trouble in understanding those posters suggesting that the op needs to plan and have a lesson approved on equality ! Isn't this done in the same tone of a teacher explaining to her class the importance of being kind, not bullying , sharing etc? Surely these are just informal discussions held by teachers with their students ?!! Christ what is this world coming too?

OP I believe the issue may be in putting postered up without permission- I don't work in a school so can only assume. Speak to your head. Also please bear in mind the audience when posting Such topics on Mumsnet - it's a very touchy subject for some as they won't want their kids being brainwashed into learning about equality !!!

cherry2727

Some schools will have a policy and already approved lessons on equality.

Some schools will let you write your own lessons but they must be along the guidelines that the school has set.

Others will just tell teachers that they must put together a lesson on equality and get on with it.

Which ever the school does there are also other guidelines that schools are advised to follow as teachers cannot teach certain theories as facts.

@Unfinishednam

I've already explained this in a previous post.

Actually you didnt

Owe bravo @FrippEnos - you just implied anti-racism was a theory

And please don't tell me you didn't. Cause you did. This is a discussion about racism.

@FrippEnos could you explain this one? teachers cannot teach certain theories as facts

This would imply that you believe the assertion that racism is wrong to be a theory not a fact?

MissKeithsNeice

If you say so.

I actually said that there was a movement around the term anti-racism, I haven't said that its a theory.

But you will see what you want to see.

This thread has sadly proved how so many people seek to excuse / ignore their own racism and the racism in society.

Sunday night has shone a light on how deeply rooted it is in our society and this thread is just full of apologists saying oh no don’t discuss it.

Someone at the start of this thread said “let children be children” as a reason to not discuss it - in order to let black and brown children be children it needs to be confronted and called out!

[quote KittyMcKitty]**@FrippEnos* could you explain this one? teachers cannot teach certain theories as facts*

This would imply that you believe the assertion that racism is wrong to be a theory not a fact?[/quote]
The government has stated that critical race theory cannot be taught as a fact. That it must be taught showing the opposite side of the discussion.

This has nothing to do with me nor what I believe, it is guidance from the government.

But it would be nice if you quoted the whole statement and not just an except.

Oh come off it.

You have consistently implied that it would be near impossible to work out whether people were talking about ending racial discrimination or whether they were engaging in extremist activism that requires 'white people to give up their whiteness."

@FrippEnos

MissKeithsNeice

If you say so.

I actually said that there was a movement around the term anti-racism, I haven't said that its a theory.

But you will see what you want to see.

@FrippEnos what exactly do you mean by “there is a movement around the term anti racism”?

TTlover

From what you have posted the only thing that you did wrong was not ask if the posters could go up around the school.

MissKeithsNeice

That is how you have interpreted what I have posted.

KittyMcKitty

Exactly what I posted.
MissKeithsNeice has posted an answer in her last post.

The head is racist.

FrippEnos this is nothing to do with CRT and you know that - I mean even Boris Johnson and Priti Patel have managed to put forth condemnation of the events of Sunday and there are many who would regard them as racist!

Critical Race Theory

Biiiiiiingggggggoooo!

Great. Let's chat @FrippEnos. What is Critic Race Theory?

@MissKeithsNeice

Right! Who's up for MN bingo with me??

Fellow wokesters and snowflakes, come join me. Someone mentioned race on MN, cue lots of absolute nonsense.

So far, we've had:

Declaring that anti-racism is political. And obviously therefore we can't talk about it cause other people might disagree and we would hate to offend the racists' feelings. BINGO

Describing anti-racism actions as performative. BINGO! Because, you know, posters genuinely can't think of any other reason why people might challenge racism.

Whataboutery. What discussion about race is complete with this MN classic? Cause its only possible to talk about equality in relation to one group of people. And then that's it. All the equality is used up. So we must either choose only one issue or never talk of any of them at all. Bingo. Obvs. Too easy.

Declaring black lives matters to be an anarchist organisation. Bingo once more. Though obvs I'm gutted that it wasn't also declared to be a bunch of communists/socialists cause then I'd get to tick another box off.

Use of the word woke, obviously.
No snowflakes mentioned yet though
And no one has used the word cancelled

Gutted - I'm nearly at a full house. Maybe by the time I've posted this, my bingo card will be full. Or whatever it is you do with a bingo card.

MissKiethsniece-Everything you have said her is bonkers. Too much to mention, except I ask you to google BLM and find out what it is about Clue- Marxism comes up a lot).

Side issue but did primary age children actually know that there was horrible racism after the match? The match finished at 10.30 on Sunday - how would they encounter this by Monday morning? Presumably primary age kids don’t go on Twitter over night - and they’ll only have seen horrible comments if they are following racists. I haven’t actually seen any of the racism, only heard it reported. Could it not have been framed as more of a celebration of diversity rather than highlighting the vile behaviour of a minority. I think racism is vile - but I can understand why some people think posters of clenched fists are not really appropriate in primary schools.

@Sittinginthesand

Side issue but did primary age children actually know that there was horrible racism after the match? The match finished at 10.30 on Sunday - how would they encounter this by Monday morning? Presumably primary age kids don’t go on Twitter over night - and they’ll only have seen horrible comments if they are following racists. I haven’t actually seen any of the racism, only heard it reported. Could it not have been framed as more of a celebration of diversity rather than highlighting the vile behaviour of a minority. I think racism is vile - but I can understand why some people think posters of clenched fists are not really appropriate in primary schools.

Would you explain that to a black child who I feel fairly confident would have experienced racism and who then sees the Head Teacher taking down anti racist poster?

KittyMcKitty

I haven't mentioned anything about the events on Sunday, or the racists that posted the abuse.

I am posting about possible reasons why the OP might not have been allowed to put up anti racism posters around the school and the policies that schools have to adhere to when teaching about racism.