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Recognising racism in schools |
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Recognising racism and its effects in schools
Indicators of racism
Refusal to co-operate with people from different groups
- refusing to work with people of particular cultural or linguistic
backgrounds
- refusing to play with or sit next to students from diverse cultural and
linguistic groups
- excluding colleagues from social groups based on their ethnicity
- excluding students from groups based on their ethnicity or language
- discriminating against someone on the basis of the cultural or linguistic
background of their relatives, friends or other
associates
Racist propaganda
- wearing badges, insignia or clothes with slogans against particular cultural
or linguistic groups
- writing graffiti or slogans directed against particular cultural or
linguistic groups
- promoting publications opposed to particular cultural or linguistic
groups
- promoting racist attitudes and intolerance through the Internet and other
electronic media
Racist comments, ridicule or abuse (verbal or written)
- making fun of clothes, food or physical appearance of people from diverse
cultural and linguistic groups
- using derogatory language or terms directed against particular groups
- ridiculing or mimicking the accents or gestures of people from different
cultural or linguistic groups
- making stereotyped statements about particular cultural or linguistic
groups
- telling people to ‘go back where they came from’
- telling jokes directed against particular cultural or linguistic groups
Judgements based on stereotypes
- making judgements about a person’s language ability according to his
or her accent
- making assumptions about people’s abilities or preferences based on
their language or cultural background
- making assumptions about values of people from particular cultural or
linguistic groups
- allocating tasks (to teachers or students) according to their language or
culture
Discriminatory policies and procedures
- ignoring or not responding to incidents or complaints of racism
- not informing students, parents and staff of their rights in relation to
racism
- having parent and community organisations that are not representative of the
diversity of the school community
- not providing access to interpreters or translations for parents
- discouraging the involvement of parents and community members from diverse
cultural and linguistic backgrounds in school activities or decision making
processes
- not allowing students to speak their first language at school
- forcing students to take part in activities in conflict with their cultural
or religious beliefs
- forcible anglicising of students’ names
- applying more severe discipline measures for students from some cultural and
linguistic backgrounds than others
- having significantly higher rates of suspension or exclusion for students of
some cultural or linguistic groups than others
- condoning racist behaviour or practices or allowing them to go
unchallenged
Non-inclusive curriculum or teaching practices
- teaching programs that assume the perspectives of the dominant group as the
‘norm’
- using curriculum resources that do not reflect the perspectives of diverse
cultural and linguistic groups
- using examples that reinforce stereotyped views of particular cultural or
linguistic groups
- teachers having lower expectations of students from some cultural or
linguistic groups
- not acknowledging the cultural and linguistic diversity among students
- inappropriate placement of students in low ability groups on the basis of
their culture or language background
- not giving awards or recognition to students of particular cultural or
linguistic groups
- not providing for the religious diversity of the school
- giving low priority to language and cultural programs in
timetable
Physical assault and harassment
- students bullying others from different cultural and linguistic groups
- intimidating behaviour towards people from other cultural or linguistic
groups e.g. stealing, threatening, stalking
- fights against or physical assaults on others from different cultural or
linguistic groups
Effects of racism
Educational outcomes
- lower school participation rates for students from some cultural and
linguistic groups
- lower literacy and numeracy outcomes for students from some cultural and
linguistic groups
- lower rates of attendance, participation and retention in education for
students from some cultural and linguistic groups
- barriers to employment and further education pathways
- gifts and talents of students from some cultural and linguistic groups are
not recognised and or developed.
Individual’s happiness and self-confidence
- lower self-esteem, feelings of failure
- withdrawing from others, fear of school in students who have been subject to
racism
- teachers who are subject to racism losing confidence and enjoyment in
teaching
- feeling anxious or depressed
School climate
- no friendship or co-operation between students from different cultural or
linguistic groups
- frequent fights in playground between students from different cultural or
linguistic groups
- students from different cultural or linguistic backgrounds form groups in
self-defence
- antagonism between staff of different cultural or linguistic groups
- tension in learning and working environments
Cultural identity
- rejection of own culture and parental values
- students not speaking first language for fear of ridicule
- confusion about own identity
School/community relations
- lack of confidence by parents or community from culturally and
linguistically diverse backgrounds in the school and education system
- parents from diverse cultural and linguistic groups unwilling to participate
in school
b
- lack of empowerment for parents from diverse cultural and linguistic groups
Student behaviour
- silent, withdrawn, not engaging with learning
- unable to concentrate in class
- unable to take risks with learning
- poor school attendance
- aggressive or violent reactions by students who are victims of racism
- disruptive behaviour
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