RunnymedeThe NEWSLETTER OF THE

Bulletin No.307 November 1997 £1.75 The challenge THE Runnymede Trust Commission on British Muslims and Islamo- insensitive to significant differences phobia has published its report Islamophobia: A Challenge For Us All. The and variations within the world of report was launched at the House of Commons by the Home Secretary, Islam, and in particular they are , and is the first major study into Islamophobia and the posi- unable to appreciate that there are tion of the British Muslims in the UK. tensions and disagreements amongst The Commission was chaired by Professor , Vice-Chan- Muslims.” cellor of the and The consequences of Islamopho- was established in 1996. Its members bia, the report says, is injustice, char- included eighteen prominent Muslim acterised by social exclusion; a sense and non-Muslim experts, representa- of cultural inferiority among young tives and academics. The report British Muslims; and an increasing makes 60 detailed recommendations likelihood of serious social disorder. It covering subjects which include edu- also makes it difficult for mainstream cation, health, law, politics and the voices within Muslim communities to media. be heard and prevents Muslims and In February 1997 the Commission non-Muslims from cooperating on published a consultative document finding joint solutions to major prob- and received 160 written responses lems. which were taken into account dur- ing drafting of the final report. Islamophobia: A Challenge For Us All is Approximately 100 of these were available from the Runnymede Trust, 133 Aldersgate Street, London EC1A submitted by corporate bodies and Jack Straw . . . launched report were based on meetings, consulta- 4JA. £11.05 including p&p. tions and discussions. Many were Islamophobia was coined in the late accompanied by lengthy reports and 1980s and is a “useful shorthand way documents. of referring to dread or hatred of Islam — and therefore, to fear or dis- Not easy to participate like of all or most Muslims.” The report states that “the UK Gov- The report emphasises the need to In this issue ernment’s official stance [towards distinguish between “closed” and Muslims] is one of welcome and “open” views of Islam. “Phobic dread Islamophobia: inclusion. The reality, however, fre- of Islam is the recurring characteristic Special report 2-6 quently falls short. of closed views,” the “In practice, it is authors argue, while Jack Straw’s speech 3 not at all easy for ‘Phobic dread of “legitimate disagree- Press reaction 4-6 Muslim citizens of ment and criticism, the Islam is a recurring and also appreciation Ethnic minority ‘to participate freely and respect, are schooling 7 and fully in the eco- characteristic of aspects of open nomic, social and views.” The Stephen Lawrence public life of the closed views’ Closed views also campaign 8-9 nation’ and at the “typically picture same time to take a Islam as undifferenti- News round-up 11 full part in the religious and cultural ated, static and monolithic, and as traditions to which they belong.” intolerant of internal pluralism and The report explains that the word deliberation. They are therefore The Runnymede Bulletin November 1997 ‘A strange and ugly word’

HOME SECRETARY Jack Straw, speaking Gordon Conway at the launch, underlined the vital role the (left), chair of the Commission, Muslim community plays in British life, and Zaki Badawi, saying that British Muslims bring with principal of the them a strong and inspiring history of cul- Muslim College. tural achievement. He said, however, that Both spoke at the launch of the he had no plans at present to legislate on report. religious discrimination (see page 3). Also speaking at the launch, Gordon Conway, chair of the Commission said that for many people Islamophobia was a very strange and ugly word. “It is not, of course, a new word to Muslims. Muslims have known it all their lives. They have experienced it all their lives. There is very Commissioner, said that the focus of policy Speaking before the launch of the report, little in the report that will be new to them.” makers should be on young people, many of Jahangir Mohammed, deputy leader of the He said that the importance of the report is whom feel very isolated and frustrated by Muslim Parliament said that it had not that it is a multi-faith report bringing out the discrimination and stereotyping that looked at the ‘long and bitter’ history of these issues for the whole of the British affects their life chances. “They are British Islamophobia in European civilisation. “If community. and Muslim. They are British Muslims,” he you want to understand a prejudice you He referred to a letter to the Commission said. Young people would like everyone to have to go to its roots,” he said (Today from a 16-year-old Bangladeshi girl who focus on national issues; they do not want Programme, Radio 4, 22.10.1997). reported that when she started to wear a international issues such as events in Iraq headscarf teachers at her school made fun of and Iran to dominate discussion about Futility her. He said that the Commission had Muslims communities. Following the launch Dr Ghayssudin received many such letters describing the Dr Zaki Badawi, principal of the Muslim Siddiqui, leader of the Muslim Parliament, prejudice and discrimination Muslims College, London, said that in Britain many attacked the Home Secretary’s announce- experience in their everyday lives. “That Muslims feel hard done by and the report ment that he would not legislate to outlaw discrimination leads to poor conditions shows that there are good reasons for that. It religious discrimination. “The Muslim under which many British Muslims live: should force these concerns on to the community is sick and tired of ‘nice words’ poor housing, poor health, poor education, agenda of policy makers. He said the report and exercises in futility, such as the high unemployment. Over 50 per cent of shows that people do have an irrational fear Runnymede report. All these things have British Muslims in inner city areas are of Islam and Muslims. “I say irrational been said before. While politicians and unemployed, double the unemployment because it has no foundation at all. Let us policy-makers talk, Muslims continue to rate among white people.” hope that this report will be the cure of this suffer” (New Statesman, 31.10.97). He said that the Commission had disease which affects many sections of our In a statement published before the gathered evidence of discrimination in the society.” launch, the monthly Muslim News accused workplace. He urged the Government to the Commission of being Islamophobic issue codes of good practice for employers Welcomed because it uncritically adopted “Jewish on matters affecting Muslims. The report was broadly welcomed by observations on the Muslim community” Muslim organisations and press but there were (Press release, 18.10.97). Ineffective reservations. The UK Action Committee on The fortnightly magazine Q-News Professor Conway said there is also Islamic Affairs welcomed the report, calling it (November 1997) welcomed the report. It “common Islamophobia” in the press, both a “path-breaking document” which offers said the report was a step in the right in tabloids and broadsheets. The problem, many “constructive recommendations about direction and could pave the way for a more he added, is that where the media lead oth- addressing the problem at the level of policy as positive perception of British Islam. ers follow. He noted that the Press Com- well as legislation” (Press release, 22.10.97). There is an estimated British Muslim plaints Commission is very ineffective in The Islamic Human Rights Commission population of between 1.2 and 1.4 million. dealing with Islamophobia and called for a said it was not happy that the Runnymede Between 65 and 75 per cent of all Muslims code of practice for journalists and editors. Trust Commission “did not include mem- in Britain are from a South Asian back- Concluding his speech, Professor Con- bers deemed ‘controversial’, in the very ground. The report says that a high pro- way warned that “Islamophobia is becoming stereotypical terms the report wishes to portion of South Asians are under 20 and more extreme and more dangerous, leading decry” (New Statesman, 31.10.97). a low proportion are over 60. Because of to prejudice, discrimination and violence.” An-Nisa, a Muslim women’s organisation these demographic facts the communities He urged that a multi-faith agency should based in Brent, north London, said that the are bound to increase in the next twenty be set up to monitor Islamophobia and dis- report vindicated much of the work they years, both absolutely and relatively. By crimination against Muslims. had done locally to highlight “the insidious the year 2020 “the total Muslim Maqsood Ahmad, Director of Kirklees and dangerous upsurge in Islamophobia” population is likely to be approaching two Racial Equality Council and the youngest (An-Nisa Bulletin, November 1997). million”.

