Robert D Winfield

Response to The price of admission to ‘white schools’ too high for black kids

I am compelled to take issue with Lwando Xaso. Her column shows an attitude that requires something that is simply not going to happen.

The schools she refers to are old, established organisations that have developed their high standards over many years. If a black student, or a foreign student, or even a student from a disadvantaged background joins the school, they are expected to follow the school rules and culture in all respects.

They are not going to change the uniform to suit children that have not worn one before, or change the meals to suit children with different tastes. Nor should they.

Lwando’s suggestion that black kids are ostracised because they are black is not true. They are maybe “left out” of social groups because they are “different”.

It happens in all schools over such things as whether a student’s parents are rich or poor, over whether a student is overweight, pretty, sporty or in some other way different to the norm. Teaching staff cannot force children to mix against their wishes.

Unfortunately, for children to grow up to be successful in life, they have to comply with the current standards that lead to success. Generally, in the Western world, they need to speak English well, they need to dress in “Western-style clothing”, have good Western manners, look people straight in the eye when talking to them, et cetera.

They may not be fair standards, but as Bill Gates said: “Life is not fair, get used to it.” This applies from the day we are born. Newborn babies are exactly equal but immediately after birth they start not to be.

So, generally speaking, Xaso and people with similar beliefs have to know that, to get anywhere in the modern world, one has to comply with the accepted norms of schools, businesses, public spaces, public transport and so on. It’s not going to change anytime soon!