I know I’m not alone when I say that the events in America have left me heartbroken, hurt and infuriated. The brutal murder of George Floyd has not just flared up issues within America’s police force but also highlighted the deeply entrenched racist views across the globe.
I have always known that I am “not racist” however that is not enough anymore, we must actively be anti-racist otherwise we are choosing the side of the oppressor. For too long, I have struggled with how to use my voice in the most positive way I can; I didn’t want to “whitewash” the conversation, use incorrect wording or phrasing or appear as if I could understand the level of pain of ethnic minorities because I will never be able to relate to the suffering and fear that they have to deal with on a daily basis. Unfortunately, as a result of this, I have kept quiet about these issues and my silence has been deafening.
Racism and prejudice is not a political issue but rather one of humanity and society. This is not a problem that can be eradicated with a cross on a ballot paper or the passing of a law; it is built into society and that is where the importance of understanding white privilege comes into it.
Discussing white privilege is not a pleasant conversation but in a world where people are having their lives taken from them, I think we can all agree that a little discomfort is hardly a significant ask. I strongly believe that schools have a duty to teach about white privilege in order for us to understand how we can dismantle the inherently racist constructs of society. I also believe that the only way for change to occur is through learning, therefore I think it is crucial for schools to have these difficult conversations and allow us to explore and understand the issue of racism so that we can begin to build a more loving and equal world.
I also feel that many schools, including mine, are part of the problem. One of the things that I love about my school is the huge amount of diversity there but I do not feel like this is celebrated enough. We do not teach white children like me how to deal with our white privilege and use it to make sure we do not have white privilege any longer. We do not have enough conversations about prejudice against all groups. Just because something is difficult to discuss doesn’t mean it should be brushed under the carpet, in fact that is even more of a reason as to why it needs to be talked about.
My school’s failure to do the aforementioned has had a tremendous impact. There are many cases of microagression in my year group and I’m sure they occur throughout other years and schools too. By not addressing these “micro” problems, we allow a culture of blurred lines to be created and this feeds into more severe problems. Pupils shouldn’t feel entitled to make comments about someone’s culture, religion or skin because it’s “just a joke”, pupils shouldn’t feel they have the right to use slurs because “so-and-so said I could” and no one should be made to feel as though their battles against the prejudices affecting them are less significant simply because that marginalised group isn’t the one trending on Twitter right now. We need to teach our pupils that making jokes at someone else’s expense is wrong, someone isn’t being weak or ridiculous for calling out inappropriate words or behaviour and posting a black square on Instagram is not enough to fight back against injustice.
So to all schools, I ask that you take this opportunity to shape change makers in society and remove any microaggressive behaviour that could turn into something even more harmful in the future. I hope that the voices of your pupils are listened to and that changes to school policy are made because no one and no organisation is perfect but together we can learn from one another and be one step closer to creating the sort of world we all want to, and deserve to live in.
Niamh’s News 03/06/2020