GCSE textbook pulled over claim Caribbean fathers are ‘largely absent’

A GCSE sociology textbook has been pulled from the shelves amid a racism row over its assertion that Caribbean fathers are “largely absent” from families.

The book, which was officially approved by the AQA exam board, was accused of enforcing negative stereotypes yesterday by campaigners and David Lammy, a Labour MP.

The passage, contained in a chapter on the sociology of families, reads: “In Caribbean families, the fathers and husbands are largely absent and women assume the most responsibility in child-rearing. When men and women live together, it is usually in cohabiting or common law relationships that reproduce the traditional patriarchal division of labour.

“The family system is also characterised by child-shifting, that is, the passing of children to other relatives or acquaintances if the parents find themselves unable to take care of them.

“As a result, multiple women are involved in childhood socialisation.”

The passage can be found in the textbook AQA GCSE (9-1) Sociology by Rosie Owens and Ian Woodfield – which was originally published in 2014 by Hodder Education.

Concerns about the textbook were raised by Eddie Olaleye, a freelance photographer, who challenged the examination board to provide “the empirical data” backing up the statement while others deemed it racist.

Mr Lammy, in a tweet to AQA and Hodder, wrote: “Why are sweeping generalisations about African Caribbean people that stereotype communities like this in your GCSE sociology textbook?

“Sometimes it feels like little has changed since I was at school in the

Eighties.”

Hodder Education says it has stopped the sale of the book while a review is under way. An AQA spokesman said it had raised concerns with Hodder Education after the outraged reaction, adding: “We don’t agree with any stereotypes. We don’t produce textbooks ourselves but we’ll speak with the publisher of this book about these concerns.”