PAGE 2 The Runnymede Bulletin November 1997 Home news — in his own words THESE are extracts from the speech given by “What fans this hostility towards Mus- “I welcome the contribution which this the Home Secretary Jack Straw at the launch lims and Islam is ignorance. It is too easy to report makes to the debate and, as I again of Runnymede Trust report on Islamophobia. see Muslims as one homogenous group, made clear in my evidence to the Select regardless of their origin or social back- Committee, we are giving the report active “. . .This morning’s launch provides me per- grounds. This is patently ridiculous. . . and careful consideration and I hope to con- sonally with an opportunity to state loud sult the Commission on our conclusions. and clear the value which this Government Challenge and responsibility But given the complexity of the matter and places on the Muslim community and our “The title of the report is Islamophobia — A the pressures on our parliamentary pro- determination to take seriously your con- Challenge For Us All. That is apt. This is a gramme for this session, I should make it cerns. We do that for two reasons. First, we challenge for us all. We all have a responsi- clear that we have no immediate plans to have a responsibility to all the people of this bility to combat prejudice and ignorance; to legislate on this. Indeed, that would pre- country. We have stated that explicitly and highlight the diversity among the Muslim empt the consultative process on which we we mean it. communities in this country and to avoid are engaged. “Second, because this country cannot the trap of equating what may be happening afford to do otherwise. We cannot afford to in other countries in the world with New offences neglect, to exclude or to overlook the contri- Muslims here . . . “We do, however, have immediate plans to bution of any section of our com- legislate on racial violence, racial munity if we are to succeed in the harassment and racially motivated modern world. And we cannot crime. I am sick to death of the hope to project abroad British val- mindless bigotry and thuggery ues of human rights, civil liberties which damages and destroys the and democracy if they do not exist lives of so many people in this for all citizens at home. As the country . . . Prime Minister said recently, ‘We “That is why we have singled out cannot be a beacon to the world this form of crime. That is why we unless the talents of all the people included in our election manifesto in Britain shine through’. . . a pledge to introduce specific “In general, I believe that we offences of racial violence and can be proud of the state of rela- racial harassment . . . tions between our different com- “I am aware that some of you munities in this country. This would like us to extend the defini- country does have a long and tion of the offence to include reli- proud tradition of respecting gion. We have issued a different peoples. “We should be celebrating the contribution of the Muslim faith to consultation paper on these spe- “People of different races and the prosperity of British society” — Jack Straw cific offences which sets out in full creeds have been coming to these the detail of our proposals and this shores for centuries. Including has been widely disseminated . . . I many, as I used to point out to the previous Religious discrimination would encourage you to respond to that government, people from their side and our “I know that for many of you the most sig- consultation setting out your views. side, including my great grandfather. British nificant recommendation in the report is Muslims bring with them a strong and that legislation should be introduced to Conclusion inspiring history of cultural achievement. make religious discrimination unlawful. I “Since we took office on 2nd May, the con- The result today is a truly dynamic society, understand the concern which underpins cerns of minority communities have been in which people from different ethnic and that recommendation . . . rising steadily up our agenda. Not just the cultural backgrounds can live and work “I recognise that there is an important Government agenda but that of the country together, whilst retaining their distinctive difference between religious and racial iden- as a whole. Issues which have been neglected identities . . . tity. I know that some people feel that race in the past are now starting to receive the legalisation is not a sufficient answer to attention they deserve. This report is a very Islamophobia the particular problems of the Muslim important contribution to that process. “Against that background, it is particularly community. “We have an opportunity to recognise saddening to see the negative image of “But I have to say religious legislation the great contribution that British Muslims Islam and Muslims which too often prevails may not necessarily be the answer either. can make to the construction of the kind of in this country. This stereotyping makes me “The question of legislation against reli- Britain which the Prime Minister described very angry, since it is so profoundly at vari- gious discrimination is a large area which in his marvellous speech to the Party confer- ance with the facts. The facts show that, far goes beyond issues of discrimination against ence last month — a Britain in which there from permitting any denigration of the the Muslim community. As I made clear in is a place for all the people and a role for all Muslim faith, we should be celebrating its my evidence to the Home Affairs Select the people in the creation of that Britain. contribution to the stability and prosperity Committee in July, it is a difficult, sensitive This report is a very important contribution of British society as a whole. and complicated matter. to that kind of society.”

PAGE 3 The Runnymede Bulletin November 1997 — is it? The Islamophobia report provoked a sharp debate in one national newspaper.

