Parents’ anger over ‘racially innocent’ label for children prompts council to reconsider

A COUNCIL has changed its race training for teachers to say toddlers are “racially unaware” rather than “racially innocent” in a public climbdown after outrage from parents.

Brighton and Hove city council triggered an outcry in January after The Sunday Telegraph reported its “racial literacy” sessions for school staff would see seven-year-olds told they view “white at the top of the hierarchy”.

It prompted the intervention of Nadhim Zahawi, the Education Secretary, who ordered an inquiry into the “concerning” lectures amid accusations that they potentially defied education and equality laws.

Now the Green-led council has published a new version of its five-year “anti-racist education strategy”. It says “there is ample evidence” that threeyear-olds learn markers in racial hierarchy and adds: “Yet the widespread view that children, particularly young children, are racially unaware persists.”

Previously, this section had said: “Yet the widespread view that children, particularly young children, are racially innocent persists.”

The new strategy, published this week, has also removed the entire section endorsing Critical Race Theory (CRT), a radical ideology which deploys the concept of white privilege and rejects a “colour-blind” approach.

The climbdown to remove explicit mention of CRT comes after 5,000 parents petitioned council officials objecting to it “teaching our kids that they are racists or victims of their classmates”.

But the council’s new approach, to be approved tomorrow, extends its “racial literacy curriculum framework” to nurseries. Previously it applied to age seven and above. The council plans to “embed specific racial literacy” lessons into curriculums this year.

Adrian Hart, of the campaign group Don’t Divide Us, said “this is merely a case of scrubbing the label off the tin”.

“The policy remains entirely informed by, and based upon, racially divisive ideas and beliefs that continue to be presented as uncontested facts.”

Hannah Clare, the council’s deputy leader, said: “We simply want places where every child can learn and thrive.”

A Department for Education spokesman said: “Teachers must ensure children are taught in an age-appropriate and impartial fashion.”