Reflecting on my own educational and professional journey – from my time as a teenager, as an undergraduate student teacher, and now as a professor in England – it is clear how crucial it is to actively confront racism, especially within education.

The murder of George Floyd in 2020, followed by Black Lives Matter protests, sparked a global wave of anti-racist sentiment. More recently, in 2024, the far-right race riots in England and Northen Ireland again saw street protests against racism and anti-immigrant fervour. These moments echo past events in British history, from the Battle of Cable Street in 1936 to the anti-racist marches of today in Britain, where communities have consistently resisted the rise of far-right ideologies.

However, once the riots subside, many of us return to daily life, neglecting the anti-racist convictions we demonstrated. Racism is an ongoing issue that requires sustained attention and action.

‘Once the riots subside, many of us return to daily life, neglecting the anti-racist convictions we demonstrated. Racism is an ongoing issue that requires sustained attention and action.’

What is anti-racism?

David Gillborn (2004, p. 35) describes anti-racism as ‘an ill-defined and changing concept’. It’s often misunderstood as confrontational activism, leading some to distance themselves from it in favour of a neutral stance. Yet, as Bishop Desmond Tutu famously said: ‘If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.’ Neutrality is a privilege not everyone can afford.

For academics of Colour, this privilege is non-existent. Racism permeates every aspect of our personal and professional lives, and we cannot leave it behind when entering academic spaces. Despite the misconception, academia is not post-racial – it’s a place where racism still persists, often unchallenged.

An anti-racist stance involves actively rejecting the structural aspects of racism (King & Chandler, 2016). It’s not just about opposing individual acts of discrimination; it’s about dismantling the systems that uphold inequality and constructing new, equitable structures that promote racial justice.

Multiculturalism vs anti-racism in education

In the 1980s, multicultural education in Britain became popular to accommodate a growing number of racially minoritised students. This superficial approach to multicultural education celebrated cultural diversity through what Troyna and Williams (1986, p. 24) called the ‘three S’s of multiculturalism: Saris, Samosas, and Steel bands’. Brandt (1994, p. 117) even described multiculturalism as ‘the Trojan horse of institutional racism’, allowing schools to highlight diversity without addressing the underlying structures that perpetuate racism.

Anti-racism, in contrast, seeks to go beyond celebration to fundamentally challenge the systems of power that sustain racial inequality. It’s not just about resistance but also transformation – developing practices that can dismantle racism and advance racial justice.

Anti-racism in education today

Racism continues to be reproduced within education. While some teachers will reassess their approach, many still rely on tokenism, celebrating diversity without confronting exclusionary policies or practices.

In response, Leeds Beckett University’s Centre for Race, Education and Decoloniality introduced the Anti-Racist School Award in 2020. This research-informed award framework supports schools in examining their policies and practices to create equitable environments. It focuses on six core areas:

• Governance, Leadership & Strategy
• Curriculum & Pedagogy
• The Hidden Curriculum (unintended messages conveyed within school, the curriculum, language and policies)
• Professional Learning & Development
• School Environment
• Parents, Carers, Community.

Schools committed to the award receive support from a coach and ongoing professional development to build racial literacy, empowering staff to address race, racism and anti-racism in meaningful ways.

The role of initial teacher education

Initial teacher education (ITE) is another critical area for reform. Many teachers leave their training without the racial literacy necessary to confront racism in their classrooms. While the Anti-Racism Framework for ITE is a valuable resource for teacher education in England, it’s not yet compulsory. Given the ongoing curriculum review, now is the time to embed racial justice into both school curricula and teacher education.

Conclusion: Making anti-racism a daily practice

Reflecting on my journey, it’s clear that anti-racism must go beyond occasional protests, and be part of daily life, embedded in education and academic spaces. Anti-racism requires constant engagement with power systems that perpetuate inequality, ensuring we are active participants in the fight for racial justice.

Let’s not wait for the next crisis to remind us of the importance of this work.

References

Brandt, G. L. (1986). The realisation of anti-racist teaching. Falmer Press.

Gillborn, D. (2004). Anti racism from policy to praxis. In D. Gillborn & G. Ladson-Billings (Eds.), The Routledge Falmer reader in multicultural education (pp. 35–48). Routledge Falmer.

King, L. J., & Chandler, P. T. (2016). From non-racism to anti-racism in social studies teacher education: Social studies and racial pedagogical content knowledge. In A. Crowe & A. Cuenca (Eds.), Rethinking social studies teacher education in the twenty-first century (pp. 3–21). Springer.

Troyna B., & Williams J. (1986). Racism, education and the state. Croom Helm.