Supported by Race and Inclusivity in Global Education Network (RIGEN)

The murder of George Floyd in the US in May 2020 galvanised a shift in ‘discourses’ around race in education from narratives of multicultural education to one that explicitly named ‘anti-racism’ as an approach that critical educators needed to engage with. The phrase ‘anti-racism’ which was previously avoided by many educators became widely accepted especially by those who saw themselves as progressive. Those who had for decades actively promoted anti-racist education were pleased to see this shift.

In Scotland, following the global reaction to Black Lives Matter, racialised and minoritised young people demanded the incorporation of the teaching of Black, Asian and minority ethnic history in the school curriculum. In the UK overall as in other parts of the Western world, educators from teachers to education policy makers and researchers began to read and develop their understanding of racism, its impact on individuals, communities and institutions with the aim of becoming an effective anti-racist educator and having improved racial literacy.

However, there is a tension that does not take long to surface for every education practitioner and anti-racist advocate which is the extent of impact that a single educator can make when it is social and structural inequalities that maintain racial inequities that need to be addressed. How do educators committed to transformative education avoid anti-racist endeavours that might make us individually feel good but does little to disrupt the status quo? How can we assess ourselves to ensure that with increased racial literacy, we also contribute to sustainable anti-racist work in the pursuit of shaping more equitable policies, spaces of learning, institutions and curriculum?

The place of lived experience also needs considered within the overall anti-racist and
decolonising project. The voices and experiences of racialised and minoritised educators have traditionally been ignored, marginalised or trivialised but when required, these same educators have been expected to provide the leadership on race equity work and deliver solutions. The part ethnic majority educators can and should play have equally not had sufficient attention and the session will provide an opportunity to consider the role of lived experiences but also the important work ethnic majority educators can have.

The session will discuss advancements whilst reflecting on what more needs to be done to
mitigate the racism that continues to be present in our societies and as reflected in our schools and education system more widely. What lessons can we learn from research in this area and on evaluations to date? Will our combined efforts in education place us on course for greater racial equity? If yes, what mechanisms are required to sustain such progress and if not, what might impede progress?

It would be naive to assume there would not be some degree and various forms of resistance to racial equity work. Identifying how some of these responses occur and how to prepare for them can reduce the derailment of individual and collective efforts.

Panellists will speak from a range of perspectives covering research, policy and practice. They will critically reflect on the above drawing from their work in England and Scotland.

Draft programme