Advice from the National Union of Teachers
These are turbulent times. This is especially so given the ongoing instability in the Middle East, the continuing effects of September 11th, war in Iraq and increasing levels of racism directed against Muslims, asylum-seeking refugees and Jewish communities. There has been a series of racist attacks on these communities in recent months including Jewish graves being painted with swastikas, Muslim businesses being attacked, mosques and synagogues vandalised, refugees and asylum seekers being harassed and pupils from these communities suffering racist abuse. There is also evidence to suggest that some far right groups are particularly targeting schools and young people.
Challenges for schools
These extraordinary circumstances challenge the work of teachers and are fuelled by the extensive media coverage. In these circumstances it is important for teachers to be prepared for any challenges that may arise.
The crises in the Middle East and in Iraq mean that teachers may need to tackle particular issues such as Islamophobia and anti-semitism within each school’s more general efforts to educate against racism.
The potential challenges that schools face relate to:
· minority ethnic pupils, particularly refugee, Muslim and Jewish pupils, who may be targeted by other pupils and adults both within and outside the school;
· Muslim and Jewish staff who may face hostility from pupils and parents;
· the possibility of a hardening of views amongst the school community on issues such as Islam, asylum and immigration particularly in the context of “terrorism”;
· pupils whose parents or siblings are in the armed forces, particularly if and when they become engaged in military action;
· pupils with connections in the Middle East; and
· the need to deal with questions from pupils following any armed conflict and issues around democracy, justice and human rights.
The advice contained in this guidance is relevant to all schools, including faith based schools. While some of these challenges relate to short-term measures that may need to be addressed during the course of any military conflict, there are longer term issues around anti-racism, anti-semitism and Islamophobia that can be addressed through the curriculum and promotion of a positive school ethos.
A whole school approach
It would be helpful if teachers within schools were to consider collectively the difficulties they may face. A whole school approach could be developed aimed at providing support to individual teachers faced with pupils experiencing difficulties. Schools should endeavour to maintain as normal an atmosphere as possible: a stable environment will assist pupils to cope with stress arising from their personal circumstances.
Although the response of schools to military conflict will depend upon circumstances and the individual needs of pupils, it is worth noting that racist attacks on Muslims increased during the last Gulf War. Addressing the issues with pupils may help to avoid racist attacks and abuse and ensure that pupils are given a more balanced view than may be provided by the media.
In looking at issues around anti-semitism and Islamophobia schools may want to involve the wider community including parents, religious and community groups to provide an outside perspective to pupils on the impact of racist abuse and vandalism.
Information on outside agencies which can offer additional support to staff should be made available in the school. For example:
· bereavement-counselling;
· educational psychologists;
· LEA support services with expertise in race-equality matters, citizenship and religious education; and
· charities working in the field such as the Commission on British Muslims (www.runnymedetrust.org/projects/islam/islam.html), Inter-Faith Network (www.interfaith.org.uk), Holocaust Educational Trust (www.het.org.uk).
Supporting teachers
Teachers may be faced with the additional responsibility of helping pupils deal with their emotional responses to military action in Iraq. Teachers too may need assistance with coping with the emotional demands made on them. Some minority ethnic teachers may be particularly vulnerable in schools, both from pupils and parents. Teachers may also have family members in the Gulf region or in the armed forces. Hence, the need for staff support to be built into the whole school approach.
Tension between different ethnic groups
A major issue which may arise is the possibility of heightened tension between different ethnic and religious groups which has already been seen in the wider society. This is particularly true where negative and stereotyped views of Islam and Muslims are held. The NUT advises that in dealing with any tension between different ethnic groups, including racial harassment, schools should bear in mind the points below.
· Teachers should be especially vigilant for any signs of name calling, abuse and bullying, particularly of Muslim pupils, and for any signs of tension between pupils from different ethnic groups.
· An early recognition and action to deal with the problem will help to diffuse the situation before it escalates.
· Schools should reiterate to teachers, pupils and parents their policies and procedures for tackling racial harassment.
· Any racist taunting or abuse on grounds of assumed ethnic group or religion should be firmly and sensitively dealt with by teachers as part of their whole school approach to tackling discrimination and racism.
· It may be appropriate if tensions are observed to hold a school assembly or class discussion as necessary, to deal calmly and informatively with the situation, so that pupils can voice their feelings in a controlled and secure atmosphere. The situation may require opportunities for individual pupils to receive counselling away from the classroom on a one-to-one basis.
· Support should be offered to both the recipients and the perpetrators of racial harassment.
· Curriculum opportunities could arise to improve pupils’ factual knowledge and understanding of the events. Schools should tackle these issues within the overall context of their approach to anti-racism in the curriculum. Further advice is available from the NUT’s document – Anti-Racist Curriculum Guidelines available on the NUT website – www.teachers.org.uk .
· World studies and religious education about world faiths could also provide opportunities for information and discussion at both primary and secondary levels.
· The new citizenship requirements mean that all pupils will be taught about the diversity of national, regional, religious and ethnic identities in the UK and the need for mutual respect and understanding. Citizenship provides a distinct vehicle for pupils to develop an understanding of fairness and social justice; the nature of prejudice; anti-social and aggressive behaviour like racism, anti-semitism; and the skills to challenge unacceptable behaviour in appropriate ways.