“I AM an Islamophobe,” began Polly Toynbee in her column in the Independent

(23.10.97), following the publication of THE INDEPENDENT the Runnymede Trust report on Islamo- phobia. “I judge Islam not by its words — the teachings of the Koran as interpreted by those Thought-for-the-Day moderate Islamic theologians. I judge Islam by the religion’s deeds in the societies where it dominates. Does that make me a racist?” She continued: “For I am also a Christophobe.” She accepted that there may be incidents where women for example suffer racism because of the fact that they are Muslim, Head to head . . . columnist Polly Toynbee and Runnymede Trust chairman “but there is no hard evidence that poor, black, non-English speakers of other faiths opposing Muslim schools: they are against Toynbee in these pages, clothed it in an are treated any better than Muslims. Racism all religion in state education. She added assault on all religious practice, but the issue is the problem, not religion.” She also that the US constitution forbids religious here is the growth of Islam and the critique refuted the report’s argument that people worship or teaching in state schools. “Now is moving rapidly from being a defence of are often attacked because of their religious is the time for us to follow suit.” human rights to a disrespect of others’ belief dress, saying that discrimination on the that verges on racist. grounds of appearance is already covered by The Trust chairman’s reply “The crime of the report is that it asserts the existing race relations laws. In his weekly column in the Independent two facts and advances two propositions. She felt that laws tackling incitement to (25.10.97), Trevor Phillips, the chairman of The first fact is that Islam is a fast-growing, religious hatred would hinder free speech. If the Runnymede Trust and member of the heterogeneous faith. People all over the Runnymede had its way “I would not be Commission on Islamophobia and British world, including women, choose to adhere allowed to write this now . . . But how could Muslims, said: “The problem with to this faith. In countries like Pakistan, the any idea of free speech survive a ban on crit- European liberals (small ‘l’) is their move from secular, military domination icism or mockery of what others think and intolerance. They will oppose, to the death, towards democracy produced states which believe?” There would also be the problem any kind of bigotry but their own. Their were more rather than less Islamist. of a satisfactory legal definition of religion, capacity to know what is best for others is “We may take the view that some ver- she said. Moonies or New Agers fall within unlimited, riding roughshod over the fact sions of Islamist life are illiberal; but when this category since “a religion is just a cult that people may not choose the values of faced with the choice between democracy with more followers”. most West Europeans. and liberalism, I’II take democracy. . . Ms Toynbee said that it is not easy to treat “The famous Voltairean assertion of right with respect a religion that “describes women to free speech appears to be limited to Inferior as of inferior status, placing them one step precisely that — a defence of a man or “The case against Islam rests heavily on the behind in the divine order of things.” Refer- woman’s right to say what he or she likes, as supposed experience of women. I instinc- ring to the fatwa against the writer Salman long as he or she does nothing about it; at tively find it hard to understand the appar- Rushdie, she said that the fact that he had that point tolerance runs out. Such is the ently inferior position of women in many been forced to live in solitary confinement “is liberals’ certainty that their own version of Islamist societies; however, the reality of life not soothed away by describing that religion the world is right that they entertain no for many Muslims does not support the as ‘equally worth of respect’.’’ doubts at all about condemning others’ tra- proposition that all, or even most, Muslim Ms Toynbee concluded by opposing state ditions, even where adherence to those women feel oppressed because of their faith. funding for religious schools and the traditions is the free choice of nearly a Can one ignore the evidence of many inde- report’s recommendation to extend this to billion people worldwide. pendent, clearly self-possessed Muslim Muslim Schools. She said that the National “This week the civilised ‘rationalist’ women who say that within their tradition, Secular Society and Rationalist Press Asso- version of liberalism swung into action their status and their rights as women are ciation have the only consistent reason for against Islam. Some people, including Polly protected? They also say they are appalled

