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Plan to help black boys achieve | Plan to help black boys achieve |
(about 7 hours later) | |
Schools, parents and pupils must do more to improve the attainment of black Caribbean boys, a union has said. | Schools, parents and pupils must do more to improve the attainment of black Caribbean boys, a union has said. |
A charter on the issue published by the National Union of Teachers stresses the responsibilities they all have. | A charter on the issue published by the National Union of Teachers stresses the responsibilities they all have. |
It says the boys themselves must develop their own learning and parents must support them and their schools. | It says the boys themselves must develop their own learning and parents must support them and their schools. |
Schools must encourage them to have high expectations and have "a moral commitment" to raise and promote their achievements, the NUT added. | Schools must encourage them to have high expectations and have "a moral commitment" to raise and promote their achievements, the NUT added. |
The charter, published at the union's annual conference, in Harrogate, was compiled with the collaboration of groups of black boys in London, Birmingham and Manchester. | The charter, published at the union's annual conference, in Harrogate, was compiled with the collaboration of groups of black boys in London, Birmingham and Manchester. |
Expectations | Expectations |
One of them, 16-year-old Dillon Max-Grant, who is taking his AS-levels, said he got involved because he knew people who were not achieving as well as they should be. | One of them, 16-year-old Dillon Max-Grant, who is taking his AS-levels, said he got involved because he knew people who were not achieving as well as they should be. |
He said the often quoted issue of family breakdown and absentee fathers in black communities was "not really the issue". | He said the often quoted issue of family breakdown and absentee fathers in black communities was "not really the issue". |
"It's up to them to try to succeed," he said, but added that parental expectations were important. | "It's up to them to try to succeed," he said, but added that parental expectations were important. |
Sometimes, because of their social circumstances, their expectations did not match the abilities of the students and the capabilities of the schools that taught them. | Sometimes, because of their social circumstances, their expectations did not match the abilities of the students and the capabilities of the schools that taught them. |
They need to organise themselves to demand much more of the school system Gus John | They need to organise themselves to demand much more of the school system Gus John |
A co-author of the charter, education expert Gus John, said: "If there is a theme that runs through the report, the theme is let us all live up to our responsibilities." | A co-author of the charter, education expert Gus John, said: "If there is a theme that runs through the report, the theme is let us all live up to our responsibilities." |
That applied to everyone - but youngsters themselves had to be responsible for their own learning along with "their mums and dads and their schools". | That applied to everyone - but youngsters themselves had to be responsible for their own learning along with "their mums and dads and their schools". |
"I think it's nothing short of a national scandal that, 60 years after the Empire Windrush brought some 300 people from the Caribbean to these shores, young black boys, Afro-Caribbean boys, are still underachieving at the rate at which they are," Mr John said. | "I think it's nothing short of a national scandal that, 60 years after the Empire Windrush brought some 300 people from the Caribbean to these shores, young black boys, Afro-Caribbean boys, are still underachieving at the rate at which they are," Mr John said. |
'Mayhem' | 'Mayhem' |
That culture contributed to "the sort of mayhem in our communities that we have seen in the past weeks" - with black boys being stabbed to death. | That culture contributed to "the sort of mayhem in our communities that we have seen in the past weeks" - with black boys being stabbed to death. |
"In some parts of the country the life expectancy of young Afro-Caribbean males is 25," he said - such as in his home city of Manchester. | "In some parts of the country the life expectancy of young Afro-Caribbean males is 25," he said - such as in his home city of Manchester. |
There was a culture of low expectations on the part of the boys themselves and those who taught them, he said. | There was a culture of low expectations on the part of the boys themselves and those who taught them, he said. |
"Many of the parents themselves who have children in schools now have been schooled in a culture of low expectations. | "Many of the parents themselves who have children in schools now have been schooled in a culture of low expectations. |
Black pupils demonstrated nationally the greatest progress in GCSE results of any ethnic group DfES spokesperson | Black pupils demonstrated nationally the greatest progress in GCSE results of any ethnic group DfES spokesperson |
"They need to organise themselves to demand much more of the school system." | "They need to organise themselves to demand much more of the school system." |
NUT general secretary Steve Sinnott said: "We won't get the changes that are required unless everybody does their part. | NUT general secretary Steve Sinnott said: "We won't get the changes that are required unless everybody does their part. |
"That includes the youngsters. They can't turn round and point the finger and blame everybody else." | "That includes the youngsters. They can't turn round and point the finger and blame everybody else." |
'Unwitting racism' | 'Unwitting racism' |
Kay Hampton, chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality, said the NUT should not focus solely on underachievement among black boys. | |
"The issue of underachievement is not restricted to African-Caribbean boys as such but to a wide range of people, including for example Gypsy traveller communities and other minority communities for example females within certain communities as well. | |
"So the idea is a good one, but we would urge that the bigger picture of underachievement in education is taken into consideration as well." | |
Recently the Department for Education and Skills published a report which said black pupils were routinely punished more harshly, praised less and told off more often in English schools than other pupils. | Recently the Department for Education and Skills published a report which said black pupils were routinely punished more harshly, praised less and told off more often in English schools than other pupils. |
It said staff in many schools were "unwittingly" racist. | It said staff in many schools were "unwittingly" racist. |
A spokesperson for the department said: "Black pupils demonstrated nationally the greatest progress in GCSE results of any ethnic group, improving more than twice as fast as the average, with promising results for 11 and 14-year-olds boding well for the future. | A spokesperson for the department said: "Black pupils demonstrated nationally the greatest progress in GCSE results of any ethnic group, improving more than twice as fast as the average, with promising results for 11 and 14-year-olds boding well for the future. |
"However, we fully recognise that there's more to do. | "However, we fully recognise that there's more to do. |
"That's why we are working even harder to remove the barriers to their learning, engage with these children and give them an extra push they need - particularly in deprived areas where many ethnic minority children live." | "That's why we are working even harder to remove the barriers to their learning, engage with these children and give them an extra push they need - particularly in deprived areas where many ethnic minority children live." |
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