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Dear Schools…it’s time for you to do the learning now

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

Sorry seems to be the hardest word: How Dominic Cummings highlighted Westminster’s elitist nature

Lights, camera, action. Not quite. On Monday afternoon I sat anxiously, cup of tea in hand, eyes fixed to the television screen. Any second now, I thought, Dominic Cummings will address the nation and explain his reasoning for the 264 mile trip from London to Durham. I wasn’t expecting a resignation but I had anticipated a timely arrival and an apology. Once again, the government seemed to let me down.

 

When seated behind the fold out table, Mr Cummings looked more like he was asking to see my ticket before letting me in to my primary school leavers’ dance than face questions on his whereabouts during lockdown but what can be expected of a man used to being on the other side of a wall of journalists and cameras? Despite his look of vulnerability, Dominic wasn’t going into this blind, unlike his drive to Barnard Castle. It was clear that there had been extensive prepping from 10 Downing Street and Cummings succeeded in his mission; whatever you do, do not say sorry.

 

Hoping for Cummings to be sacked would’ve been wishful thinking. How could the Prime Minister let his ideas man go? Boris needs him; Cummings provides the brains, Johnson provides the voice. After all, it takes two to tango, and two to try and run a country. As the minutes passed by and we waited for Mr Cummings to appear I tried not to let my mind wander to the idea of him hastily scrawling out a resignation letter but unlike Peter Pan, Boris’ shadow would never leave him.

 

Even though there has been extreme media scrutiny of his actions, Cummings doesn’t seem to be held to the same level of account as others involved in the political sphere. Dianne Abbotts was forced to apologise for drinking a mojito on public transport. Catherine Calderwood was harassed out of her role as Chief Medical Officer for breaking the same rules as Dominic. The harsh world of politics won’t stop until it gets its way, unless you’re part of Westminster’s untouchable elite- Mr Cummings has been welcomed in to the very group that he has been said to have detested from the beginning. Other members include Boris Johnson after his horrific burka comments and Michael Gove’s regretful but not apologetic nature after his past usage of Class A drugs was revealed. The world of politics has been plagued with lies, fabrication and misinformation and it needs to stop now. We simply cannot allow a group of arrogant, self-entitled men to say and do whatever they please, creating a strict rule book and forcing ordinary citizens to make huge sacrifices whilst they seem to be playing an altogether different game. It doesn’t matter how many red cards are given, they’re never sent off.

 

Mr Cummings’ story was extremely flawed and I could quite easily pick it apart for days; his sister-in-law and her family live in London, could he not have asked her for help for a few days if he and his wife became incapacitated? Why did he feel it necessary to spend over an hour driving to test his eyesight, putting himself and others on the road at risk? Does he not realise that the guidelines he brought up in Downing Street garden were there to protect vulnerable children in households that might not be safe for them, not for opportunistic government workers to exploit and use for their own best interests? But at the end of the day, that’s not where the root of my anger lies. This hasn’t just exemplified Dominic Cummings’ self-entitled nature or his failure to recognise and apologise for his mistakes. This has brought up a bigger issue; a systemic fault within British politics. It can be added to the ever-growing mountain of stories of the privileged exploiting others for their own gain, an elite group in Westminster who never have to face up to their actions and the political ethos of “What they don’t know won’t hurt them”. Well it does hurt and it’s been hurting for far too long. And a simple apology won’t fix it anymore.

 

Niamh 30/05/2020