Statement of Principles

This Statutory Policy is an integral part of Broadstone Middle School’s Equality and Diversity Policy which is based on the principle that all students and staff should be supported in fulfilling their potential, whilst at all times respecting the needs of the individual.  Racial and Ethnic equality is central to the ethos and core values of the School.

The School appreciates that, on occasions, there may be difficulties in establishing a full and accurate understanding of some issues of racism and cultural diversity, particularly where there are few staff members from racial or ethnic minority background. The School will therefore make use of all available sources of support.

Definition of Race and Ethnicity

The term ‘race’ is taken to mean a group of people who are distinct from other races because of physical differences.

‘Ethnicity’ is defined as a social group which has a shared sense of identity, history and cultural roots and see themselves as the same. The School recognizes that minority ethnic groups include gypsies, travellers, refugees, asylum-seekers and other less visible minority groups.

‘Culture’ refers to the perspectives and practices of a social group.

Responsibilities

The Governing body recognises its duty, under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000: to eliminate unlawful racial discrimination; and will endeavor to

• Ensure that all students, staff, parents, carers and visitors have equality of opportunity to achieve their potential, regardless of their racial or ethnic background
• Value equally all members of the school community
• Promote positive attitudes towards life in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, and multi-faith society and celebrate cultural diversity
• Combat racial harassment and racial discrimination and challenge racism in all its forms
• Equip pupils, staff, parents, carers and visitors with the knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes to recognise and challenge examples of racism that they meet in their lives
• Establish a close partnership with parents, carers and the local community, with sensitivity and openness to the experiences, aspirations and perspectives of those from ethnic minority backgrounds

The Governors will:

• Promote equality of opportunity and good relations between persons of different racial groups
• Ensure that this policy and its related procedures and strategies are implemented and the performance is monitored

The Occurrence of Racism or Ethnic Intolerance in School

Racism in school may be encountered via any of the following, whether singly or in combination:

• aggressive or abusive behaviour, which may be pupil/pupil, staff/pupil, pupil/staff or staff/staff
• negative discrimination against certain pupils or staff members individually or collectively based on prejudicial stereotypes
• use (possibly unwittingly) of teaching materials which contain or promote stereotypes
• uneasiness or fear in interaction between individuals of different racial groups
• efforts to compensate via preferential treatment of minority groups
• avoidance or denial of incidents or issues with a racial component
• the conversational use of racially demeaning vocabulary
• humour which belittles or ridicules a specific racial group

Our Response to Racism

In this school we are opposed to:

• any manifestation of racism, as defined above
• any discriminatory attitude or practice based on the labelling or stereotyping of any human individual or group

Our Procedures in Dealing with Racism

• we will fulfill our statutory duties under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000
• our initial approach will be to view racism as a serious matter and the product of conditioning, and therefore as capable of reversal
• although racist incidents are technically disciplinary matters, we do not view punishment as a productive first resort in dealing with racism
• we will keep a formal record of all racist incidents and report racist incidents to the LA
• we aim to create an intellectual and personal climate in which the ugliness and destructiveness of racism can be openly identified and discussed in any forum of staff and pupils
• in the aftermath of a racist incident our aim will be to help the perpetrator of racial abuse or aggression to become aware of the nature of racism and of their part in it
• we will also aim to bring together the perpetrator and the victim of the racist incident in a spirit of conciliation

May 2010