YOUR VOICE Stephen Lawrence Day A legacy for change - Voice Community

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YOUR VOICE Stephen Lawrence Day A legacy for change - Voice Community
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VOICE
            No. 53   APRIL/MAY 2021   £2.00

Stephen Lawrence Day
 A legacy for change
YOUR VOICE Stephen Lawrence Day A legacy for change - Voice Community
STEPHEN LAWRENCE
DAY
COMMUNITY                                   Baroness Doreen Lawrence – herself
                                            a Community member – said: ‘Today’s
                                                                                         Having difficult conversations, with
                                                                                         Hope not Hate, will be held on 27 May,
PARTNERS                                    schoolchildren are perhaps the most
                                            engaged generation there has ever
                                                                                         aimed at combating racism, xenophobia
                                                                                         and all forms of prejudice. The session
WITH STEPHEN                                been – keenly aware of injustices
                                            around them and with a strong desire to
                                                                                         will offer effective methods for
                                                                                         changing the minds of people who have
LAWRENCE DAY                                root them out. Britain has to continue
                                            to work towards a fairer society – there
                                                                                         deeply-held, irrational views that are
                                                                                         racist or xenophobic, without relying on
FOUNDATION                                  remains progress to be made and now          “myth-busting” techniques. Details via
                                            is not the time for complacency.             link below.
Community has partnered with the
                                            ‘Not all schoolchildren today may have       The webinars can be viewed on our
Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation
                                            heard the name Stephen Lawrence              website, where you can also download
to support educators to promote             or know his story. But the last year         teaching materials and other resources,
racial equality and keep the legacy         has shown us that Stephen’s story –          including a new range of special Voice
of Stephen Lawrence alive amongst           unequal treatment because of skin            Community resources:
children and young people.                  colour, and exposure to embedded
                                            prejudice in systems, structures and         www.voicetheunion.org.uk/sldf-

