Do you know the meaning of the square? Click the link to watch the musician Alexis ... ·...
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Transcript of Do you know the meaning of the square? Click the link to watch the musician Alexis ... ·...
What did you do on Tuesday?If you watched the news, used Instagram, listed to Spotify or watched anything on YouTube, the chances are you came across a blank black square.
Do you know the meaning of the square?Click the link to watch the musician Alexis Ffrench explain why he has been involved in Blackout Tuesday: https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/52893017
Systemic Racism:
Understanding, Challenge and Change
A message to students:When we disagree with something or see a problem in society, it is the
responsibility of everyone to listen to others, speak out and take action.
As a student of Isaac Newton Academy you are leaders. Now, and in
the future, you have the power to change the world and make it a
better place. In everything we do, we want to support you to use your
BRIDGES dispositions and make a positive difference to the society we
live in.
About this lesson:This lesson discusses racism and inequality. This will lead to a range of
emotions which could include becoming upset or angry. Please speak
to your parents/carers or contact your Pastoral Leader (via the school
email address or Edmodo) if there are issues you would like to discuss
further.
Systemic Racism:
Understanding, Challenge and Change
This lesson will work best if you can discuss the issues.
Discussion points are in green.
Are either of the following possible?
If this is not possible use the discussion points as questions to
think about on your own. You could write some ideas down
to discuss with someone later.
With permission of your parents, text a friend to
arrange a video call so you can do some of the activities
together.
Explore the topic with a family member– how is their
opinion different to yours?
Systemic Racism: Understanding, Challenge and Change
Learning Objectives:
• To reflect the impact protests against George Floyd’s death are having.
• To use reasoning to debate whether change in the US and around the world
is likely to happen.
BRIDGES: throughout this lesson, and when thinking about this issue
generally, you will be using and growing lots of your dispositions.
Key terms: before we start, we need to define some key terms used in
the title and throughout the lesson.
• Protest: An occasion where people show they disagree with
something by standing somewhere, shouting, carrying signs etc.
• Racism: When someone views or treats another person or group of
people differently because of their ethnicity, nationality or race.
• Systemic racism: how racial discrimination can affect the job
prospects, wealth, criminal justice, education and general treatment
of ethnic groups within a society.
Because people in society hold racist views, it affects the way the whole country works. We call this
systemic racism. Systemic racism can be more difficult to see in person, but there are lots of statistics that
show that it is happening…
What is systemic racism?
Racism is where someone thinks a person is not good enough because of their colour, ethnicity, nationality or race. This means that they are treated differently (racial
discrimination).
When you think of racism, you might think of groups of people saying hurtful comments or making unfair stereotypes. While this is true, and you should speak out when this happens, it can be more complicated
than this.
Race inequality exists in the US, the UK, and around the world…
Study the statistics. Discuss which is most shocking to you? Why? What do these statistics say about fairness and justice.
Black Americans are 2x more likely to be unemployed than white
Americans1.
Black Americans are 3x more likely to be excluded from school than
white Americans2.
Only 13% of people in the US are black, yet 40% of the people in
prison are black3.
72% of white Americans own their own house, whereas only 42% of
black Americans do4.
Black people who leave school with A-levels typically get paid 14.3% less
than their white peers.
Black workers with degrees earn 23.1% less on average that white
workers with degrees.
In England 37.4% of Black people and 44.4% of Asian people felt unsafe around their local area compared with 29.2% of white
people
Only 6% of black school leavers attend a Russell Group university as compared to 11% of their white
peers.
Race inequality exists in the US, the UK, and around the world…Study the statistics. Discuss which is most shocking to you? Why? What do these statistics say about fairness and justice.
Statistics in the UK:
Why has racism, inequality and systemic racism been in the
news a lot recently?
On the 23rd February, Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed black man, was shot and killed by the white men
Gregory and Travis McMichael while he was out jogging as they thought he was a burglar. The two men were
charged with murder on the 7th May, only after a video of the incident went viral.
On May 25th, George Floyd, an unarmed black man, was arrested for allegedly using a fake $20 note. While
Floyd was handcuffed and physically restrained by 3 police officers, a 4th white officer Derek Chauvin, put
his knee on Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes 46 seconds. Floyd was unconscious for almost 3 minutes before the
police officer was removed. Floyd died shortly after.
Videos went viral in which Floyd can be heard saying “I can’t breathe” and witnesses pointing out that he wasn’t
moving. The officer in question has now been charged with second degree murder and the other 3 officers have been charged with aiding and abetting murder.
