“I Was The Only Brown Face There, Mum” – Why Lack Of Diversity Is Not Just A BaME Issue
The representational disparity between BaME students and teachers is something for all of us to highlight and resolve
A few years ago my daughter came home from school as a newly appointed ‘school councillor’. She had just attended her first school council meeting. Delighted for her, I asked how it had gone. Before going on to explain all the changes she wanted to make and things she wanted to achieve, her immediate response was: “I was the only brown face there, mum”.
At the time we had never really discussed skin colour at home, and I wondered why she had decided to share this fact.
I myself have attended many events and meetings as a teacher, and in the vast majority of these meetings I have been the only BaME educator.
It’s something I often notice, and then wonder if others attending the meetings notice it too. More importantly, if they do, why is nothing being done to change this?
This resonates with the findings from a 2014 report which highlighted that while 30% of pupils in state schools were BaME, although only 12% of new teachers and only 2% of headteachers were.
In my discussion with senior leaders on the subject of BaME representation in schools, I am often told that they always select the best candidate for the role, rather than basing their decision on race, religion or ethnicity.
Yet having researched many schools as part of applying for leadership posts, it is rare to find a BaME member of staff in places where the vast majority of pupils are white.
Where the pupil population is more diverse it is common to find a large number of support staff from similar backgrounds to the children being taught. But it is still rare to find teaching staff or leaders from BaME backgrounds in those schools, even those listed as ‘culturally diverse’.
Recently, I came across this quote: “You can’t be, what you can’t see”. All pupils need role models, someone they can identify with and roles they can aspire to.
As a child I lacked these role models and did not believe it was possible for a person who looked like me to study at a higher education level, and I only returned to university a few years ago, as I felt that my children were facing the same dilemmas.
I strongly believe that the lack of diversity within a school staff team is not just a BaME issue for BaME staff to address but for all of us to highlight and resolve.
How else can we ensure that our schools are diverse at all levels and that every pupil is given the opportunity to achieve their full potential? Schools which are truly diverse benefit all pupils, not just those from BaME backgrounds, as it helps to create a culture of understanding, respect and tolerance.
Farzana Iqbal is a middle leader, leading English and lower-KS2, as well as teaching year 6. She also holds a postgraduate maths specialism and a Masters degree which she completed last November.