T
     he partnership is already working      institutions – is as relevant today as it    partnership
     to support teachers to take the        has ever been.
     lessons from Stephen’s life of
tolerance and anti-discrimination and       ‘I look forward to working to empower
deliver them to young people.               educators across the country to have
                                            those conversations in the classroom,
General Secretary Roy Rickhuss said:        share Stephen’s legacy and work with
‘Stephen Lawrence Day reminds us            young people to build the kind of
all of the role we all have to play in      society we all want to see.’
creating a society free from racism and
prejudice. We are very clear that racism    Background
is a trade union issue. It affects people
inside and outside the workplace –          Baroness Lawrence, Stephen
whether that be their experiences of        Lawrence’s mother, inaugurated the
discrimination, access to decent jobs,      first annual Stephen Lawrence Day in
equal pay or the disproportionate           2019 to mark the 25th anniversary
deaths that BAME communities have           of Stephen’s death in a racist attack.
suffered from coronavirus.                  The day allows people to reflect upon
                                            the part we all play in creating a society
‘Last year, the tragic death of George      in which everyone can flourish.
Floyd once again brought systemic and
structural racism to the forefront of       Resources
the public imagination. It showed us
                                            Around this year’s Stephen Lawrence
that, despite the progress made over
                                            Day on 22 April, Community staff held a
the past few decades, there is still so
                                            series of webinars for members:
much more to do.
                                            > Anti-racism in education and beyond
‘We are immensely proud to be                 with Doreen Lawrence and an expert
partnering with the Stephen Lawrence          panel; and
Day Foundation. This work will enable
teachers to effectively have what can       > Hate crime.s
sometimes be difficult conversations        The Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation
around race and discrimination in the       also held a virtual school assembly
classroom, as well as equipping them        focused on the themes of friendship,
with the tools to teach young people        respect and difference.
about tolerance and antiracism to
create a better and more equal future
for us all.”
YOUR VOICE Stephen Lawrence Day A legacy for change - Voice Community
ASSISTANT GENERAL SECRETARY’S
VOICE/STEPHEN LAWRENCE DAY
RETURN,                                                                                Racism still exists and affects
                                                                                       people every day, and despite
RECOVERY AND                                                                           the significant progress made
RACISM                                                                                 over the last few decades,
                                                                                       much remains to do.
By Deborah Lawson, Assistant General
Secretary (Voice Section)                                                              There is also the wider issue of socio-
(DLawson@community-tu.org)                                                             economic deprivation – linked to poverty
                                                                                       of expectations, fewer extracurricular
                                           Free childcare qualifications               activities, and reduced educational
Return and recovery                        Free childcare training is being offered    opportunities – which is a major and
April 2021 saw the return, in stages, to   by the Government in England as part        endemic factor in poor outcomes in
full face-to-face teaching and learning    of a £95 million package of measures        many communities. Community and
for members across the UK. Many of         aimed at supporting economic recovery       other unions have written to the Prime
you have told us how much it meant         from the COVID-19 pandemic.                 Minister calling for an end to workplace
to you, and the children, to be back in                                                exploitation for all working people.
                                           The fully funded training includes a
person.                                                                                It is because of the key role of education
                                           number of level 3 courses, including
                                           Early Years Educators diplomas, such        in building a fair, inclusive and civilised
We continue to support members with
                                           as early years workforce and children’s     society that values difference, that
workplace issues and concerns. If you
                                           learning and development courses, plus      Community has partnered with the
need advice or information, do let us
                                           the level 3 NVQ in playwork, and City       Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation to
know.
                                           and Guilds level 2 Technical Certificate    promote racial equality.
                                           in healthcare, care and childcare.
                                                                                       www.voicetheunion.org.uk/race-report
                                           The cost of courses has been a barrier
                                           for many students and employers so
                                           this is welcome news.                       Because of our concerns about the
                                                                                       report, Voice Community has proposed
                                           The full list of free courses can be        an emergency motion for the May
                                           found at: www.gov.uk/government/            General Council Meeting of the General
                                           publications/qualifications-in-new-         Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU):
                                           funded-offers                               ‘Conference welcomes the recognition
Podcasts                                                                               of the role that education plays in
I am pleased to announce the first two                                                 advancing equality but believes that
episodes of the new Education Policy                                                   the Government’s Race and Ethnic
Podcast are now available to download                                                  Disparities Commission Report fails
at https://ctueducationpolicy.                                                         to acknowledge the reality of systemic
podbean.com .                                                                          racism in the UK.’
                                                                                       ‘Conference calls upon the GFTU to:
Each month we will be                                                                  > support staff in education settings to
recording a new podcast to                                                               mark Stephen Lawrence day on 22nd
                                                                                         April each year and support the work of
update members on policy                                                                 the Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation
activities in the education                                                              to share Stephen’s story and work to
                                                                                         educate all pupils about the part they
sector.                                                                                  can play in creating a fair society where
                                                                                         everyone can flourish;
The first episode (for England) looks at
                                           Racism
                                                                                       > support member unions to campaign
teachers’ pay, NQT induction, education    The report of the (Sewell) Commission
                                                                                         against racism;
recovery and exams for 2021, and           on Race and Ethnic Disparities has
the second face coverings in schools       proved highly controversial (see page 9).   > call upon the Government to end its
and colleges, behaviour hubs, teacher                                                    divisive rhetoric that seeks to deny the
resignation dates, employment              We welcomed its recognition of the            reality of racism in the UK; and
references and myth-busting lesson         powerful impact that education has
plans for Ofsted.                          in transforming the lives of both           > call on employers to advance anti-
                                           individuals and society, but there            racism work and to improve their
                                           is no room for complacency or                 strategies for recruiting and retaining
                                           self-congratulation on the part of            workers from diverse backgrounds.’
                                           government and our institutions.            www.voicetheunion.org.uk/GFTU-
                                                                                       motion-racism

4
YOUR VOICE Stephen Lawrence Day A legacy for change - Voice Community
STEPHEN LAWRENCE
DAY

FROM THE                                  Stephen Lawrence Day                    tackle racism and discrimination in
                                                                                  the classroom and beyond, and so
GENERAL                                   If children and young people learn
                                          tolerance within their education
                                                                                  you can play your part in creating a
SECRETARY                                 and early years settings, this can
                                                                                  more tolerant and accepting society.