PAGE 4 The Runnymede Bulletin November 1997

by what they see as the disrespect shown to Fighting religious women by non-Muslim societies. “The second fact was that British Mus- stereotyping lims often face discrimination because of their faith rather than their race. Once again, rather than bringing our own views MUSLIMS, like Jews and Irish to this question, we should listen to the immigrants before them, are falling experience of British Muslims. It is indeed victim to racial and religious difficult to separate colour prejudice from stereotyping. Christians should religious bigotry; however, when someone fight this, says Philip Lewis (right), refuses you a job on the grounds that the inter-faith adviser to the Bishop of firm can’t have people going off to pray all Bradford and Commissioner on the time, this is not racial discrimination. the Runnymede Trust Commission “The Runnymede team made two major on British Muslims and Islamopho- propositions. First, that religious discrimina- bia. This is an extract from his arti- jects and dialogue in which many tion should be outlawed. Even if you do not cle in Church Times (24.10.97). churches have been involved, and accept others’ right to profess a faith, it is a in which trust has developed fact that the law, for the moment, allows “One resident asked: ‘Have we and stereotypes have been Britons to do so. What, then, should we do forgotten that during the Gulf War challenged. . . where it is clear that the real reason for people our servicemen had to hold their “Both Christianity and Islam are receiving inferior treatment is their faith?. . . church services hidden away?’, missionary movements, making and concluded that we are far too universal claims. Traditionally, this Denying accommodating to foreigners. has been seen to involve mutual “The second proposition made by the report “Another correspondent conflict. It need not be so. Having was that state support for denominational insisted that ‘in a Muslim country . lived in Bradford for 12 years, I am schools should be made available to all . . other religions are usually conscious that many Christians denominations who can show they are able repressed, or even actively perse- who have chosen to live and work to provide an acceptable level of educational cuted.’ A third posed the rhetorical in Muslim areas when many others achievement in the national curriculum. question: ‘A mosque in lovely old have left as part of the white flight This is presently the case for most of Britain’s English Chichester? No! No! are Evangelical Christians. faiths. There is no reasonable justification for Thank God for everything English.’ “On the basis of their friendship denying the opportunity to those Muslim “The Commission, which with Muslims they have have schools which can show competence and included Christian, Jewish and sought to challenge Islamophobia which already have waiting lists of hundreds. Muslim members, was shocked by where it exists in our churches. “Yet the proposal is attacked on the the dread and dislike of Islam Confident and unapologetic about ground that this would lead to separatism, across all sections of English soci- their own faith, they are respected and that it is almost impossible to define a ety. In the press, contemptuous by Muslims, who are more fearful religion. But you only need a prior defini- stereotypes and cartoons were not of godlessness. tion if you want the state to lay down which confined to the tabloids but “Muslim commitment to invite beliefs are acceptable and which are not. included the broadsheets across others to Islam is also beginning to “This was the heart of the contradiction the political spectrum. If some of translate into serious dialogue in the rationalist’s critique. If you take the the political cartoons had featured with Christianity. A member of the view that only certain religions should be a Jewish rather than a Muslim Inter-Faith Unit of the Islamic state-supported, then what price religious character, they would undoubtedly Foundation in Leicester is laying freedom? If you say that no religious institu- have been judged anti-Semitic. . . the foundation for a serious theo- tions should have state backing, you effec- “The danger in this is that a logical engagement with Christian- tively impose a new religion: secularism. “conceptual Muslim” will be fixed ity: he has just completed two But should the new Britain embrace in the public mind, as the “concep- years in Rome, studying Roman diversity or not? tual Jew” was in the history of anti- Catholic theology with the Domini- “The liberals cannot have it both ways. If Semitism. Further, because some cans, and is now studying for an they accept differences in our society, the three-quarters of British Muslims MA in Protestant theology at a more than one million British Muslims have South Asian ancestry, they British University. As British Mus- must be part of that diversity. If they don’t are already exposed to racism. lims feel more secure, these initia- accept diversity, it is tantamount to saying Islamophobia threatens to tives will proliferate. . . There is that the only way of being British is to legitimise and reinforce this. . . sometimes a place for robust criti- accept the secular, rational, traditions of “How should Christians respond cism of Muslim behaviour. How some parts of Western Europe; in short, to to Islamophobia? The report much more effective, though, be ‘white’ in our values, whatever an devotes a chapter to providing when this is articulated by British individual’s background. . .” examples of intercommunity pro- Christians and Muslims together.”

PAGE 5 The Runnymede Bulletin November 1997 Letters pour in over report

THE publication of the Runnymede Trust Age of apologies between children or adults of that commu- report, Islamophobia: A Challenge For Us “We in the Churches need to search our nity with anyone outside their own faith. All, provoked many people to write letters consciences about Islamophobia. Why are The Government must do whatever it to newspapers about their views. Below we we so reluctant to sell redundant churches takes to avoid funding more religious publish some extracts. to the Muslims. . . This is an age of apolo- schools. If it means reviewing policy on gies, and there has been several high-profile funding of existing Christian schools, so be apologies for Christian anti-Semitism. What it. Nothing less than the social fabric of our Room for objections about apologising for the Crusades, and for society is at stake. When the Runnymede Trust issues a report 19th- and 20th-century imperialism? Sabrina Aaronovitch (Independent 28.10.97). called Islamophobia it is guilty of the very David Webb (Church Times 7.11.97). offence which it attributes to the opponents Equal human beings of Islam — deliberately raising the tempera- A choice enjoyed by others So females circumcision is all right, is it? ture in public discussion of a serious issue. Legislation in this and other countries Enslavement of women, who are supposed No doubt there is a great deal of irrational allows educational pluralism which caters to be equal human beings by the laws of this prejudice and discrimination against Mus- for all; it is popular with parents and country, is all right?. . . The idea that to lims — as against all religious, racial protest at the above practices is and sexual minorities — but there is somehow racist is amazing. If they also plenty of room for rational were practiced by white Europeans, objections to fundamentalist mani- they would still be abhorrent. festations of Islam. . . Doreen Barker (Church Times As for the demand for state fund- 7.11.97). ing for their schools, under the pre- sent system Muslims should Neither superior obviously have the same privileges as nor inferior Christians and Jews. But a better Polly Toynbee [Independent colum- solution would be the abolition of nist] states that Islam is “a religion the system. that describes women as of inferior Muslim youngsters. . . schooling argued over The provision of sectarian status”. Islam describes women as schools is the worst way to deal with different: woman is the perfect part- religious divisions. . . and the segregation of academically successful. Denying Muslim ner and balance for man, and vice versa; we Muslim children would only reinforce the parents the choice enjoyed by others — or are neither superior nor inferior, and of marginalisation which the Runnymede any parents any choice at all — is unaccept- equal measure to men in the sight of God, Trust rightly condemns. . . able discrimination promoting a secularised being the recipient of fair and equal mea- Nicholas Walter, Rationalist Press Association and spiritually diminished society. . . sures of mercy and also bearing the same (Guardian 24.10.97). Ibrahim Hewitt, Association of Muslim religious responsibilities. . . Schools of United Kingdom and Eire Sarah Moore (Independent 25.10.97). Invented and offensive term (Independent 25.10.97). “. . .If these allegations [by the Runnymede New phobias Trust] are correct, one wonders why so British values A tendency has arisen over the past few years many Muslims reject life in their Islamic No legalisation will do for the UK Muslim to coin new phobias, apparently in order to homeland, and choose to settle in a country community what it must do for itself. By forestall criticism and discussion. I look for- whose history and institutions are funda- steadfastly refusing to publicly condemn ward with interest to the day when a gay- mentally Christian and Judaic, and which actions of Muslim states that contravene rights picket appears at an Islamic meeting owe little to Muslim influence. basic British values, it has — by default — (as has happened in the past), accusing those One can only assume that this country, become identified with them. . . present of homophobia, only to be picketed with all its faults, offers them a better life Tony Freeman (Independent 25.10.97). in turn by activists protesting against its than their countries of origin. If one com- Islamophobia. . . pares the fate of Christians in many Muslim Integrated education The alternative would be to take the time countries with the life of Muslims in this In this country . . . a largely integrated edu- and thought to specify what aspects of our country, it is not difficult to see why British cation system has been of immeasurable opponents’ views we consider wrong, and Islam gets a mixed press benefit to us all. If you don’t believe this, why. More arduous, certainly, than accusing The truth is that British Muslims’ prob- witness a generation of angry young adults someone of having a phobia, but with the lems are not rooted in something called who have been channelled into separate advantage of exercising the brain, and per- Islamophobia — an invented and offen- “special school” education because they are haps informing the public at the same time. sive term — and race relations. Their diffi- disabled, and now argue, quite rightly, that Katy Van Den Berg (Church Times 7.11.97). culties are a function of the faith they the able-bodied have no concept of their profess operating in a culture they find lives. Or the hermetically-sealed orthodox We would like to hear from readers of irksome. . .” Jewish community in Stamford Hill (where the Runnymede Bulletin about their views Ray Honeyford (Daily Telegraph 25.10.97). I live), where there is no social interaction of the report.

