JCoSS group to revtew BLME tssues

V JCOSS HAS set up a student-led working group to review the treatment of BAME people in the curriculum and in school in response to the Black Lives Matter protests.

Year 12 students Sammy Kebede and Connie Portman have been chosen to lead the initiative.

They will begin with a review of the curriculum in a number of subjects — history, English, personal, social and health education and Jewish studies.

“They also want to look at support for black students and are planning an assembly to let the student body know what they are doing,” Sara Levan, director of Jewish life at JCoSS, told the JC.

“In addition, they want to review how the school uses informal education opportunities to make sure that black faces are seen and voices heard, with the aim of addressing any racism which may be present in the student body.”

While the cross-communal school had a reputation for being “warm and welcoming”, not everyone might have had that experience. “It’s quite hard to do that kind of soulsearching.”

Conversations began a fortnight ago as the BLM demonstrations gathered momentum.

In an outline plan, the school said: “At JCoSS we have a strong commitment to social action and justice, as well as to the values of pluralism and menschlichkeit. We feel that we have an obligation to do the best possible job in providing an environment which addresses these issues head on.”

After consultations, it was decided the first step should be a student-led review.

It’s quite hard to do that kind of soulsearching’