What should schools do about racist bullying?
Immediately responding to racist incidents is crucial, but is not sufficient in itself to deal with racism. Responses to racist incidents should be a part of a broader whole school strategy with any racist incident as a call for action in the curriculum. Head teachers and senior management must take a strong lead on equality issues and see diversity not as a problem to be overcome, but as a rich resource to support the learning of all. A positive anti-racist school ethos and anti-racist curriculum is vital.Whether or not a school has minority ethnic pupils is not the key issue, as promoting race equality is about preparing all pupils to live harmoniously in a modern multi-ethnic society. Schools need to ensure that all pupils are able to “challenge discrimination and stereotyping” (Aim 2 of the National Curriculum, 1999). The National Curriculum talks explicitly of the need for all teachers to “create effective learning environments in which…stereotypical views are challenged” as par