PAGE 6 The Runnymede Bulletin November 1997 Pupils prosper through partnership programmes to focus on measurable Patrick Roach looks at two reports, outcomes; funded by the Barrow Cadbury Trust, resource providers and practitioner bodies to target the delivery of focused on ethnic minority education. interventions which seek to raise levels of attainment in core skill areas. IN December 1996 the Barrow Cadbury Education Interventions: Local Measures to Trust commissioned two research reviews Improve the Educational Attainment of Eth- of the educational attainment of ethnic nic Minority School Pupils is available free minority pupils. Taking as their starting from Ranjit Sondhi at Westhill College, Weoley point the Ofsted commissioned research Park Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham. review undertaken by David Gillborn and Caroline Gipps entitled Recent Research Disadvantage on the Achievements of Ethnic Minority K. Amin, D. Drew, B. Fosam, D. Gillborn, Pupils, published in 1996, the two reports Black and Ethnic Minority Young People and for the Barrow Cadbury Trust sought to Educational Disadvantage, Runnymede Trust, identify: 1997. the nature of current education inter- vention practices taking place within This report, published by the Runnymede schools and the community sector Trust, focuses upon the nature and impact aimed at addressing ‘educational dis- of national initiatives and significant advantage’; localised actions which seek to address vari- evidence of good practice in the work ous aspects of educational disadvantage. of schools and community sector The report sets out the principal factors organisations operating within spe- which impact on achievement within the cific LEAs; and primary and secondary sectors. The authors the impact of national initiatives Despite this, the report’s authors find summarise the main differences in educa- aimed at tackling educational disad- that there is still little activity taking place tional attainment levels between different vantage and inequality. within the mainstream sector which encour- ethnic groups through an analysis of ages collaboration beyond the school envi- national and local quantitative data sets. Local measures ronment: Drawing upon qualitative data, the P. Roach and R. Sondhi, Education Interven- “In our view, the impact which can be report sets out its view of how racism and tions: Local Measures to Improve the Educa- made by schools working in partnership inequality coupled with negative teacher tional Attainment of Ethnic Minority School with the wider community is likely to be attitudes and expectations ensure that the Pupils, Westhill College, Birmingham, 1997. much greater than the impact that schools cycle of educational failure is continued. can make by working alone. Indeed, com- The report summarises the main national The fact that in general ethnic minorities munity-based organisations involved in statutory and voluntary sector initiatives fare less well in terms of academic perfor- delivering their own interventions initiatives currently taking place alongside local key mance and outcomes has been well estab- would also enhance their existing pro- projects. lished. Previous research has shown that the grammes by establishing partnerships with The report’s authors recommend the causes of educational failure and success are other bodies and with organisations operat- need for further research into: highly complex. ing in other sectors.” assessment systems and labelling in The argument that social class, together The report’s authors recommend that schools; with ethnicity and gender, is critical in initiatives are developed at the local level the experience and impact of exclu- determining general levels of pupil progress which seek to address educational inequali- sions on young people; and attainment appears to be well founded. ties within and beyond the classroom. In current good practice; Given this reality the authors of this particular they highlight the need for high achieving multi-ethnic schools; report present their case for the establish- LEAs and other funding bodies to home background and school success; ment of well focused, long-term pro- develop targeted investment pro- the contribution of community-based grammes of education intervention which grammes to tackle educational under- provisions. connect school, home and community in achievement; partnership to address the needs of ethnic policy-makers, funding bodies and Black and Ethnic Minority Young People and minority pupils. practitioners to identify improvement Educational Disadvantage is available from The report maintains that given the real- ‘programmes’ (as opposed to short- the Runnymede Trust, 133 Aldersgate Street, ity that less than 20 per cent of a child’s term/ time-limited ‘projects’) which London EC1A 4JA. Price £7.50 including p&p. waking time is spent in school, the need for address the wider social and economic macro forms of education intervention, conditions underpinning the educa- Patrick Roach is Research & Development based on a whole-child approach, is a funda- tional outcomes of all children; Officer at the Centre for Research in Ethnic mental necessity. future investment and improvement Relations at the University of Warwick.

PAGE 7 The Runnymede Bulletin November 1997 The long, hard fight for justice

It was the pressure of a small group of people, only occasionally reported in the press, that prevented the case of Stephen Lawrence from slipping forever into a file marked ‘unsolved’, writes Brian Cathcart.