                                          change our whole society for            We have also developed a range of
By Roy Rickhuss CBE, General
                                          the better. It can reduce racist        age-appropriate materials which
Secretary of Community
                                          tendencies amongst the adult            include:
An investigation carried out by The       population, reduce racist incidents,
Guardian earlier this year found          discrimination and even bias within     > a staff briefing;
that over 60,000 racist incidents         workplaces, lead to a reduction in
                                                                                  > suggestions for assemblies; and
took place in UK schools over the         race-related hate crime and help
past five years. This number, as          to create a less racist culture that    > a suite of other resources which
shocking as it is, is likely not a true   gives everyone the opportunity to         allow for different curriculum entry
reflection of the extent of the           succeed.                                  points.
problem, as schools aren’t obliged                                                These materials are all
to report racist incidents to local       It is because we know and value
                                                                                  available on the SLDF website
councils.                                 the importance of education in
                                                                                  (stephenlawrenceday.org) and can be
                                          building a fair and inclusive society

Y
                                                                                  used flexibly to support the children
       et schools are tackling this       that we have partnered with the
       problem head on, with hundreds                                             and young people in your school to
                                          Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation
       signing up to reform their                                                 understand the part they play as
                                          (SLDF). As educators, you help
curriculum to reflect the achievements                                            individuals in creating a fair society
of black and ethnic minority people       children, young people and adult
                                                                                  in which everyone can flourish.
and address the legacy of colonialism.    learners to be more tolerant and to
These schools are partnering with         celebrate difference on a regular       Find out more about how you
charities and other organisations         basis. These conversations can
to do so, in the absence of national                                              can get involved on page 3 (or at
                                          be challenging, particularly if less    www.voicetheunion.org.uk/sldf-
government-led change for schools
(although the Welsh Government is now     tolerant views have already begun       partnership) and to get the latest
taking action – see page 21).             to be shaped outside the classroom.     information, register your interest
                                          Our partnership with the Stephen        with us here: https://community-tu.
Despite this lack of government-led
                                          Lawrence Day Foundation aims to         org/stephen-lawrence-day-2021-
change outside Wales, we know that
education and early years settings        give you the skills and confidence      get-involved
are already major players in helping to   you need in having these difficult
tackle racism and discrimination. The     conversations and tackling racism       Please do get involve as, by working
Government’s own Commission on Race       and discrimination.                     together, we will change our society
and Ethnic Disparities also found this
                                                                                  for the better, and create a place
in their recently published report (see   As a result of our partnership, we
page 4).                                                                          where every adult and child is
                                          have been running webinars on           given fair and equal opportunity to
                                          having difficult conversations, hate    succeed, regardless of the colour of
                                          crime and more. These webinars          their skin.
                                          have been developed to help you to

                                                                                                                         5
LEGAL FOCUS:
STEPHEN LAWRENCE DAY
RACE EQUALITY MUST BE MORE THAN AN ASPIRATION
By Catherine Scrivens, Solicitor and        white workers, where it rose from 3.4%   Community and other unions have
Head of Legal Services, Community           to 4.5% – an increase of just under a    written to the Prime Minister stating
(CScrivens@community-tu.org)                third.                                   that an end to workplace exploitation
                                                                                     for all working people will help end
As we remember Stephen Lawrence,            Unions and campaigners subsequently      systemic racism (www.tuc.org.uk/news/
it’s an opportunity to consider what        signed a joint statement calling on      trade-union-leaders-write-pm-calling-
                                            the Prime Minister to take the action    him-reject-insulting-report-and-act-
the racial landscape is like in the UK      he pledged in 2020 to end structural     race-equality-work).
in 2021.                                    racism and inequality.

