At primary school in the 1970s I read a story called ‘Little Black Sambo’ which seemed harmless but in fact probably made me comfortable with images of black people being poor and not being able to aspire to roles I saw only whites doing (although as a woman back then I felt excluded from many of these too). Another story I recall with real fear was where my beloved Noddy was attacked by a group of black wild figures. This was definitely suspect looking back. I don’t recall even in secondary school reading a book with a BAME role model, modelling cross-cultural friendships or even celebrating non-western cultures. I have since then! I feel my education was sorely lacking- it failed me. The horrors of the slave trade should feature in history studies alongside the Holocaust. The struggles of Indian independence (the dark side of the British Empire) and the US Civil Rights Movements should be there with the Second World War in the GCSE curriculum. History and RE could touch on these in primary school. PSHE could look at the benefits of collectivist cultures- less individualism and materialism. This would be a broad and balanced education. This is my dream…..