If ever a crime cried out for an inquiry it that many other murders have done — the was the case of Stephen Lawrence, yet now case of the London head teacher Philip the inquiry is to happen it seems almost Lawrence, for example, or of Rachel Nick- miraculous, for this is a triumph of lonely ell, murdered on Wimbledon Common. No justice, no peace . . . since Stephen determination over collective apathy. Over the four and a half years since Lawrence’s murder, his grieving parents The baldest summary of the facts should Stephen Lawrence was killed, it has been the Neville and Doreen have worked tirelessly be sufficient to arouse concern. At the age of pressure of a small group of people, only in the hope that his killers will one day be 18 Stephen Lawrence was stabbed to death occasionally reported in the press, that has convicted without provocation by a gang of white prevented the case from slipping quietly and boys, one of whom shouted the word ‘nig- forever into a file marked ‘unsolved’. And at of radicals who inhibited police inquiries. ger’. The state refused to prosecute anybody the heart of that group have been Doreen There is very little evidence for this. and when Lawrence’s parents mounted a and Neville Lawrence, the parents of the It was not, however, the police who pre- rare private prosecution it was thrown out dead boy, who simply never took no for an vented the case from going to trial in the almost as soon as it began. answer. normal way. Five white boys were arrested, At the inquest, however, a jury that had two of whom were picked out in identifica- heard five white youths refuse to give evi- Reluctant radicals tion parades by Duwayne Brooks, Stephen dence about the murder concluded that The Lawrences made reluctant radicals. Lawrence’s friend who was with him at the Lawrence had been killed by . . . five white Neville Lawrence is a builder and decorator time of the killing. Other, lesser evidence youths, and a couple of days later the Daily and Doreen Lawrence was a mature student was gathered. But the Crown Prosecution Mail published pictures of the five beneath at Greenwich University and is now a coun- Service twice refused to pursue the case in the headline ‘Murderers’. sellor and social worker. They owned their court on the grounds that the case was not council house in Plumstead. The family strong enough. In any normal circum- ‘Wall of silence’ appears to have been uninterested in politics stances, that would have been the end of it. Besides these often scandalous events, there of any kind, and unaffected by the high lev- But not in this case. were further worrying complications. The els of racial harassment in the borough of Lawrence family repeatedly charged that the Greenwich. Private prosecution police failed to conduct a proper investiga- At first, after the murder, they co-oper- The Lawrences decided to mount what was tion; there was talk of a ‘wall of silence’ in ated freely with the police, but this quickly only the fourth private prosecution for mur- the white district where the murder broke down. They felt the investigation was der in Britain in 130 years, and they occurred, and the one witness to the killing, unjustifiably focused on their lives and their received from that time the wholehearted a young black friend of Stephen Lawrence son’s, and was sluggish when it came to pur- support of the police. More evidence was who was traumatised by what he had seen, suing white youths in Eltham. In particular, gathered, including covert video film show- was himself prosecuted in unusual circum- they thought that opportunities to gather ing four of the boys relaxing at home, airing stances for a public order offence. evidence on the night of the killing had been violent racist views and playing with knives. Little wonder, you might say, that in July wasted. Neville Lawrence said the police At a committal hearing three of the boys — Jack Straw, the incoming Home Secretary, were merely ‘going through the motions’. Neil Acourt, Gary Dobson and Luke ordered an inquiry under a former High The police have strongly denied these Knight — were sent for trial at the Old Court judge, Lord Macpherson. But Mr charges and insist they treated the murder as Bailey. Straw’s decision was not the result of public they would any other, whether the victim At this point — for her the first time outcry about these shocking facts, for the was black or white. They have also suggested anything had gone right in the whole case Lawrence case, though notorious, never many times (although not on the record), — Doreen Lawrence made a statement caught the national imagination in the way that the Lawrences came under the influence expressing the anguish and the determina-

PAGE 8 The Runnymede Bulletin November 1997

tion that drove her on. ‘No family should take him home. Our crime is living in a was a warning that if any officers were criti- ever have to experience the last two years of country where the justice system supports cised the family would not hesitate to sue our lives,’ she said. racist murderers against innocent people.’ them for negligence. ‘This is the worst kind of fame. We have The prospect of a private action for been brought into the public spotlight not Tipping the scales injury (rather like the second OJ Simpson because of our acts but by the failure of oth- It was not this, however, that finally stirred case) against the five youths was raised. And ers who were under a public duty to act. The anger about the Lawrence case. It was the the Lawrences continued to lobby and press decision of the court today stands as the first behaviour of the five white youths — for a public inquiry. The message from all clear indictment of that failure.’ blankly refusing to give any evidence at all this activity was clear: unless something Again, however, the door slammed in to the inquest — that tipped the scales. The unambiguous was done to establish the their faces. The trial in April 1996 collapsed jury were clearly outraged; their verdict, that truth about the case and clarify what went because the judge ruled that the evidence of Lawrence was killed ‘in a completely unpro- wrong, the Lawrences would never go away. the key prosecution witness, Duwayne voked racist attack by five white youths’ The change of government brought the out- Brooks, was unreliable. This was the young went far beyond their brief. And so was the come they sought. man who was prosecuted for a public order Daily Mail, whose ‘Murderers’ front page It would be wrong to suggest that the offence alleged to have taken place at a was an explicit attempt to goad the five into Lawrences ploughed their furrow alone — demonstration two weeks after the killing. accounting for themselves. they could never have achieved what they The case came to court 18 months later, The Mail’s treatment of the case elevated did without financial and moral support and was swiftly thrown out. At the it to a cause célèbre, but in a peculiar and from a large number of people, the majority Lawrence trial, however, the judge declared: distorting way. The paper’s anger was of whom happened to be black. But they ‘Where recognition or identification is con- directed against five white boys who raised worked without the degree of public sympa- cerned, he [Brooks] simply does not know . two fingers to the justice system — a white- thy they might have expected. If Lord . . whether he is on his head or his heels.’ on-white controversy, to adapt the old Macpherson’s inquiry produces valuable The inquest looked set to be a mere foot- apartheid terminology. The white-on-black findings about the state of race and the law note to the affair, and when Mrs Lawrence issue, of whether, as the Lawrences insist, in Britain it will be well to remember that it gave her evidence she was at her most bitter. the system failed Stephen Lawrence because was not public disquiet that brought it ‘When my son was murdered,’ she said, ‘the he was black, was addressed in the Mail cov- about, for there was never enough of that, police saw him as a criminal belonging to a erage, but it was clearly secondary. The pro- but the private struggle of a bereaved family. gang. My son was stereotyped — he was file of the case had been raised, but not the black, then he must be a criminal — and level of public understanding. Brian Cathcart is an independent journalist they set about to investigate him and us. My Again, the family was determined to and former editor of the Independent. His son’s crime was that he was walking down press on. A formal complaint was made to extended account of the Stephen Lawrence case the road looking out for a bus that would the Police Complaints Authority, and there appears in the current issue of Granta, no. 59.

