Countering racism in schools

Racism in schools can have a major impact on both students and staff; it can destroy their self-confidence, happiness and trust in others, lessen their ability to develop healthy social relationships and inhibit their ability to learn and to teach. However, the damaging effects of racism go beyond the immediate victims. If racist behaviours and attitudes are allowed to go unchecked in a school, they can become entrenched and seen as the norm with consequent negative effects on the culture and the learning environment and the social health of the wider community. In adopting a culturally inclusive approach schools and colleges aim to create a climate in which the cultural values and linguistic skills of all members of the school community are reflected and valued.

Characteristics of the ideal culturally inclusive climate

• The school or college acknowledges and supports all young people and adults in the school community regardless of race.
• All members of the school community understand the action they can take in the event of an incident of harassment or discrimination based on their race.
• A prime objective in the teaching and learning program is to dispel myths and inform students in the area of racism.
• Classrooms reflect and value a diversity of linguistic and cultural backgrounds. For example:
  • the resources, books, play equipment, pictures, puzzles portray people from all cultures and do not portray them as exotic;
  • people of different skin colours are not only portrayed as living in third world countries in poverty situations; and
  • resources are not ethnocentric.
• Curriculum content reflects the knowledge and experiences of people from a wide range of socio-cultural backgrounds and includes the contributions of significant people from a range of cultural backgrounds.
• Content takes account of students' first language skills, recognising that a person's first language is an integral part of his or her identity. Students from non-Anglo cultures need to express their first language without fear of reprisal.
• Critical analysis is applied so that students are able to:
  • determine cultural bias in resources;
  • challenge resources that are racist;
  • learn about the effects of racist language; and
  • recognise social structures that perpetuate racism.
• Languages other than English are studied by a majority of students.
• Signs and work in languages other than English are displayed.

One School's Approach:

Lansdowne Crescent Primary School
An Interview with the principal, John Carter

Q: Do you have incidents of racism in your school?

A: Recently a grade six student told a student who had lived in Australia for eighteen months to go back to Serbia. The class teacher explained that that was a racist comment and as such it was outlawed and she strongly disapproved. The principal and parents were informed. The matter ended.

That is an example of what are now isolated incidents, the result of three years of constant monitoring, listening and counselling.

Q: How do you deal with complaints from children?

A: When there is a problem I talk it through with both the victims and the perpetrators present.

Q: Do parents tell you what is going on?

A: A father of a newly arrived student told how his daughter was being harassed on the way home from school. Individual letters were sent to parents of children involved. Six out of seven parents came to express their thanks for being told.

Q: Has the problem become worse recently?

A: It's about the same. The more people assume that recent events encourage people to speak against minority groups, the more difficult our task becomes. The media has a large role. For example, the question Why let kids into our school when they can't speak English? is not racist: it depends how it's asked. There's a lot of misunderstanding. For example, native English speakers assume that children are swearing at them when they speak to them in Serbian. We have to explain that they are not and why they are speaking in another language. Then they understand.

Q: Is there a process for dealing with incidents?

A: Yes, the class teacher deals with the incident in the first place. Then the ESL teacher is consulted. If the incident is not resolved it is referred to the principal who may notify parents.

Q: Are parent groups concerned about racism in schools?

A: Last week the parent meeting asked how many students from different cultural backgrounds there were in the school. They were stunned about the story of harassment on the way home from school. They suggested having a piece in the regular newsletter in one of the new students' languages.

I believe parents have a responsibility to teach tolerance at home. I keep in touch with the parents of newly arrived students. I told them I know how to deal with students who harass each other but I'm not sure how to deal with them when they are both members of the Serbian community. They said "Our kids are Australian. You deal with them in the same way as you would any student".

Q Is the role of teacher modelling important?

A: The class teacher plays a key role. The way she/ he deals with incidents before I hear of them is crucial.

Q: Do you take every complaint seriously?

A: Yes. I have a responsibility to take all concerns seriously. What is trivial to one person is serious to another. It's part of our supportive school environment: incidents must be followed through. Many parents choose to send their children here because of the culturally diverse population.

Dispelling myths and providing information is a prime objective in countering racism in schools.

We used to be inclined to say 'Go away and don't tell tales'. Now we follow up all behaviour and we run an education program so that students know what is harassment and what isn't. They have been through the exercises of knowing what it feels like and sounds like and what the effects are. Perpetrators become aware of what they are doing.

The students negotiate their class rules at the beginning of every year and these are visibly displayed throughout the school. At times they are added to, to address a particular situation.