T
      he MacPherson Report was                                                       Racism at work
                                            Young black workers have been hit
      commissioned in 1997, following       disproportionately hard during the       An April 2019 TUC report, Racism
      Stephen’s death, and published        pandemic, according to Guardian          ruins lives, found the majority of ethnic
two years later with its headline finding   analysis, reported in The Observer of    minority workers had experienced racial
that the Metropolitan Police were           11 April 2021 (www.theguardian.com/      harassment at work and been subjected
‘institutionally racist’.                   society/2021/apr/11/black-youth-         to unfair treatment by their employer
                                            unemployment-rate-brixton-riots-         because of their race.
A 2018 report found that the                covid) with more than 40% unemployed
Metropolitan Police were four times         – three times worse than white workers
more likely to use force against black      of the same age. Between October and
people compared with the white              December 2020, 41.6% of black
population (www.bbc.co.uk/news/             people aged 16-24 were
uk-england-london-44214748). Home           unemployed – the
Office data showed Thames Valley            highest rate since
officers carried out 12,245 stop            the last financial
and searches in the year to March.          crisis – whereas
Population estimates for the area           white workers
showed 15.5 per 1,000 black people          of the same age
were stopped, compared to just 3.2 per      stood at
1,000 white people. But the problem         to 12.4%.
runs deeper.

In 2020, the death of George Floyd          Sewell
in the US put the spotlight on racial       Commission
inequality around the world. At the same    The Sewell
time, it was becoming apparent there        Commission
was a disproportionately higher number      Report on Race
of deaths in BAME communities. The          and Ethnic
disproportionate impact of stop and         Disparities
search by the police was also widely        released in
reported. This led to the Government        March 2021(see
setting up the Sewell Commission to         page 4) dismayed
investigate race and ethnic disparities.    many with its
                                            findings.
Racism still a lived reality
                                            According to The
In 2021, racism is still a lived reality    Observer (11 April),
for most ethnic minorities in the UK.       significant sections
As recent reports highlight, the gap        of the report,
isn’t narrowing, and the pandemic has       which were widely
highlighted gaping differences.             criticised by health
                                            professionals,
In February 2021, the TUC reported
                                            academics and
on the Office for National Statistics
                                            crime experts, were
(ONS) Labour Market Status by Ethnic
                                            not written by the
Groups figures, which revealed that
                                            12 commissioners. The
the BAME unemployment rate shot
                                            full document was not made
up from 5.8% to 9.5% between the final
                                            available to be signed off by them,
quarter of 2019 and the final quarter
                                            nor were they made aware of its final
of 2020. This increase of nearly-two
                                            recommendations. The finished report,
thirds is staggering when compared to
                                            it is alleged, was produced by No 10.
                                                                                                                             9
There is evidence on racial inequalities     In addition:                                 > ‘“I was terrified”: pupils tell of being
in employment, income, promotion and         > a third reported that they had been          victimised in UK schools’ (www.
training, but recognition of workplace         bullied and/or subjected to insensitive      theguardian.com/education/2021/
racism remains muted. To address this,         questioning;                                 mar/24/i-was-terrified-pupils-tell-of-
the TUC commissioned the University of                                                      being-victimised-in-uk-schools).
Manchester to undertake the Racism at        > almost 15% of women and 8% of men
                                               said racial discrimination had caused      Teachers have spoken of systemic and at
Work survey (2016/17).
                                               them to leave their job;                   times overt racism they have suffered,
The responses from over 5,000 people                                                      as figures reveal the tiny percentage of
                                             > 28% of participants who reported           BAME staff in senior leadership positions.
were shocking, with over 70% of ethnic         experiencing racism at work reported