PAGE 9 The Runnymede Bulletin November 1997 Putting ‘ethnic’ into excellence highlighted the educational disadvantage of Debbie Weekes looks black pupils in schools. This was reaffirmed by the Insted at responses to the response which suggested that though the Government sought consultation following education White paper publication of the Swann Report in 1985, the advice gained from this was not put into practice with adequate “vigour and sense of Earlier this year, the Government sought urgency”. The organisation suggested that consultation on its education White Paper, the responses given to the White Paper be Excellence In Schools. Following consulta- acted on more successfully. tion, David Blunkett (right), the Secretary of State for Education, wrote in the Key issue Guardian (28.10.97) that he would be con- A key issue which was found to be lacking sidering many of those responses. His within the White Paper was that of inclu- comments, however, did not include refer- importance of involving black parents and sion. The 1990 Trust suggested that cultur- ence to ethnic minority groups. community organisations in supporting the ally relevant reading materials be included The Runnymede Trust, along with many education of black pupils. within the Government commitment to the other organisations and individuals, includ- All three organisations welcomed many of raising of literacy standards, a point which ing the 1990 Trust and the education con- the proposals embedded within the White clearly has implications for curriculum sultancy Insted, based their response to the Paper, including the commitment to raising development. White Paper around its ‘silence’ on the educational standards and increasing the For example, Insted made the point that needs of ethnic minority pupils. involvement of parents. However, they also all headteachers should be aware of the ways pointed to the Government’s commitment to in which black parent and community Similarities equality of opportunity which seemed, group involvement in multi-ethnic areas can There were a number of broad similarities in through the silence on ‘race’ within the be drawn on. The 1990 Trust talked of the way the Runnymede Trust, Insted and White Paper, to exclude ethnic minority enabling community organisations to pro- the 1990 Trust attempted to rectify these pupils. vide homework centres for black pupils and silences. All three groups argued for an For example, the Runnymede Trust that the scope of organisations able to bid increased commitment to Section 11 fund- response suggested that a code of practice for Section 11 funding be expanded to ing, a reconsideration by the Government should be established to develop equal include black community groups. The towards normalising ‘setting’ in view of the opportunities policies in schools, in view of Runnymede Trust argued that supplemen- way it disadvantages black pupils, and the the increasing body of research which has tary schools be given greater recognition for the invaluable educational and cultural sup- port they provide for ethnic minority pupils. Children want academic achievements of chil- dren in their age group compared Conclusion all-black option with whites and their Asian and Clearly all three organisations have based Chinese counterparts. their responses to the White Paper around NEARLY four in ten black children Thirty-eight per cent of the sam- the issue of including black pupils, parents would prefer to attend an all-black ple liked the idea of attending a and teachers in all attempts to achieve the school while one in five think they black-only school, with 15-year- equality of opportunity which has been have suffered racism from a olds boys and 16-year-old girls stressed by the Government. Should the teacher, according to a report by being the strongest supporters. recommendations made by the Government Amenta Marketing, an organisa- The idea was least popular among in the light of its consultation again exclude tion which specialises in research- 16-year-old boys. references to the educational needs of ethnic ing lifestyles and attitudes among A substantial proportion of 13- minority groups, it will be necessary to ask ethnic minorities. The report is to 15-year-olds also thought a how ‘equal’ a Government focus on equality called “The Black Child Report” teacher had behaved in a racist can be if it ignores the importance of ‘race’. and is based on a poll of 374 chil- manner to them. Overall 22 per Dr. Debbie Weekes is education researcher at dren aged 11 to 16 of African or cent of children thought a teacher the Runnymede Trust Afro-Caribbean origin in London, had behaved in this way. Manchester, Liverpool, (Guardian 27.10.97). Copies of the above responses are available Nottingham and Bristol. from: The report indicates that the The Black Child Report is available The 1990 Trust, Southbank Technopark, children have high educational from Amenta Marketing, Unit 2, London Road, London SE1 6LN. aspirations and belief in their own 145 Fortune Gate Road, London Insted (Inservice Training and Educational ability, in stark contrast to the low NW10 9RL. £79.95 plus £4.95 p&p. Development Ltd), The Old School, Kilburn Park Road, London NW6 5XA.

PAGE 10 The Runnymede Bulletin November 1997 News round-up

“Worst” discrimination case industrial tribunals in his favour. In the lat- line drivers, a requirement for admission to In the “worst case” of persistent racial dis- est ruling, the Employment Appeals Tri- the cooperative. crimination ever to go before a court, a for- bunal calculated his award at £358,288.73 (Guardian 25.10.97). mer employee of the south London borough for loss of his job and pensions benefits. of Lambeth was awarded record damages in (Times 11.10.97) Call to arms October. Don D’Souza was awarded a total The head of the Army, General Sir Roger of £358,288.73 by the Employment Appeal Apartheid in city’s taxis Wheeler, launched the Army’s Equal Tribunal at the culmination of eight years A taxi cooperative which dominates the Opportunities Action Plan. He admitted of litigation which started after he com- market in one of Britain’s biggest conurba- that the armed forces had got it wrong over plained to an industrial tribunal that he was tions was censured in October during an its handling of racism cases. In recent years being victimised by Lambeth after he had industrial tribunal hearing for operating a there has been a string of cases where young brought an internal complaint of racial “whites only” driver policy. But the tribunal black recruits have been subjected to racial discrimination. also warned against the growth of a slurs and physical attacks. The tribunal said that “in the experience “counter-monopoly” in Leeds by another Sir Roger urged all troops to embrace the of this court, this is the worst case of unlaw- firm whose drivers are overwhelmingly of action plan; those who refuse will be dealt ful discrimination that it has ever had to Asian origin. The situation was described as with as part of the problem. To back up this consider.” Furthermore, it said, there is no “amounting to apartheid” by the city’s aim, there will be special full-time squads, reported case which shows such persistent Racial Equality Council, which represented probably Royal Military policemen, whose discrimination against one individual. Sadaf Hussain, aged 28, of Undercliff, job will be to monitor and deal with racial Mr D’Souza, who is Asian, started to Bradford. He was awarded £1,000 for hurt harassment. The plan includes a complaints work for Lambeth in March 1986. He was feelings in failing to get work with Stream- procedure, a national advertising campaign dismissed in January 1990, an action that line taxis, the biggest cooperative in the city. directed at ethnic minorities and two new the appeal tribunal said was “unfairly and Mr Hussain had bought a Streamline cab leaflets covering equal opportunities and unlawfully [done] on grounds of his race.” from a retiring white driver but had failed to racial harassment policies. Mr D’Souza had several findings by find a sponsor from the other 196 Stream- (Guardian 14.10.97)

