Emerging from the Scottish Government’s Anti-Racism in Education Programme, Anti-Racist Curriculum Principles have been designed to help educators, leaders, and learners understand what an anti-racist curriculum can mean. Children’s Parliament is supporting the Scottish Government to explore children views and develop child-friendly principles.
Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home – so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual personote
Eleanor Roosevelt, 1958
The Dignity in School team together with anti-racism educator, Grace Dempsey, from Intercultural Youth Scotland and multi-disciplinary artist, Khadea Santi, took over two Primary 5 classes at Den’s Road Primary School in Dundee. What followed was an intensive investigation on the topic of anti-racism education through the lens of human dignity and children’s human rights. Through daily sessions during the first week of November 2024, children and teachers were invited to take part in active discussions, creative reflections and arts workshops to explore themes of identity, culture, and belonging, while also reviewing the seven key principles of anti-racism education. Children took part in outdoor physical games, made self-portrait sculptures from clay, created a map and a flag to represent the tolerant world in which they aspire to live, and captured their own image using analogue photography.
The aim of the project was for children to gain a better understanding of key concepts such as discrimination, privilege, power, allyship and race, while living anti-racist behaviours and language in their daily lives. Sometimes challenging and uncomfortable questions arose, the team were prepared and worked to ensure all participants were able to experience a safe, friendly and supportive environment. At the beginning of the residency, we agreed with staff and participants that such conversations were necessary in order to learn about racism and how to create a more tolerant and inclusive culture. Two examples of learning for the group were:
In addition to the in-class workshops, the Dignity in School team led a professional development training session for Den’s Road primary school staff on the topic of anti-racism education. During the session, staff had the opportunity to discuss real scenarios from their experience, exploring resources and tools to better understand the topic and improve confidence when faced with future racist incidents in their school. In parallel to our work with Den’s Road, we also facilitated monthly focus groups with children and adults from other Dignity in School local area partners. Rosebank, Our Lady’s, Glebelands and Cleppington met with Den’s Road to talk about their shared experiences of racism in school and community, and to reflect collectively on what could be done to improve children’s lives through the understanding and facilitation of children’s human rights.
The consultation culminated in a multi-media exhibition called Defending Rights, Fighting Racism. The exhibition showcased the work and the learning of the Den’s Road children as part of their anti-racism journey. Children presented to their school, families, and external guests – including local MPs, Education Scotland, Scottish Government, Scotdec, teachers, and programme funders. The exhibition included the children’s artworks, including their maps and flags, and a video manifesto describing an anti-racist school and community.
It was a very rewarding experience for us to see children take full ownership of the work they had created, articulating with ease and confidence their learning to other adults and peers while reflecting on the journey they had been and are still on now.
Marion Geoffray, Project Lead, Education
In 2021, Members of Children’s Parliament met with the Scottish Cabinet Ministers and discussed the need for anti-racist education in schools. Learn more about their call to action here.