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Pride not Prejudice
Lakhbir Virk
Centre for Race Culture and Education, Leeds Metropolitan
University
Global
Teacher, Autumn 2001
Sir
Herman Ouseley's report, 'Community Pride not Prejudice:
Making Diversity Work in Bradford'. (July 2001) is the result
of a race review commissioned by Bradford City Council to
investigate the fragmentation of its community along social,
cultural, ethnic and religious lines. According to the report,
different ethnic groups are increasingly retreating into
"comfort zones" made up of people like themselves,
and it highlights 'the very worrying drift towards self-segregation,
the necessity of arresting and reversing this process, and
the role of education in tackling ignorance and bigotry'.
This
summer's race riots in Bradford and other northern cities,
increasing intolerance and violence against refugees and
asylum seekers, and growing electoral support for far right
political groups like the BNP, are just some of the more
pressing reasons to look for a basis upon which to 'make
diversity work'. Like its predecessors the MacPherson and
Parekh Reports, the Ouseley Report too assigns education
a key role in redressing race related problems. The underlying
message of the Review for educators however is that the
education system is currently not doing enough to counter
negativity, ignorance and racial hatred through effective
teaching and learning. In the words of the Report, 'There
is a lack of teaching, learning, knowledge and understanding
about different cultures, ethnic groups and religions/faiths.
This perpetuates mythology, misunderstandings, ignorance,
fear of differences, lack of communication and prevents
interaction between communities. Formal and public education
provision has been inadequate in remedying this deficiency'.
It suggests that one of the keys to effective teaching in
multicultural societies is developing teachers' competence
in equality and diversity matters. Equally important is
the need to tackle structural and policy measures that have
contributed to what the Report calls "virtual apartheid"
in many schools in the District.
Despite
the many problems it outlines, the Report is optimistic about
the future. The Review team was very impressed by 'the great
desire among young people for better education, more social
and cultural interaction and commitment to contribute and
achieve personal success'. The Report offers the outline of
a District-wide People Programme, and recommends that children
and young people should be prioritised as the potential leaders
and champions of a 'people-first' culture.
The full report Community Pride not Prejudice: Making Diversity
Work in Bradford is available at www.bradford2020.com/pride
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