Ekta, an activist mother from East Dunbartonshire, deep in Scotland, has found herself in a very dangerous place. Her seven-year-old daughter, Anisa, started getting awful insults for the color of her skin. This deeply concerning incident is representative of a larger issue. In the last year Scotland saw an incredible 50% increase in recorded incidents of racism and bullying in schools. While the spike in hate crime reporting is stunning, in reaction, groups such as the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER) are advocating for these incidents to be logged in schools as a matter of public record.
Anisa’s predicament worsened when she became a target of racial slurs at her elementary school. Following the report of the harassment, as soon as she understood what had happened, Ekta immediately contacted the headteacher. After this, the offending child was immediately expelled and the school demanded an apology from that child. Yet, Ekta saw that there weren’t larger efforts focused on learning how to combat and dismantle the root causes of racism.
“I don’t send my child to school to be abused or be a victim of racism. I send her to school to learn and be safe,” Ekta expressed, emphasizing her disappointment with the school’s response.
While responding to Ekta’s complaints, the school mischaracterized the incidents she reported as bullying, not racism. This decision shines light on how these incidents are counted and too often gets swept under the rug. Kwaku Adje, a young musician and passionate campaigner for racial justice, made a very important observation. He pointed out that one explanation for the increasing numbers is the absence of consequences for acts of racism. He stressed that children need to understand what makes this behavior unacceptable. He emphasized the profound effect it can have on their classmates and friends.
“If we’re not recording them, how do we know that the incident is being dealt with in any way?” – Kwaku Adje
Pupils from St Francis of Assisi Primary School in Glasgow’s east end are leading the fight. They’ve developed their own anti-racism charter and set up an equalities group. This initiative highlights a growing awareness among pupils regarding racism and discrimination, contrasting sharply with the experiences of families like Ekta’s.
The increase in reported incidents, the Scottish government is careful to note, is at least in part due to better reporting. A spokesperson from the government stated, “It is deeply concerning that so many people in Scotland continue to face racial discrimination.” Finally, they pushed back on perceptions that Scotland is a diverse and egalitarian educational paradise.
As part of its commitment to addressing these issues, the Scottish government plans to publish new guidance in the coming weeks aimed at helping schools respond effectively to racist incidents. This forthcoming guidance should contain best practices for how to record and monitor these types of incidents.
Ann Davie, the chief executive of East Dunbartonshire Council, reiterated that the council would not tolerate any acts of racism or bullying. “Teachers and school staff are offered very clear guidance and professional learning relating to Bullying and Equalities,” she said. Davie stressed the need for one clear definition of bullying—racism included—across all staff members. He stressed the importance of getting everyone the skills they need to be able to adapt and respond.
Ekta described feeling exasperated that she had tried to work with the school. Her offer to help the school understand institutional racism was made three times. Sadly, they refused her overtures. This failure to engage is problematic, because how can schools fight anti-Black racism without hearing the experiences of the families it targets?
“Incidents of discrimination or prejudice must be addressed whenever they arise,” – Scottish government spokesman
Though families such as Ekta’s continue to experience challenges in navigating the space, hope lies in community leadership and new government guidance on the horizon. Campaigners have long called for more accountability of councils. They demand full compliance with current Scottish government guidelines for accurately recording all incidents. They argue that the actual figure for all these racist acts is likely many times higher than what’s captured in reported data.
