Racist bullying in Blaenau Gwent schools revealed in report
This was during a session that looked at the safeguarding performance of education department during the last year.
Data provided in the report, which attempts to explain the motivation behind of peer-on-peer bullying incidents in schools on 'protected characteristics' as defined in the UK under the Equality Act (2010), showed that 61 of 90 incidents had a racist element.
Boy loses finger fleeing 'attack' at Abertillery school
Committee chairman, Cllr Wayne Hodgins (Independent) asked if it was down to schools to introduce 'their own individual policy' on bullying or if the education department had a 'blanket cover' that all schools followed.
Julie Sambrook said that a member briefing had been given to councillors a couple of months ago on the draft anti-racism action plan produced by the education department.
Ms Sambrook said: 'That has been the result of working in partnership with organisations which provide racism support to schools.
'We facilitated an all-headteacher anti-racism awareness day in March.'
Abertillery Learning Community closes after Raheem Bailey loses finger
She added that following the member briefing session councillors had not made any comments on the plan.
Ms Sambrook said: 'The plan in draft has now gone to schools and we're now looking to engage with the local community before the action plan is finalised.'
'We have an action plan we have shared with everyone, and schools are able to either use that as a model plan for themselves.
She explained this could be just a protocol within a school's own equalities plan which instructed staff what to do if faced with an issue that could be down to racism.
Cllr Derrick Bevan (Labour) ask: 'Are we having racism problems in certain areas?'
Ms Sambrook said: 'I think the issue is that it has not been recognised as a problem – we know there's under reporting.'
She explained that training is being rolled out by the council so that staff recognise all facets of racism and how it differs from other types of bullying.
Ms Sambrook said: 'Schools will say 'we don't have a problem with racism' and then I will have a community cohesion team ringing me asking if I can provide support to a family as there's been incidents of racism.'
She believed that getting schools to recognise what is and isn't a racist incident is key to eradicating the problem
The report was agreed by councillors.
Peer on Peer motivation for bullying, number of incidents
Racism – 61
Homophobic – two
Sexual – six
Transphobic – seven
Sexism – one
Special educational needs (SEN) – one
Others – 12.
Total – 90.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
8 hours ago
- The Independent
United Airlines flights across the US hit by ground stop caused by ‘technology issue'
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference.
The Independent
18 hours ago
- The Independent
Panthers CB Jaycee Horn in car accident, missed joint practice with Browns
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference.
New Statesman
20 hours ago
- New Statesman
Why is Jeremy Corbyn courting Daily Telegraph readers?
Photo by Christopher Furlong / Getty Images Jeremy Corbyn knows what he's doing. Writing for the Daily Telegraph(an unusual slot for the left-wing Independent MP for Islington North), Corbyn declared war on his former comrade Angela Rayner over her decision to allow councils to sell off allotments to raise money. Corbyn disagrees: he thinks these precious plots of land should be protected at all costs. Rayner's new policy is a 'nail in the coffin' of community allotments, Corbyn wrote, speaking out to the many, green-fingered readers of the Telegraph's pages. 'Once lost, they never return,' Corbyn warned. There is a personal angle to Corbyn's rage. He is devoted to his allotment in north London and has been tending to it for the past 22 years. ('I like a good marrow,' he told the Islington Tribune in February this year, reinforcing his image as the Gromit of British politics.) He genuinely cares deeply about the protection and upkeep of these spaces for gardeners across the UK. But the overriding drive behind Corbyn's horticultural battle is obviously political. This marks one of the first interventions by the former Labour leader since he announced his decision to co-lead the founding of a new party alongside fellow Independent MP, Zarah Sultana. That he has chosen to criticise the government on allotments, on land, planning and development – in the Telegraph no less – shows how seriously Corbyn is taking the political strategy of his new movement. Obviously, despite its unusual home, Corbyn's op-ed is written in the old radical-left tradition: he refers to the Enclosure Act (the one from the late-18th century) as 'one of the most grotesque abuses of power by Parliament', he mentions the Diggers (a faction during the Civil War) and points out the plight of the 'rural poor'. But he clearly senses that in speaking to Telegraph readers, he will likely find some sympathy among those readers of more Nimby-ish persuasions.(Let us not forget that as leader of the opposition, Keir Starmer often wrote op-eds for the Sun. The Government has clearly been rattled by this. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (to whom this policy belongs) put out a statement clarifying that rules around the sale of assets have not been changed and adding 'We know how important allotments are for communities, and that is why strict criteria is in place to protect them.' But the scale of discourse over what, one assumes, Rayner and MHCLG thought would be an innocuous policy – and their speedy clarification – speaks to a wider sense that the government have been somewhat blindsided by this fresh galvanisation of Corbyn and the imminent arrival of Your Party (name tbc). This sense of fluster was bolstered by Rachel Reeves's appearance at the Edinburgh Festival on Saturday. In conversation with Iain Dale, Reeves aimed her criticism directly at Corbyn. 'The country rejected him twice. The bloke's got a big ego,' she said. It was a personal attack, suggesting that Corbyn's own ambition and profile is a driving force in his renewed rise. 'If he wants to give it a go, be my guest. I think the voters will have the same reaction.' But Reeves and Rayner should proceed with caution. Labour are already at risk of losing more votes to their left than to their right. Corbyn's popularity has obviously helped to court publicity over Your Party, but it is not the sole reason for the interest this new arrival has sparked. Left-leaning voters are furious with the government over Gaza, over their planned reform of the welfare system, and a whole raft of other issues. And this disappointment is pushing them away from Labour. Corbyn is clearly taking this moment seriously. If the government is not careful, come the next election, they will wish they had too. Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe [Further reading: Inside the factions of the new left] Related
