#BTColumn – Teaching Black history in the UK

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by this author are their own and do not represent the official position of the Barbados Today.

by Vincent ‘Boo’ Nurse

During the last few weeks there has been an ongoing celebration in the UK of Black History. It has been used to raise the profile of awareness among both Black and White persons of the contributions made to the modern world by Black people.

It has also been used to give a measure of self-esteem to Black people who, over the centuries, have been led to believe that their contributions are not worthy of record in a predominantly White society.

There has lately been some effort to introduce the teaching of Black history in schools’ curriculum, but so far, to no avail. The Conservative Government has stated unequivocally that in its opinion there is nothing wrong with the present curriculum and therefore it does not require amendment.

In a recent debate in the House of Commons, the arguments put by the promoters for change were thrown through the window by a Black Member of Parliament, Ms Kemi Badenoch, who ironically is the Minister for Equalities. Ms Badenoch, in an inexplicable contribution to the debate to mark Black History Month, spoke in tone and substance to make one wonder who really are her sponsors.

She said that schools which teach about the realities in our society, that it is an uncontested fact that there is white privilege, are breaking the law. The Minister said: “The British Government does not want children being taught about white privilege and their inherited guilt.”

She breathtakingly added: “Any school which teaches these elements of political race theory as fact or which promotes partisan political views such as defunding the police without offering a balanced treatment of opposing views is breaking the law,” and she added that schools have a statutory duty to remain politically impartial and should not openly support the anti-capitalist Black Lives Matter group.

Pray tell, what planet has this lady been living on? Is the Minister displaying a degree of impartiality when she appears to advocate for a rejection of any idea that Black Lives Matter could be an uplifting concept for Black people?

There has never been an impartial system endemic in this land, and it is the slanted nature of the teachings in our schools that has resulted in the bog of social injustices today.

Ms Badenoch was responding to comments made in the debate by Black Labour Party Member of Parliament Dawn Butler who had argued that Black children are made to feel inferior by what they are taught in schools, and Ms Butler further contended that British history needs to be decolonised.

The Labour MP’s views should not be ignored and the Minister ought to note that in many cases a child can go through school and not be made aware of any contribution to modern society made by Black people or indeed get a sense of the richness of Black culture.

In a stonewalling exercise of which England’s batsman Geoff Boycott would be proud Ms Badenoch rejected all arguments and she insisted that history taught in schools is not colonised. Again, what was the planet?

The Minister recently said that Britain is one of the best countries to be Black. Many young men in Brixton, Hackney, and other inner-city towns might beg to differ from this
rather trite comment. I am so happy that it has worked out for the Minister.

We cannot move from comments surrounding Black history without revealing the contents of the latest London Metropolitan Police findings on their ‘stop and search’ operations. The figures are disturbing.

The London Metropolitan Police said that during the COVID-19 lockdown young Black men were stopped and searched over 20, 000 times (21,959) in London. Further analysis has shown that these represent a quarter of all Black 15 to 24-year-olds in the city and equate to 30 per cent of all young Black males in the capital. Also, more than 80 per cent of the searches resulted in negative findings and it was not necessary for any further police action to be taken.

Mrs Katrina Ffrench, Chief Executive of Stop Watch, a charity that campaigns against the disproportionate use of ‘stop and search’ operations said in observation of the Met Police report that it is saddening, and she questioned how these young Black people might feel when they are going about legitimate business in their own city and are stopped for no apparent reason.

After a recent incident revolving around ‘stop and search’, the Black British athlete Bianca Williams received an apology from the Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick for the stress caused when she was stopped, searched, and handcuffed.

However, the Commissioner defended police use of ‘stop and search’ powers available to them, and she sought to justify all action with the broad and sweeping statement that Black people are eight times more likely to be perpetrators of violent crime.

There are thousands of law-abiding Black people in the country who feel offended by the Commissioner’s remarks and believe that there should be scientific evidence brought to the public forum to justify this slur on the generally good character of Black people in this country.

These are indeed turbulent times and issues for Black people in the UK. They are sorely in need of strong voices of representation.

Vincent ‘Boo’ Nurse is a Barbadian living in London who is a retired Land Revenue Manager, Pensions and Investment Adviser. He is passionate about the development of his island home and the disapora.