Discussion – do you think
there are other similar cases?
Have you heard of any? Why
do some make the news and
others do not?
On the same day George Floyd was killed (25th May), Christian Cooper (a black man) calmly asked Amy Cooper (a white woman, no relation) to put her dog on a lead because of the park rules protecting local wildlife. She refused. He remained calm throughout the
incident and was presenting no threat to Amy Cooper. When he started filming her refusing the follow the rules of the park, she said she would “call the police and say an
African American man was threatening her life”.
Why has racism, inequality and systemic racism been in the
news a lot recently? A case you may not have heard about
Discussion: based on what you have already looked at, reflect on why she assumed
an African-American man would fear the police?
Challenge: Can you explain how this is an example of
systemic racism?
This isn’t the first time that the Black Lives Matter movement has had to risk their safety and take to the streets to demand change. It
was founded in the USA in 2013, but there are now groups in countries around the world, and have had to protest police
brutalities a number of times.
However, many people feel like this time will be different – that more people are noticing and understanding the importance of not just being ‘non-racist’ but openly
opposing racism. So will this time cause a real change?
Since George Floyd’s death, protests continue to take place across America, as well as in Toronto, Berlin, London, Manchester and
Cardiff. Even though we are in the middle of a pandemic and many of these cities remain in some form of lockdown, people have felt the need to demonstrate against the injustices in
their societies.
Why has racism, inequality and systemic racism been in the
news a lot recently?
Why the Black Lives Matter movement is so important.
The Black Lives Matter movement focusses on shining a light on and fighting the systemic abuse of black people across the globe. Some people have responded to this with the comment ‘All Lives Matter’, suggesting that we should not just be focussing on black lives. The people who are responding this way are missing the point of the movement and undermining the message that the movement is trying to get across. For example:• The focus is on black lives specifically as it is black people who are currently being
abused and killed, much more so than another group in society. • The Black Lives Matter movement is not suggesting that only black lives matter but
that we need to highlight and act on the current injustices being done to black people.
This image helps to sum up why the Black Lives Matter movement is important. Just like all houses are important, all lives are important.
However if one house is burning down you need to focus on that one, just as black people are facing injustice so the focus needs to be on
their lives
More people than ever are showing leadership by
standing up and speaking out against racism in
America and around the world… but what’s being
said?
Standing up and speaking out
Standing up and speaking out – in the USA
“It’s either COVID is killing us, cops are killing us, the economy is killing
us… Either way, we’re still being killed. So we don’t mind taking this
risk.”
Priscilla Borker, Social Worker at the
Brooklyn demonstrations
Medaria Arradondo, Chief of the Minneapolis Police
“Mr Floyd died in our hands… Silence and inaction, you are complicit. If there were one solitary voice that would have intervened and acted, that’s what I would have hoped for. That did not occur.”
Discussion:• Do you think you are right to protest even during lockdown? What is your
justification?• Do you think the Chief of Police is correct? Should the other police who were
present be prosecuted?
“'Let's do this a different way... let's stop thinking our voices don't matter, and vote. Not just for the President
but for the preliminaries. Vote for everyone... educate yourself and know who you are voting for...that's how
we're gonna hit them.'
Terrence Floyd, George Floyd’s
brother
Preliminaries: Earlier elections where each state votes for who they want to
represent them.
Standing up and speaking out – in the USA
“There is a change in mindset that's taking place, a greater recognition, that we can do better… this is due to the mobilisation of young people across the country who put themselves out on the line
to make a difference.”
Barack Obama, Former President of the United States
Discussion:• Do you think Terrence Floyd is right? Will or can voting make a difference? • Do you agree with Obama that there is a change in mindset taking place in the USA? Is this
needed in the UK too? Is this happening in the UK?
“There's only so much communities and other backgrounds can take - especially black people. It's been going on for hundreds of years and people are tired and
people are ready for change…We need to actually implement change and highlight the places that do need
changes.”
Raheem Sterling, footballer
Standing up and speaking out – in the UK
“There comes a point in every black human’s life, no matter how much money you have or what you have achieved, you realise
racism does not exclude you...My reality is constantly feeling like I have to work ten times harder and longer to mark my case in the
group, because my talent alone isn’t enough.”
Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Little Mix member
Discussion:• What do you think are some of places that do need changes that Raheem Sterling is talking
about might be? • How do you think that the concepts that Leigh-Anne is putting forward link to systemic
racism in the UK?
