Schools: Racial Discrimination

(asked on 6th June 2022) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to require schools to implement anti-racist policies.


Answered by
Baroness Barran Portrait
Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This question was answered on 20th June 2022

There is no place for racism in our education system and schools have an important role in preparing pupils for life in modern Britain, by supporting them to understand the society in which they grow up in and teaching about respect for other people and difference.

The department has no plans to place specific requirements on schools, but we expect them to take steps to tackle racist and discriminatory attitudes or incidents and condemn racism within the school and wider society. Challenging intolerant, racist or discriminatory views, where these are shared at school, should be seen as part of schools’ wider anti-bullying and safeguarding duties.

Further to this, relationships education is now compulsory in all schools and the relationships, sex and health education curriculum has a strong focus on equality, respect, the harmful impact of stereotyping, as well as the importance of valuing difference.

Under the Equality Act 2010, schools must not discriminate against a pupil in a number of respects because of a characteristic protected by the act. State-funded schools are also subject to the public sector equality duty. The department has published guidance for schools to help them comply with their duties, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-2010-advice-for-schools.

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