minority workers saying they had               having to take a period of sick leave;
experienced racial harassment at work                                                     Action
in the previous five years, and around       > part-time or non-permanent
                                                                                          There is hope. After a groundswell of
60% reporting unfair treatment by their        employees were more likely to report
                                                                                          demand from young people, grassroots
employer because of their race. Almost         racial harassment and discrimination;
                                                                                          groups, teachers and councils are helping
half reported that racism had negatively
                                             > over 40% of those who reported a           to update syllabuses, with schools across
impacted on their ability to do their job,
                                               racist incident said they were either      England reforming their curriculums to
and almost half had been subject to
                                               ignored, or that they had subsequently     reflect the achievements of black and
‘verbal abuse and racist jokes’.
                                               been identified as a ‘troublemaker’; and   minority ethnic people and address the
                                                                                          harmful legacy of colonialism. The Welsh
Many of the forms of workplace racism        > more than one-in-ten respondents
                                                                                          Government is also taking action (see
highlighted in this report were hate           raising a complaint said that they were
                                                                                          page 21).
crimes, including over one in ten ethnic       subsequently disciplined or forced out
minority respondents and 6% of non-            of their job.                              However, anti-discrimination legislation,
British white participants reporting that                                                 outlawing discrimination within the
                                             (https://hummedia.manchester.ac.uk/
they had experienced racist violence at                                                   Equality Act 2010 on grounds of race
                                             institutes/code/research/projects/
work.                                                                                     – which covers nationality, colour and
                                             racism-at-work/tuc-full-report.pdf)
                                                                                          ethnic origins – is clearly not enough.
                                             Racism in education                          As individuals, we have to do more:
                                             In 2019, the Equality & Human                > if we are white, we need to understand
                                             Rights Commission published Racial             our own privilege and consider our own
                                             harassment in British universities:            unconscious biases;
                                             qualitative research findings
                                             (www.equalityhumanrights.com/                > if we see racism, we need to call it out
                                             en/publication-download/racial-                – being a silent bystander allows the
                                             harassment-british-universities-               behaviours to continue; and
                                             qualitative-research-findings),              > if we want to do more, encourage
                                             which reported that higher education           employers to embrace the concept of
                                             institutions (HEIs) found it difficult to      workplace allies.
                                             address the issue of racial harassment,
                                             including because of under-reporting.        Allyship is a lifelong process of building
                                             Victims of racial harassment were            relationships based on trust, consistency,
                                             thought to be reluctant to come              and accountability with marginalized
                                             forward because of a lack of faith in        individuals and/or groups of people. It
                                             the complaints process, so many HEIs         is not self-defined, but rather work and
                                              were concerned they did not have a full     efforts must be recognised by those you
                                               understanding of the problem.              are seeking to ally with.

