Schools and colleges in England are failing to meet their legal responsibilities to tackle racism, according to campaigners who are urging the government to embed anti-racism into the national curriculum.
A coalition of organisations has called for Black history to become a mandatory subject, asserting that the current curriculum inadequately represents diversity.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, the coalition, which represents young people’s voices, warned that “racism is holding all young people back.” They stressed the need for urgent measures to combat what they described as a “growing crisis” in education.
The letter urged the government to seize the opportunity presented by the upcoming national curriculum review, due next year, to incorporate diverse and anti-racist content. It also criticised the existing legal framework as “insufficient” for supporting schools in adopting robust anti-racist practices.
Among the key recommendations was the introduction of a whole-school approach to tackling racism. Campaigners proposed that upcoming race equality legislation should mandate all schools to create action plans for addressing racial inequality.
Additionally, the Department for Education (DfE) was urged to recognise racism as a safeguarding issue and to issue anti-racism guidance for schools and colleges to ensure consistent implementation.
The coalition wrote: “There is longstanding evidence of the harmful outcomes caused by bias and a lack of racially inclusive practice. Far too many young people’s lives are held back by experiences of racism, which harm their wellbeing, limit their opportunities, and undermine cohesion within school communities.”
The campaign has the backing of prominent organisations, including the Diana Award, Everyday Racism, the Black Curriculum, and the African Caribbean Education Network, as well as public figures like singer Jade Thirlwall, author Nels Abbey, and TikTok teacher Shabaz Says. Shabaz remarked, “As a teacher, I’ve witnessed this first-hand. It’s crucial for change to happen.”
The letter also highlighted a 23% rise in pupils suspended for racist abuse in 2022-23 compared to the previous year.
Suspension rates among students of Black Caribbean ethnicity (11.74%) and mixed white and Black Caribbean heritage (13.62%) significantly exceeded those of white British students (7.9%).
Findings from the 2022 Black and British Survey revealed that 95% of respondents believed the curriculum neglected Black experiences, while fewer than 2% felt educational institutions took racism seriously.
Moreover, 41% identified racism as the greatest barrier to young Black people’s educational attainment.
Naomi Evans, founder of Everyday Racism, emphasised the lack of preparedness among educators to address the issue. “Racism should be explicitly treated as a safeguarding issue, and teachers should be equipped to deal with it,” she said.
Responding to the campaign, a DfE spokesperson stated: “Racism and discrimination have absolutely no place in our schools or society. We are committed to ensuring pupils learn in safe, calm classrooms.
Our independent curriculum review aims to deliver content that reflects the diversity of our society, ensuring all children and young people are represented.”
The coalition is also seeking a meeting with Labour leader Keir Starmer to discuss strategies for better supporting young people affected by racism, urging policymakers to prioritise this pressing issue.