Standing up and speaking out – in the UKClick on the video link to find out what a selection of young Black British people are thinking and feeling: https://safeshare.tv/x/clQJgWifap4
As you watch, use your listening and empathy. You will also have to reflect on who you are – your age, gender, ethnicity and cultural background. Choose
three points to pause the video to discuss what you have just heard.
Is change happening?
We are now going to use reasoning and transferring to judge whether change is
going to happen. Some people argue that this time it is different. Other people argue that systemic racism has occurred for centuries with very little progress and that
history will repeat itself.
On a piece of paper copy the scale below. The following slides have information and views about whether or not change is happening. Use the scale and annotate to with evidence to justify. It is likely you will make notes across the scale, see example below.
Terrance Floyd is encouraging people to vote, this will only be
partially effective as voting alone will not be enough to
change society.
The Chief of Police calling for all officers to be prosecuted. This is
not evidence of change, this is the very minimum we expect of the
law.
The police officer who knelt on his neck has been arrested and charged
with second degree murder and manslaughter. In some past cases, officers have not been arrested.
After petitions and protests, the other police officers that were present
have been charged with “aiding and abetting” murder, which means
that though they didn’t kill him, they allowed his death to happen.
Annotate your scale… Discuss with your justification.
Black people in America
have been fighting against
racism for hundreds of
years, and yet it still exists.
Changes have happened, but they have often
been very slow. Martin Luther King Jr started
arguing for equality over 50 years ago, but the fight
is still happening today.
Annotate your scale… Discuss with your justification.
Watch James Baldwin talk about the fight for equality in America:
https://safeshare.tv/x/OCUlE5ldPvM
Anti-racism protests around the world are happening, in the UK,
Canada, France, New Zealand, Germany, Syria and more...
This has lead to more stories coming out about police brutality against
the black community is different countries, including here in the UK.
SyriaUK
Annotate your scale… Discuss with your justification.
Annotate your scale… Discuss with your justification.
Influential figures, such as footballers, actors and singers, and also brands have
spoken out about it, which has helped spread awareness.
Annotate your scale… Discuss with your justification.
US President Donald Trump said he
was “sickened” by the death of
George Floyd and that “justice will
be served.”
He also said that vandalising and
destroying buildings, stealing from
shops and violence would not be
tolerated, and that the army may
have to get involved to stop non-peaceful protests.
However, many people feel that the American government is not doing enough to
discourage racism, while former defence secretary has claimed Trump is trying “to
divide us”.
Social media is being used to encourage more people to recognise the causes and
symptoms of racism and to be involved in social change.
Social media is being used to encourage more people to recognise the causes and
symptoms of racism and to be involved in social change.
#BlackoutTuesday, an initiative to post a black
square in support of the BLM movement, was hash-
tagged by 28.5 million people on Instagram.
However, critics say that sharing pictures isn’t
going far enough.
Annotate your scale… Discuss with your justification.
Final discussion – do
you think these recent
protests will lead to
lasting change?
Why/why not?
“I think the protests...”
“I don’t think...”
“It will take more than...”
“It will be necessary...”
“Everyone needs to...”
“After something like this, we have to...”
Challenge: What more needs to be done to cause lasting change?
Final Reflections
NO
• Until world leaders accept there’s a problem and act upon it, there won’t be any change.
• Racism and police brutality are ingrained in many societies. It will take more than a few protests to end that.
• It’s not just about protesting, but also voting for the right people who can cause change.
• While the protests started off well, the pockets of violence and looting have taken away from the cause.
YES
• As many have said, this time feels different as more people are taking notice.
• World leaders and influential figures around the world have taken notice, which will encourage change.
• More people are now open to being educated about the importance of anti-racism. That’s going to make a difference.
• It is now almost impossible to ignore the need for change.
Final Reflections
Will it be different this time?Below is a summary of some of the key arguments:
Final Reflections
Use your platform for goodand spread this message on
social media.
Speak up against intolerance and racism.
Listen and learn from other people’s experiences.
Challenge racist stereotypes or assumptions.
Learn more about the BLM movement and history. Use the links on the next
slide to help you.
Remember just because it’s not happening to you, doesn’t mean it’s not
happening.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you want to
know more.
Teach others about the barriers being
faced.
What can you do to support the Black Lives Matter movement?
Use some of these ideas to help you.