· It may be helpful to hold discussions about conflict resolution whilst in no way seeking to undermine the beliefs of individuals about the rightness or justice of the war. This would be in keeping with the NUT’s long held belief in education for peace.
· The aim should be to ensure that every child feels valued and secure in the school as a safe place to explore differences and conflicting views. Every effort should be made to maintain as calm an atmosphere as possible, whilst giving space to the strong feelings of anger, hurt, and fear that may be expressed.
· Pupils should be reminded of the respect due to all ethnic groups. It may be helpful to plan co-operative projects involving pupils from different ethnic groups as a way of reducing tension. Above all, prejudice should be countered and replaced with information, and respect should be fostered throughout the school as a community. In cases of difficulty, relationships established with local community groups may prove very beneficial and parental involvement may be required.
Many schools are likely to have pupils who have relatives or close family friends who are in the armed forces or reside in the Gulf region. Pupils may have particular worries about their relatives’ or friends’ safety, which may affect their emotional well-being and ability to concentrate or participate fully in school life.
Some pupils may display signs of disturbance, including unusual tiredness, lack of concentration or emotional instability. Pupils who are normally cheerful may be tearful, irritable, withdrawn or unusually involved in quarrels and fights because of the stresses upon them.
There may also be children and young people who will be frightened by pictures and reports they see on television and who think the war is happening nearby or might affect their own homes. Children often believe that the pictures they see on television can happen in their immediate area. Teachers should try to alert parents to the advisability of appropriate discussion with young children to allay their fears.
It will be important for teachers to respond sensitively to the worries and fears of all pupils. Helping them express those fears may help them cope. It may also be useful to give pupils an opportunity to discuss their worries openly and help them get the dangers into perspective.
Teachers will know how best to respond to the individual needs of their pupils. Some will benefit from discussion in class whilst others will need an individual approach. It is important that teachers provide a calm, rational approach to the needs of pupils.
After school and youth clubs and young people’s centres, as well as schools, can provide opportunities for older pupils to discuss the issues with their peer group and other adults.
Discussing terrorism and military action
Many pupils may be affected by the crisis in Iraq and in dealing with their concerns schools may find helpful the suggestions set out below.
· It is vitally important that schools find opportunities, within their wider approach to anti-racism, to enable pupils to understand that fundamentalism and fanaticism can and do exist within all religions, and the difference between those concepts.
· Pupils may be very frightened and disturbed by media coverage and teachers will have considerable demands placed on them to foster tolerance and understanding in a calm atmosphere where pupils can continue to learn effectively.
Teaching about controversial issues
In tackling the issues outlined in this document, teachers will inevitably find themselves dealing with controversial issues. In responding to pupils’ questions, teachers should assess pupils’ level of understanding and emotional maturity, prior to deciding on how much information is appropriate.
Parents and pupils hold a wide range of different beliefs and no attempt should be made to take a politically partisan approach or one which belittles a particular set of opinions. A balanced approach to discussion will allow all pupils to participate and benefit from the exercise. When responding to enquiries from pupils about contentious issues it is important to remember the need to:
· establish ordered ways of proceeding that enable every pupil to have an input into the discussion;
· ensure that the views of everyone in the class are properly heard;
· moderate negative thinking and strong emotions;
· focus on evidence and valid information;
· represent the different points of view as accurately and fairly as possible;
· where possible, use a variety of outside and community sources; and
· demonstrate respect for all opinions.
Challenging Islamophobia in schools
Schools have a crucial role to play in helping dispel myths about Muslim communities and promoting social justice. Set out below are possible ways of challenging Islamophobia in schools. Depending on the age and maturity of pupils and using their professional judgement, teachers can help pupils:
· find out some basic facts and figures about the Muslim communities in Britain today. The Muslim Council of Britain website www.mcb.org.uk is a useful resource;
· understand that Islam is a religion of peace. There are extremists, but these are present in all religions;
· understand that there is no natural link between Muslims, refugees and terrorism;
· understand Islam and Muslims by rejecting popular stereotypes (hijabs, chadors, strict parenting, fundamentalism). This may be done by listening to what young Muslims say about Islam.
· engage critically with stereotypes of Muslims in films and TV programmes;
· challenge Islamophobic lies within the broader framework of anti-racism, equality, fairness and social justice. Encourage pupils to challenge their friends who display Islamophobic behaviour; and
· understand discrimination experienced by Muslims in Britain by analysing their educational and employment prospects and status in society more generally.
It will be more than ever apparent to teachers that the life of the school is strongly influenced by outside factors. The NUT is confident that members will continue to rise to the challenge of educating individuals who can contribute to a more peaceful future.
Further advice
Useful websites for further advice and guidance, particularly on issues related to Islamophobia are:
“We are on a journey together and we live in a world where the world of faiths jostle side by side. We are able to choose to walk together in harmony or to jockey for position and so add to the chaos and troubles of our world by treating one another as enemies rather than neighbours who should be friends. In my view interfaith dialogue is not an option but a necessity – neither is it an impossibility – but an answer to the question ‘How far can we travel together?’ is not one we can answer when the journey has only just begun. It is something we shall only discover as we set out boldly on the way.”
“Let the strivings of us all, prove Martin Luther King Jr to have been correct, when he said that humanity can no longer be tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war. Let the efforts of us all, prove that he was not a mere dreamer when he spoke of the beauty of genuine brotherhood and peace being more precious than diamonds or silver or gold. Let a new age dawn!”