Schools are unfairly punishing black students for their hairstyles, wearing bandanas and “kissing teeth” because of racial bias, claimed teachers and campaigners.
Critics say black students are being held by teachers in schools with “harsh” zero-tolerance behaviour and similar policies, as well as subconscious negative image teachers.
Experts have warned of a government push to increase academies — schools that are independent of state councils — may experience worse black students as there is less scrutiny by authorities.
The criticism comes after a governmental behaviour of the Tsar recently supported an academy that punished pupils who “tainted kisses”, familiar in African and Caribbean culture, with two-hour detention.
The campaign group says no more exclusions, led by predominantly black and minority ethnic teachers and parents, are being sent home to black girls often having braids in their hair and kissing other black students with teeth Is suspended for-sound purse sucking air through the teeth through the lips.
Zahra Bei, the founder of No More Exclusion and a 20-year-old teacher, suggests that some teachers more harshly sanction black students due to a lack of understanding about cultural traits.
Ms. Bei said, “Many times children [kiss teeth] because they are angry or sad about something but it is often considered something more serious.
She has also seen black students being punished for not looking teachers in the eye — and yet Ms. Bei said in some cultures that it’s rude for children to make eye contact with adults if they look down.
The former teacher recently saw black male pupils with short hair being kept in isolation at an academy, but he was not punished in the same way claiming white pupils with similar length hair.
“A black kid that kept coming in for his short hair told me, ‘Miss, my family often has to cut my hair, so I can’t afford to cut it short then it lasts longer,'” Ms. Bei Independent said. “They are punishing children in a very harsh way.”
The government’s Timpson review of school exclusions last year showed that Black Caribbean pupils were 1.6 times more likely to be permanently out of school than white British children.
But campaigners and experts say the review has failed to address the causes of racial inequality and they argue the government’s inaction on the issue has led schools to increasingly “make their own rules”.
David Gilbourne, Professor of Critical Race Studies at the University of Birmingham’s School of Education, said: “When you have zero-tolerance policies, the idea that we are not going to tolerate any violation is strict on everyone. Are going to happen — but the problem is that it is Black students who are inconsistently affected by these policies.
“It is every student in the class who is not accused of these things. He said it is inconsistent to black Caribbean students.
The government needs to investigate schools that disproportionately exclude black children and take action, campaigners and experts say, and all new teachers should be taught cultural awareness.
Zubaida Haque, deputy director of the Runnymede Trust, said: “Exclusion in schools has peaked for several reasons, but we know that there are significant concerns about teacher image and school policies that have racially discriminatory consequences for different ethnic backgrounds. Student of.
But Catherine Birbal Singh, head of Michaela Community School in London, where pupils are subject to an internal boycott at the school for “kissing teeth or tutting”, said she found it “strange” that people from one black child Less expected would be the white pupil found when it comes to behaviour.
Ms Birbal Singh, whose state school has been described as the most strict in the country, said: “I don’t know why black children are not able to meet behavioural requirements like other children.”
“All children, whatever race, can behave themselves as long as they are given the right support and we do that for all our children.”
She added: “Kissing teeth is rude. Everyone knows. Black people know it isn’t beneficial. The idea of allowing black children to be rude is to lower their standards for those black children.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “Schools try to consistently and fairly implement behavioural policies, taking into account any factor, cultural or otherwise, that can have an impact on a student’s behaviour. .
“That said, there is always more we can develop our understanding of our students, and we welcome any initiative that helps achieve that goal.”
He said that the decision to exclude students “was never made lightly” but noted that it might be necessary at times to ensure “students can learn in an orderly environment.”
A Department for Education spokesman said: “Racism has no place in our schools and the Equality Act makes it illegal to discriminate against students based on their race. Our guidance makes it clear that a uniform policy develops. Schools should keep this in mind while doing so.
“The statutory exclusion guidance is also clear that all schools should consider what additional support may be needed to identify and address the needs of children from groups that are more likely to be excluded.
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