Race and Racism in Education
Seeking Transformative Change through an Inclusive and Anti-racist Curriculum
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This chapter argues that racial prejudice, Eurocentric curriculum, and low teacher expectations, negatively impact the achievement of African/Black children in North America and Britain. Consequently, these children are subjected to emotional and symbolic violence; this is detrimental to their wellbeing. The argument is framed within critical race theory and anti-colonial discursive frameworks, to analyse and theorise the experiences of Black children in the schooling system. European colonialism and its legacy, white supremacy, are deeply ingrained in Western European societies, creating injustices and inequalities that permeate every aspect of children’s lives, particularly in education. In order to transform the classroom and provide spaces free of racial oppression, teachers and educators must engage in a decolonising process so that they are able to authentically de-construct and decolonize a neo-liberal curriculum. The chapter ends by looking at ways indigenous knowledges could assist teachers and students to unlearn racism and create positive learning environments.