                                              The Guardian has recently produced
                                              a number of articles on racism in           Further reading
                                             education affecting BAME staff and           ‘The Sewell report on racial disparity is
                                             pupils, including:                           an attempt to erase progress and sow
                                                                                          division’ (The Guardian: www.theguardian.
                                             > ‘Exclusion rates five times higher         com/commentisfree/2021/apr/02/
                                               for black Caribbean pupils in parts        sewell-report-racial-disparity-progress-
                                               of England’ (www.theguardian.com/          division-racism)
                                               education/2021/mar/24/exclusion-
                                               rates-black-caribbean-pupils-              ‘Systemic racism: teachers speak out
                                               england);                                  about discrimination in UK schools’
                                             > ‘British schools are institutionally       (The Guardian: www.theguardian.com/
                                               racist. That must change fast’ (www.       education/2021/mar/24/systemic-
                                               theguardian.com/education/2021/            racism-teachers-speak-out-about-
                                               mar/24/british-schools-are-                discrimination-in-uk-schools)
                                               institutionally-racist-that-must-
                                               change-fast); and                          The Prince’s Responsible Business
                                                                                          Network: Anti-Racism and Allyship in the
                                                                                          Workplace: A Brief Guide (2020: www.
                                                                                          bitc.org.uk/toolkit/anti-racism-and-
                                                                                          allyship-in-the-workplace-a-brief-
                                                                                          guide)
VOICE COMMUNITY
CYMRU
The new curriculum is said to provide        content relate to how much the
more experimental opportunities from         qualifications proposed reflect the four
which children from disadvantaged            purposes; as put forward, they are only
backgrounds would benefit. The               a slight modification to what already
difficulty may be in providing this          exists.
experimental opportunity within the
given budget.                                We need more innovation to
Voice Community welcomes the                 fully respond to the needs
move away from burdensome, narrow            of the 21st century learner.
accountability practices and teaching-       Without innovation, there                     TEACHERS’ PAY 2021/22:
to-the-exam that the new curriculum
heralds. This is also recognised by the
                                             remains a focus on the end                    Independent Welsh Pay
establishment of the Managing Wellbeing      point of the qualification                    Review Body (IWPRB)
and Reducing Bureaucracy Group, of           rather than looking at what a                 Oral Evidence
which Voice Community is a member.           good assessment should look
                                                                                           In March, Assistant General
While welcoming the return to local          like. The current plans rely on
                                                                                           Secretary Deborah Lawson and
knowledge, original thought and pupil        specialisms, and only some                    I attended the IWPRB panel to
expression, the unions have raised           schools will be to offer the
concerns about:                                                                            give oral evidence to support our
                                             GCSEs proposed.                               demands on members’ behalf.
> the lack of funding available to support
  the new curriculum;                        The Qualifications Wales consultation,        Questions raised included ALNCos,
                                             Qualified for the Future, documents           (Additional Learning Needs Co-
> the capacity of teachers who have
                                             are at: https://qualificationsWales.org/      ordinators), TLRs, (teaching and
  limited non-contact time;
                                             english/get-involved/consultations-           learning responsiblities), lead
> the possible workload impact; and          and-surveys/closed-consultations-and-         practitioner roles, and unqualified
                                             surveys/qualified-for-the-future
> how parity will be achieved across                                                       teachers.
  schools, given disparity in reserves.
                                             BAME communities and the                      Exhaustion, after working to
Qualifications                               curriculum                                    deliver learning throughout the
Qualifications Wales has been involved                                                     pandemic, has impacted teachers’
                                             Voice Community welcomed Kirsty
in the co-construction of the new            Williams’s acceptance of the                  resilience. Teachers’ workload has
curriculum, and is developing new            recommendations of the Black, Asian           therefore been a key element in
qualifications.                              and Minority Ethnic Communities,              our submissions. We highlighted
                                             Contributions and Cynefin in the New          the need for them to have more
A qualification mirroring the new            Curriculum Working Group: final report,       non-teaching time – calling for
curriculum needs to reflect an               which include:
assessment policy and practice which                                                       an increase of PPA (planning,
is uncoupled from high stakes external       > mandatory anti-racism and diversity         preparation and assessment time)
accountability.                                training for all trainee and serving        from 10% to 20%, and for more
                                               teachers;                                   staff to be employed to support that.
The Donaldson report calls for teacher
assessment to be the main vehicle for        > BAME history to be mandatory;               We also called for full recognition
assessment before qualification. This        > scholarships to support BAME                of experienced teachers’ vital role
raises issues of validity, reliability and     students to enter teacher training;         in mentoring and supporting early
alignment with external benchmarks, as
                                             > mentoring and social support for BAME       career teachers, embedding them
well issues of equality and bias.
                                               teachers;                                   in school and preventing early
These issues are also relevant to the                                                      departures from the profession.
                                             > working with unions to support staff
centre determined grades that will             experiencing discrimination; and
replace exams in 2021, which require                                                       For this year, Voice Community
more input from teachers and the need        > diversity champions on governing            advocates a 2.7% pay award
for robust moderation, generating              bodies.                                     across the scales, protecting the
increased workload.                          The history of Wales and its diversity will   discretions between the scales.
                                             be mandatory within Humanities in the
The extent to which assessment
                                             new curriculum.
                                                                                           The IWPRB’s decision is expected
for certification can be realistically                                                     from the end of May.
uncoupled in practice from the new           www.voicetheunion.org.uk/BAME-
curriculum remains a major concern.          curriculum                                    More at: www.voicetheunion.org.uk/
Some questions raised by the current                                                       iwprb-2021

                                                                                                                               21
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