Discrimination is a human rights violation which can have a damaging effect on all learners, especially those who are targeted.


Schools can tackle discrimination by promoting democracy, respect for human rights and citizenship.

To ensure that all students’ needs are met equally, schools need to prioritise language and cultural competences, multiperspectivity in history and gender equality. In this way, students can acquire competences for democratic culture, to fulfil their potential in school as well as in society.
 


Facts & figures

Students with disabilities in Europe have higher early-school leaving-rates than their same-age peers.[1]

Black Caribbean students are three times more likely to be excluded from English schools than white pupils. [2]

A survey of nine EU countries showed that 33% of Roma students were in schools where most pupils were Roma, with 13% in Roma-only schools.[3]


What is discrimination?

Discrimination is treating a person badly or unfairly on account of a personal characteristic, such as national, ethnic or social origin, gender, language, religion, disability or sexual orientation.

There are two basic forms of discrimination:

  • Direct discrimination – treating someone less favourably than you treat or would treat another person in the same situation, e.g., a school refusing to admit a student because they are Roma,
  • Indirect discrimination – applying a provision, criterion or practice in the same way for all of a group which has the effect of unfairly disadvantaging people in the group who share a particular characteristic, e.g., a school uniform policy banning headgears for girls and boys may unfairly disadvantage Muslim girls and Jewish boys.

Discrimination can occur in almost any aspect of school life, from the attitudes and expectations of teachers to school rules and codes of conduct, selection and grouping practices, curricula, teaching methods and materials, changing facilities, career guidance, canteen food and the physical school environment.

Whatever form it takes – whether it be parallel school systems for different ethnic groups, concentrations of minority or disadvantaged children in the same school, or differential access to educational provision, it means a lower quality of educational experience for the students being discriminated against.


Why is tackling discrimination important at school?

Discrimination is a human rights violation. Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights contains a prohibition on discrimination with respect to any of the rights and freedoms guaranteed under the Convention. Article 2 of Protocol No.1 requires the state to ensure that all individuals have access to its formal educational provision.

“No person shall be denied the right to education.”[4]
“The enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in this Convention shall be secured without discrimination on any ground such as sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or other status.”[5]

Tackling discrimination is not simply a duty laid on schools by the European Convention of Human Rights, it is also important for student well-being and educational success. Children and young people who are treated unfairly or discriminated against are more likely to have:

  • negative attitudes to school
  • lower levels of motivation and academic achievement
  • a higher risk of dropping out of formal education
  • experience of bullying
  • mental health problems.

Feeling different or ‘less’ than others can be an isolating experience. Over time it undermines an individual’s capacity for participation in society, e.g., their sense of self-efficacy, openness to other cultures and beliefs, tolerance of ambiguity and flexibility and adaptability - all of which lie at the heart of the Council of Europe Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture.

Lack of opportunity due to discrimination in school also damages society. It intensifies social divisions, fuels xenophobia and intolerance and undermines social cohesion.
 

“States should adopt a combination of strong anti-discrimination measures and policies that promote more inclusive education systems where all children learn together. This is not a utopian project, but an achievable goal that can ensure more equal treatment of all children and, in the long term, improve social cohesion”[6]


What are the challenges?

One of the challenges facing the tackling of discrimination in schools is a lack of data. European-wide statistics specifically focused on discrimination in schools are scarce. Children with disabilities, for example, do not always appear in national statistics and may be ‘invisible’ to decision-makers, service providers and the public. Such children are particularly vulnerable to discrimination, however, and are often segregated in terms of educational provision.

These are not the only ‘invisible’ minorities in schools. For example, LGBTI students often feel they have to hide their sexual orientation at school to avoid victimisation.

Another key challenge is the existence of negative stereotypes about minority groups among teachers, parents, students and other school stakeholders. Such stereotypes are often deeply embedded in everyday school life and practice, so much so that they are taken as ‘normal’, e.g., stories and images in textbooks that reflect a stereotyped portrayal of the roles of women and men, girls and boys. Stereotypes help to fuel prejudiced and aggressive behaviour between students, lower expectations from teachers and negative attitudes from parents, e.g., refusing to allow their children to be taught alongside refugee or migrant children.

Stereotyping is difficult to root out in schools because its origins lie in wider society. This is exacerbated by the current preponderance of hate speech, fake news and conspiracy theories in digital media, especially social media.