Employment news tended to rise and fall more strongly with the economic cycle than those for white people except According to the latest figures from the Office of during the recovery since spring 1993. National Statistics, the unemployment rate for ethnic minority men in 1996 was two and quarter times that Race discrimination tribunals for white men. Based on statistics from the Labour The number of race discrimination cases completed Market Survey the figures show that, while 8.9 per rose by 372 between 1994/95 and 1995/96 from 1,365 cent of white men aged 16 and over were unemployed, to 1,737. The majority of cases did not make it to a tri- the figure for men from ethnic minority groups was bunal hearing: two-thirds of cases (1,175) were either 20.1 per cent. conciliated, withdrawn or disposed of otherwise. Of the remainder, applicants were successful in 19 Unemployment rates for ethnic minority men and per cent of cases (109) — 4 per cent more than in women, Autumn 1996 (Labour Market Trends) 1994/95. Where tribunals upheld the claim, compensa- tion was awarded in less than a third of cases (30 per Men Women cent). As in 1994/95, over half of the awards were for White 8.9 6.0 £2,700 or more, but the median award decreased All ethnic 20.1 15.1 slightly from £2,750 to £2,714. Black Caribbean 22.9 14.1 Appeals to the Employment Appeals Tribunal were Black African 27.9 24.0 lodged in 112 cases — 32 more than in the previous Black Other 22.5 * year (Labour Market Trends, April 1997 and Equal Indian 13.9 11.7 Opportunities Review No 74, July/August 1997). Pakistani 27.5 29.7 Bangladeshi 21.7 * Outcome of race discrimination cases * sample too small 1994/95 1995/96 The highest rates were among black African men Successful at tribunal 72 109 and Pakistani men. Black African and Pakistani Dismissed at tribunal 390 453 women had unemployment rates four times that of Settled 325 405 white women in 1996. Withdrawn 507 656 The ONS figures also show that employment and Disposed of otherwise 71 114 unemployment rates for ethnic minority groups have Total 1,365 1,737

PAGE 11 The Runnymede Bulletin November 1997 No chance to make the grade

six Asian employees at grade 5 level. The A new report by Keith MoD is one of the larger departments. However, the Department of Social Vaz MP highlights the Security is of an equivalent size and yet that lack of promotion department has no senior civil servants of Asian background. The report says, “The prospects for Asians Senior Civil Service still consists of people from the same backgrounds as has always within the Civil Service been the case. The ‘glass ceiling’ and the ‘old school tie’ are both still firmly ensconced.”

“The lack of Asian representation in the Painfully slow ranks of Britain’s Civil Service, inherited The report concludes: “In terms of Asian by the new Government should be representation in the civil service, Britain considered a matter of national shame,” remains an unequal and unfair society. says a report published in October. The Although decades have passed, the progress report, The Glass Ceiling, by the Labour made in moving towards real equality has MP Keith Vaz, says that “it belies our been agonisingly and painfully slow. claim to be a non-racial society with equal “It is clear that the civil service bureau- opportunity and outcome for all Keith Vaz . . . wants to break glass ceiling cracy cannot be left to regulate itself in irrespective of their ethnic origin.” these matters. If that were to be the case, the The report shows that although Asians problem would persist well into the next make up 3.5 per cent of the population, equivalent under the new payband system century. Not only would that be unfair, it is they constitute under 3 per cent of staff in of the Civil Service. something our nation simply cannot afford the Civil Service. The majority of Asians in Asians could be found only in grade 5, if we are to successfully confront the the Civil Service are concentrated in the the old divisional manager level, and then challenges we face.” lower grades, while there are relatively few only in four of the major departments. The The Glass Ceiling: Asian Representation in in the upper grades. The report says that Ministry of Defence, one of the larger the Civil Service, Keith Vaz MP, House of “the overall pattern is stark and may be departments, was relatively more healthy Commons, London SW1A OAA. summarised as the lower the grade, the than some of the other departments, with higher the proportion of Asians.” Frontline Grade Total No. No of Asians Percentage Asians It goes on to say: “Put another way, there are few Asians in the Civil Service con- Senior civil service 3,819 43 1.13 cerned with policy making and frontline Grade 6 4,325 91 2.1 assistance to ministers (only about 1-2 per Grade 7 14,906 216 1.45 cent of people doing these jobs are Asian), SEO 20,500 263 1.28 although Asians are over-represented in HEO 65,839 736 1.12 relation to their proportion of the overall EO 96,929 2,280 2.35 population in the secretarial and routine administrative grade bands (over four per AO 144,099 5,873 4.08 cent as opposed to 3.5 per cent of the AA 63,837 2,684 4.2 population).” Other 1,505 8 0.53 According to the report, there were no TOTAL 415,759 12,194 2.93 Asians at all in grades 1-4 or their

Bulletin No 307, November 1997. ISSN 0965-7762 The Runnymede Trust is an independent charity concerned with issues of racial justice and equality.

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