Recent “white supremacist attacks” on Scottish schools and educators have only served to strengthen the resolve that antiracist education is vital and key to making the experiences of all pupils “positive”, according to the chief executive of Education Scotland.
In an address today, Gayle Gorman is expected to once again hit out at the “abhorrent online racist attacks” Scottish schools and educators have suffered in the past few months.
Speaking about the professional learning offer for Scottish teachers at a conference in England this afternoon, Ms Gorman is expected to talk about the Scottish government’s Race Equality and Anti-Racism in Education Programme, launched following the murder of George Floyd and the growth of the Black Lives Matter movement.
She will say that, through this programme, teacher professional learning is becoming “a tool in activism and a driver of real social change” and that early evidence “reveals the strength of impact of the programme”.
However, she is expected to add: “But sadly, the reality is our professionals delivering this programme, and even our schools and our children, have faced abhorrent online racist attacks in the past few months.
“Part of our role must be in protecting those delivering or participating in professional learning that might lead to discomfort for some and to racial trauma for others. And these white supremacist attacks embolden us to continue this work and make the experiences of all children and young people a positive one in Scottish education.”
In September, education staff were subjected to the abuse following a presentation at the Scottish Learning Festival - organised by Education Scotland - which focused on the experiences of minority-ethnic teachers in education and the need for increased diversity in the teaching profession.
Material from the presentation was shared by some staff on Twitter, where they were subsequently sent the abuse.
Soon after, a Glasgow primary school was subjected to online racist abuse after the first minister Nicola Sturgeon posted a picture with staff and pupils following a visit to the school.
Ms Sturgeon was quick to condemn the “vile racists”. Later she said racism always sickens her “but there is nothing that turns my stomach more than the idea of adults...that can look at a photograph of beautiful, clever children and only see the colour of their skin”.
She added: “It is despicable, it is disgusting and it has no place in Scotland, and I hope all of us unite in utter condemnation of vile racists everywhere.”
Ms Gorman also condemned the racist incidents at the time, saying Education Scotland would “not tolerate” such comments.
And today - speaking to the Universities’ Council for the Education of Teachers conference in Stratford-upon-Avon - she is expected to say that the attacks have done nothing to dampen efforts in Scotland to build teachers’ antiracist skills or increase their awareness of the impact of racism.
A video played at the conference will say: “This means that educators don’t avoid talking about race. Instead of ignoring racism, they feel confident challenging racism and helping those who experience it.”
Education Scotland’s Building Racial Literacy programme - which is part of the Scottish government’s Race Equality and Anti-Racism in Education Programme - started in January and is being undertaken by over 80 educators.
However, the programme falls short of calls in the past from campaigners for “mandatory antiracist education to support our leaders, teachers and young people to develop an antiracist consciousness”.
