Teachers in Scotland will be given lessons in “white privileges” and “anti-racism training resources” as part of efforts to “decolonize” the school curriculum.
Education in Scotland has introduced new recommendations due to fears that groups affected by racism are currently underrepresented in the curriculum.
Among his recommendations are a call to young children to give books, “dolls and figurines” and “put on clothes” that “normalize diversity.”
Details of the plans are contained in a new 38-page document entitled “Promoting and Developing Racial Equality and Anti-Racist Education.”
Teachers will also be invited to take a “white privilege test”, while anti-racism “tools” ask staff to consider “white volatility.”
The term is defined as protecting a white person when he is confronted with information about racial inequality and injustice.
Teachers in Scotland should be given “educational resources to combat racism” as part of efforts to “decolonize” the school curriculum. Education Scotland has introduced new recommendations on fears that groups affected by racism are currently underrepresented in the curriculum
It also contributes to the “decolonization” of the curriculum to challenge long-standing biases and oversights.
The guide states: “(Decolonization) reflects a concern that the literature, cultures, successes and histories of racist groups are not sufficiently clear in the curriculum, and that Scotland’s historical role in the colonies and in the slave trade has not been identified. consistently studied and recognized in the curriculum ”.
It also says: “At an early level, dolls and figurines, clothes, picture books and wall displays are all ways to normalize diversity.
“As a child grows, he can see diversity, for example, in used examples in mathematics, in literature and through interdisciplinary learning.
“Stereotypes of groups should be avoided when drawing diversity.
“Novels can reflect strong friendships between characters from different ethnic groups or have plots that challenge racial and other stereotypes.
“They can also develop students’ empathy by sharing the experiences of their peers.”
Among his recommendations are a call to young children to give books, “dolls and figurines” and “put on clothes” that “normalize diversity.” Details of the plans are contained in a new 38-page document entitled “Promoting and Developing Racial Equality and Anti-Racist Education.”
The guide also argues that research over the past two decades has shown that racism is part of the daily lives of ethnic minority students, even if obvious examples are rare.
The section on “decolonization” of the curriculum states: “The term reflects a concern that the literature, cultures, successes and histories of racism groups are not clear enough in the curriculum and that Scotland’s historical role in the colonies and in the slave trade has not been consistently explored and recognized in the curriculum.
“To understand the complexity of decolonization, it is important to remember that racism is rooted in colonialism: when Western countries justified the enslavement of people by spreading the belief that these people were inhuman.
Even after the colonized countries gained freedom, the long-standing imbalance of power and belief in racial superiority and inferiority remained: this is known as “colonialism”.
As well as instructions on Scottish education, a “toolkit for teachers” of the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights.
“Groups of people were racialized to justify their oppression by colonial powers such as Britain (with the Scots playing a key role).
Last month, it became known that the English department at the prestigious James Gillespie High School (pictured) in Edinburgh no longer wants to teach classics like “Mice and Men” and “Kill the Ridiculer” because of their “diligent” approach to race.
“The impact of this persists today, and so the concept of curriculum decolonization has come to the fore.”
Education Minister Shirley-Ann Somerville said: “Racism in any form has no place in Scotland, so introducing anti-racism into the spirit and practice of our education system is essential.
“This new guide to education in Scotland builds on existing resources and has been developed in collaboration with a range of young people, education professionals and organizations who have experience of racism and experience in combating it.
“Our schools and our curriculum seek to promote and inspire a sense of belonging, inclusion and social justice for students, practitioners and the wider community.
“Having an education system that enables the study of anti-racism, debate and leadership is crucial in our attempt to eradicate racism in society at large.”
Gail Gorman, Chief Executive Officer of Scotland’s Education Department, said: “It is important that all our children and young people develop an understanding of the world around them and how it was formed, and appreciate the contribution of people from a range of cultures and identities.
“Our new resource will support the profession to teach and build a society that promotes equality and actively rejects and challenges racial discrimination.”
After it became clear last month that the English department at the prestigious James Gillespie High School in Edinburgh is no longer wants to teach classics such as “Mice and Men” and “Kill the Ridiculer” because of their “diligent” approach to race.
The curriculum Alan Crosby said the department wants to drop text lessons for third-year students.
He said the representation of colored people in classic books dates back, and criticized the use of the N-word and the white savior motif in Harper Lee’s novel.
Instead, classes are likely to focus on works such as the award-winning book Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give, written in response to Oscar Grant’s shooting by police in 2009.
