Page 11 - Anti-Racism Pocketbook for Schools

White privilege and the role it plays in schools

White privilege is the fact that society places White people on a

pedestal that benefits them over ethnically diverse individuals.
White individuals have the privilege of living their life without the

consequence of death or violence due to the colour of their skin.

In schools, White privilege and the impact of it is rarely

acknowledged or addressed. White superiority is still very
prevalent in the structure of the world, even though most of the

world is not White. This can add a strain to the relationship built

between White teachers and ethnically diverse students.

Many of us know that ethnically diverse people are more likely to

be stopped, searched, arrested, and harmed by police than White

people. In fact, individuals from a ethnically diverse backgrounds

were stopped at a rate 4.1 times higher than those who were
from a White ethnic group in 2020 (Home Office, 2020).

However, White privilege goes beyond police brutality and

systemic oppression in courts.

Schools play a direct role in the marginalisation of ethnically

diverse individuals. Many schools are predominately White in

terms of support, curriculum, and students. Because white

privilege and racism play a role within these school,
White students and staff tend to have an advantage.

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