Blog 3 Race

Racism in education causes significant disparities, as shown in Sadiq’s DEI video (Sadiq, 2023). In Greece, uniform teaching methods often fail marginalized groups like the Roma(gipsy), hindering their integration. Similar issues exist in other European countries and the USA, despite $8 million spent on workplace diversity training. Based on my experience as a specialist technician in a psychology lab, fostering an inclusive environment through collaborative projects allows all students to contribute, regardless of race or socioeconomic background. Sadiq emphasizes that educators must adapt teaching methods to diverse needs, promote DEI, and combat bias and stereotypes for a more equitable education system (Sadiq, 2023).

Extensive literature review highlights viewpoints about racism. Critical Race Theory (CRT) examines how race and racism intersect with politics, culture, and law, arguing that racism is embedded in legal systems and policies (Bradbury, 2019; Ladson-Billings, 2004; Delgado & Stefancic, 2000). At UAL, white students comprise 65.3%, mixed race 11.3%, Asian 10.3%, Black 7.4%, and other ethnicities 2.7% (Active Dashboards, 2023/24). Bradbury (2019) highlights that CRT policies should address bilingual students’ needs to prevent marginalization. The UK Baseline Assessment policy also sets low expectations for English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners thus reinforcing systemic inequalities and maintaining white dominance in education by prioritizing statistical accuracy over equitable outcomes (Bradbury, 2019). Garrett (2024) discusses how racial diversity in academia benefits PhD students by providing mentorship and reducing hypervisibility among racialized academics (Arday, 2021; Lander & Santoro, 2017). However, Garrett’s study finds that racialized academics face differential treatment and tokenization, deterring some from pursuing academic careers. Participants also valued mentors from similar racial and socioeconomic backgrounds for their support, emphasizing “ethnic solidarity”. To promote inclusivity, Garrett suggests that institutions need to address cultural and structural issues, as highlighted in the study using Critical Race Theory (CRT) and intersectionality. This underscores the importance of fostering environments that value diversity and support the professional growth of racialized minority academics.

The evidence of racism in education, highlighted by Professor James Orr’s 2022 video. Students learn mutual respect through implicit bias interviews, though some view the necessary training as wasteful(Orr, 2022). Advance HE’s Athena Swan and Race Equality Charters require universities to implement changes, potentially leading to syllabus and speech restrictions. Despite efforts, minority groups often feel excluded, and there is increasing intolerance towards controversial topics. Inspired by these insights, I plan to empower student voices in open class. I can encourage participation in diversity initiatives, and foster students’ critical analysis of societal structures through case studies and current events. I could suggest it during meetings with course leaders and receive feedback. The Channel 4 video also shows the consequences of racism, highlighting societal favoritism towards white students. Colour students experienced unfairness based on race-related questions (Channel 4, 2024) and reported unfairness behind the vision they had for an equal society. Inspired, I plan to empower student voices, promote diversity initiatives, and engage them in critical analysis of societal structures. Using platforms like Slido on powerpoint slides, I plan to foster inclusive discussions among students on racism (Figure 1).

References

Bradbury, A., 2020. A critical race theory framework for education policy analysis: The case of bilingual learners and assessment policy in England. Race Ethnicity and Education, 23(2), pp.241-260. Read pages 241-247. Available to download from Moodle via the Readings & Resources folder.

Garrett, R. (2024). Racism shapes careers: career trajectories and imagined futures of racialised minority PhDs in UK higher education. Globalisation, Societies and Education, pp.1–15. Read pages 2-5 & 7-11. Available to download from Moodle via the Readings & Resources folder.

Sadiq, A. (2023) Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Learning how to get it right. TEDx [Online}.Youtube.13June.Availableat:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HR4wz1b54hw

Slido (2024).The easiest way to make your meetings interactive. Software.Available at :https://www.slido.com (Accessed 16^th of June 2024).

Orr, J. (2022) Revealed: The charity turning UK universities woke. The Telegraph [Online].Youtube.5August.Availableat:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRM6vOPTjuU