Primary schoolchildren told to be mindful of their ‘white privilege’ under education ‘anti-racism’ drive

Primary schoolchildren are being told to be mindful of their "white privilege" under an anti-racism drive.

A coalition of Sheffield schools has developed lesson plans teaching pupils as young as seven that white people benefit from inherent privilege because of their skin colour and have a responsibility to challenge racism.

In one lesson plan aimed at children aged seven to 11, pupils are given designated time for "empathy building" and says: “In Britain, white people are likely to be privileged by the colour of their skin.

"This privilege arises because they are much less likely to be affected by racist behaviour, including bias, discrimination and verbal and physical abuse.

“Privileged people have a responsibility to reduce racism by: being aware of it; improving their own language and behaviour; challenging their friends’ language and behaviour; reporting incidents of racism; providing support to those who have been harmed by discrimination.”

The materials, created as part of an anti-racism initiative, also tell older students that while black people can hold prejudice against white people, this does not amount to racism.

According to the guidance, racism can only be exercised by those with "cultural power" - such as white people over black people.

It says it aims to "empower" both students and staff to combat "unequal systems that surround us in society".

Another handout for older teenagers urges students to "think critically" about the role of race in Britain's criminal justice system, citing that black people are 10 times more likely to stopped and searched by police.

Students are probed: "What is happening? Why is this an example of racism? If race isn’t real, how do you explain this? Has the concept of race led some people to believe that some groups of people are different to others?

“Are certain racial groups being treated differently? Are there other possible explanations for this?”

The teaching school alliance behind the materials is led by Notre Dame High School, a Government-designated national teaching school tasked with supporting educators and school leaders.

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The alliance said the programme is intended to "empower" students and teachers to examine how race education can challenge "the unequal systems that surround us in society".

Defending the resources, the group said: "Our standalone unit by no means 'does the job' of interrupting systemic racism, but we believe it provides an exciting, impactful first step for schools with strong social justice values."

The initiative has sparked fierce criticism from Conservatives, who have accused schools of stoking divisions and enforcing a political agenda on pupils.

Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott said: "It is deeply alarming that children as young as seven are being exposed to divisive identity politics in schools under the banner of 'anti-racism education'."

She added: "These materials teach children that black prejudice against white people cannot be described as racism, present contested concepts like 'white privilege' as unquestionable fact and encourage pupils to see themselves primarily through the lens of race.

"It is hugely damaging and exactly the kind of Left-wing ideological nonsense that should be nowhere near our classrooms."

Shadow minister Neil O’Brien also vowed the Conservatives would crack down on such teaching if returned to power.

He said: "Kemi Badenoch and the Conservatives are going to come down like a tonne of bricks on this kind of political indoctrination in our schools.

"We will start enforcing the law and rooting out this kind of thing."

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