Page 5 - Anti-Racism Pocketbook for Schools

What is Racism?

In order to build the right understanding of racism, the first step

is to truly know what it is. Racism as defined is “the
marginalization and/or oppression of people of colour based on a

socially constructed racial hierarchy that privileges white people.”

Racism can take place in many shapes, sizes, and can happen in

many places. Racism is an umbrella term that includes prejudice,
discrimination or hatred directed towards any ethnically diverse

individual. Whether this means their colour, ethnicity, or national

origin.

Here are a few statistics to understand how racism can have

adverse impact on ethnically diverse individuals in the UK:

• The Social Metrics Commission’s latest report found that
46% of Black households in the UK were in poverty,

compared with just under one in five White families.

• Black children were over four times more likely than white

children to be arrested.

• Between 2018 and 2019 show that Black people are now

nearly 10 times more likely to be stopped and searched by
police than White people.

• Ethnically diverse individuals are far more likely to be sent to
prison for drug offences than White defendants who have

committed similar crimes.

• A poll of more than 400 ethnically diverse teachers found

that 54 percent have experienced actions they believe are
demeaning to their racial heritage or identity.

5 | P a g e equalityanddiversity.co.uk