Black pupils are facing a 300% higher exclusion rate than their peers in some parts of the UK, but why?
It seems that this shocking disparity in exclusions amongst our community is being caused for a multitude of reasons but many believe that one of the main causes is linked to the schools stereotyping black kids and assuming the worse in most instances. There is also a policy in many schools where some afro hairstyles, the kissing of teeth and even fist bumbling are seen as elements that can lead to exclusion.
Gillian LaRoque, Assistant head of The Limes College, Sutton, points out those black kids are always being told to change who they are.
”These may be small, micro things that you are doing to change yourself, but after a while, kids get worn down. Its the message that you are almost not good enough”.
”You are having to tame your hair, tame your blackness and they are being told to do this from when they are a small child”.
One of the ways forward is clearly to have more black teachers in schools particularly in senior positions who not only are able to relate to the kids differently but also provide strong models which can help break down the them and us situation which can often exist. And secondly for non black teachers not to often assume the worse of their black pupils and give them the benefit of the doubt.
Because we all know what exclusion leads to and we have to find a way to break this cycle.
