40,000 cases of racialism a year at our schools.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.telegraph....ism-cases-a-year.html

These kids, who is being racist against whom? Judging by the photo it can't be the whites.

Seriously though, in playground squabbles children will pick on any differences to belittle their opponents, be it "Ginger Nob," "Fatty," "Four Eyes," as they will skin colour.

Maybe the authorities would be better employed recording acts of violence, spitting, litter dropping or swearing?

What next, asking the children what their parents views were on ethnic minorities?

All reminiscent of the Hitler Youth.

[kestrelg]

Like most kids, I was called names, possibly because I was ginger haired and wore glasses, but I'm sure I called other kids "Fatty" and such like, it was part of childhood, we didn't dislike each other for more than 5 minutes. I'm sure we all grew up without it having an effect on us.
Someone has been appointed to a position of checking out these accusations and they realise what a well paid job they have so they make sure that it continues by reporting or exaggerating every tiny incident no matter how trivial.

[youngmafbog]

what do u expet from browns britain. We would probably have been better off german. Afterall brown has signed it all away anyway and labour hav the gall to bleat on about tne war on questiotime

[sophie_1003]

I think the problem is finding the difference between one of squabbles/teasing and bullying. Also schools have a responsibility to combat extremist views which could include racism I suppose. The article doesn't give any details of the racism the schools are reporting (violence, verbal abuse?) so I think it's difficult to tell how much worth the scheme is in combatting racism in schools just from that article.

[sophie_1003]

sorry birdie, should have made myself clear, schools have a legal responsibilty to tackle extremist views

[Kromovaracun]

Bullying's inevitability is no excuse for not combating or recording it.

I agree with what others have said that schools should focus on teaching, but it should also focus on learning. Every child has a right to learn, and a child's capacity for learning is quite obviously going to be severely infringed if they are regularly bullied/harassed on any of the grounds that have been mentioned. Bulllying of any kind at such a formative phase in your life can also have much more long-term consequences (sometimes serious) than people realise. It may seem very minor, and total success is obviously impossible, but it's very important.

Given that racial bullying still goes on and is clearly recognised as wrong in any area of society, surely it makes sense to recognise it and work against at the level society starts at?

" think that teaching kids not to be racist thugs or violently homophobic morons is outside of a school's remit. Isn't that the parent's responsibility?"

Generations of parents have repeatedly either failed or been unable to do this. It's only by trying to convince the next one that we can ensure that will happen.

[Kromovaracun]

"Extremist views usually come with maturity ie college & uni. not schools."

Must say, I've not any evidence to contradict this except my own experience which obviously only has limited value as it's only mine. But you've not provided a jot of evidence to support this assertion either. My observation is completely opposite - certainly I (and just about everyone around me) at school held quite extreme views, which in my case balanced out/changed over time and in the case of my peers some have changed, some have stuck.

[sophie_1003]

Yes, do agree with you birdie, schools get the responsibility for everything now! But was just looking at why these schools may be required to report racism specifically as opposed to bullying in general

[Sly,Duck]

After reading Krom's reply i have forgotten what the question was