Relationships & Processes within Schools - Institutional Racism in Schools

What is institutional racism?

• Practices and procedures within an institution that place one or more groups at a disadvantage based on their ethnic background

How are schools institutionally racist?

• Admissions policies and procedures

• Ethnocentric curriculum and ethnocentrism in food, uniform, and holidays

• Racist abuse tolerated- Teachers don’t actively challenge racist behaviour

How does this impact student achievement?

• Marketisation- Many minority ethnic groups are unaware or unable to understand admissions policies

• Higher education- Fewer opportunities for black and Pakistani pupils

• Excessive disciplinary focus on black students

• Lower expectations of black pupils lead to lower achievement or conflict

Research evidence to support institutional racism:

• Gilbourn and Youdell (2000)- Lower expectations of black and working-class students

• Modood (2005)- Pakistani and black students are less likely to be placed in higher education

• Crozier (2004)- Pakistani and Bangladeshi students subjected to racism from pupils and teachers

• Cline (2002)- Racsism common among other pupils

Evaluations:

• Teachers see themselves as challenging racism in classrooms

• Multicultural policies and zero tolerance policies to racism

• Black students are more likely to be victims of off-rolling and educational triage

• Indian and Chinese students are more resistant to racism, and parents have the higher cultural capital to get students placed in good schools