Page 7 - Anti-Racism Pocketbook for Schools and Academies
P. 7

Defining racism


               One of the most suited definitions of racism according to

               Merriam-Webster is: the systemic oppression of a racial

               group to the social, economic, and political advantage of

               another. Further to this, this systemic oppression can be due

               to the belief that there are innate differences between

               different racial and ethnic groups that makes some groups

               inherently different.


               However, having the belief that race determines superiority

               hinders our ability to treat others fairly and with the respect
               needed to make students feel capable of accomplishments.

               This form of oppression is often reflected in behaviour and

               attitudes towards ethnic groups of people.


               After reviewing the statistics provided by the Equality and

               Human Rights Commission below, it is clear that racism is an

               important issue within the education system in UK and the
               general population that needs to be addressed:



                   •  Just 6% of black school leavers attended a Russell Group

                       university, compared with 12% of mixed and Asian
                       school leavers and 11% of white school leavers


                   •  Black Caribbean and Mixed White/Black Caribbean

                       children have rates of permanent exclusion about 3x
                       that of the pupil population as a whole


                   •  Rates of prosecution and sentencing for black people

                       were 3x higher than for white people, this is 18 per
                       thousand of the population compared with six per

                       thousand population for white people



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