Badge of honour
Pupils reveal sickening abuse as campaign launches
SCOTLAND still suffers from everyday racism from the street to the classroom.
But efforts to tackle prejudice are encouraging.
Pupils have been working with a charity to create a new award for diversity and inclusion.
The “charter mark” will be a badge of honour for any school that wants to demonstrate it is an open and welcoming place for everyone, no matter their background.
Labour MSP Anas Sarwar was at yesterday’s launch in Edinburgh and has been brave in his own campaign to stamp out racism and Islamophobia.
Having lived through some nasty experiences, he welcomed the new award.
Any steps to make Scotland a more tolerant and open nation should be welcomed – and the children who are helping to set it up should be applauded.
PUPILS from ethnic minority backgrounds have revealed their experiences of racism – with one describing how she was told: “N **** r go back to your own country.”
The shocking story emerged during the launch of a nationwide campaign to stamp out prejudice in the classroom.
The scheme has been tested in Edinburgh’s Broughton High and students said it has already made a difference.
Rama Hane, 17, said she had been branded a troublemaker when she tried to report racist comments aimed at her.
The sixth-year pupil, born in Senegal, said: “Every time I reported trouble, I’d get the blame for it.
“Once a girl came to the school with a cousin to call me names in front of the school, screaming, ‘N **** r go back to your own country.’ I feel with the project it’s getting better.
“I made a poster for the school about how to report racism for the younger students because some are too scared to speak out.”
Neela Hossain said working in support groups with fellow pupils helped her deal with cultural tension in her own family. The 17-year-old, whose dad is from Bangladesh, said: “I had made myself think I didn’t need to talk to my dad about our culture because it made me feel strange and different.
“I get the awkward questions, about ‘where I’m really from’, which led to a lot of anxiety.”
Charity Action for Children launched the new campaign, known as the Inclusion and Diversity Charter Mark.
Labour MSP Anas Sarwar, chairman of the Cross-Party Group on Tackling Islamophobia, said: “Everyday racism can be found in our classrooms and playgrounds, and too many young people in Scotland face bullying and discrimination.”