The situation is compounded when minority groups are under-represented on school staff. Students lack role - models and teachers do not have the access to information about or insights into other cultures and ways of life that come with belonging to a more diverse profession. They lack the intercultural competences with which to create inclusive and quality learning environments, e.g., openness to cultural otherness, tolerance of ambiguity, plurilingual skills and knowledge and critical understanding of alternative cultures, religions and histories.

Tackling discrimination is more challenging when there is a lack of dialogue between schools and parents. Often this is on account of language difficulties, but it is also a problem where students’ parents work abroad leaving their children in the charge of elderly relatives or others.


How can schools get active?

Ensuring all learners of any age are provided with meaningful, high-quality educational opportunities alongside their peers requires a whole-school approach.

It begins by schools understanding who might be at risk of discrimination, what they can do to minimise discrimination and how they can support students at risk of discrimination. A good place to start is with an assessment of the current situation, identifying the strengths that exist in the school, but also needs and priorities. Consulting with school stakeholders is essential, especially students and, where possible, parents – e.g., using surveys, questionnaires, focus groups, etc. Given the sensitivities involved there is argument for collecting information on individuals’ experiences of discrimination anonymously.

Based on an assessment of the current situation it is possible to identify immediate priorities for policy development. Priorities will vary with the school, but might include, for example:

  • language development
  • gender equality
  • accessibility of the physical environment
  • intercultural competences.
     

The setting of initial priorities should go hand in hand with professional development for senior leadership teams as well as teaching staff. An element of personal as well as professional reflection is essential to the tackling of discrimination in school. In particular, it is important for school staff to be able to consider their own beliefs and values with regard to discrimination, including their own unconscious biases and prejudices.

Schools can then turn to the longer-term aspiration of creating a culture of non-discrimination. Central to this process is the challenging of negative stereotyping, both in classrooms and around the school. This can be done in a variety of ways, including:

  • challenging stereotypes when they are heard
  • discussing stereotypes with students
  • identifying stereotypes in the curriculum
  • highlighting stereotypical images and roles in textbooks
  • allocating posts of responsibility equitably
  • choosing different ways of dividing up students
  • providing a range of role-models
  • setting up mechanisms for monitoring incidents of discrimination.
     

Challenging stereotypes goes alongside the promotion of inclusion and an appreciation of the benefits of diversity in school life. This can take different forms, including:

  • using inclusive language
  • including human rights, democratic citizenship and intercultural education in the curriculum
  • encouraging the discussion of controversial issues
  • promoting student voice
  • involving students in peer education and peer mediation activities
  • welcoming parents and involving them in school decision-making
  • forming partnerships with different organisations and groups in the community.

 

[1] Education section of the The European Disability Forum

[2] Article: UK: Racial discrimination is a reality in schools and classrooms. Education International

[3] EU Fundamental Rights Agency, “Second European Union Minorities and Discrimination Survey (EU-MIDIS II) Roma – Selected findings” (2017).

[4] ECHR, Article 2, Protocol No.1

[5] ECHR, Article 14

[6] Position paper: Fighting school segregation in Europe through inclusive education by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights

Resources on Tackling discrimination

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Tools

Back Poti Public School #12

Address: Kratasiuki Street, Poti

Country: Georgia

 School website


Project: I – For Better Future

 

Working language during the project:

  • Georgian
  • English
     

Themes of the Council of Europe project “FREE to SPEAK, SAFE to LEARN - Democratic Schools for All” covered:

  • Making children’s and students’ voices heard
  • Improving well-being at school
     

Competences from the Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (CDC) addressed and where / how they were integrated:

  • Valuing cultural diversity
    A website was created for the schools from three countries. The students could interact with the teachers and students with different cultural traditions and experience via online conferences and distance workshops.
  • Autonomous learning skills
    The students worked independently and had to communicate with students from different countries. They independently conducted surveys in their schools, made notes, analysed and expressed their opinions, and shared them with the students of the partner school. Presentations were made in English, which helped to strengthen the students' knowledge.
  • Knowledge and critical understanding of the self
    Project participants communicated with each other in English. This strengthened their linguistic knowledge. Research materials were shared with each other through information and communications technology. They critically studied the society of their own country and analysed their habits. Students had the opportunity to improve their communication and writing skills in English.
     

Target group age range:

  • 5-11
  • 11-15
     

Level of education:

  • Primary education
  • Lower secondary education

Short description of the project:

Understanding civic responsibility is one of the main topics that the school should support.

The initiators of the project contacted Poti Public School No. 11, Kramatorsk Lyceum, Stus No. 8, Ukraine, BP-Hasdeu Theoretical Lucium of the Public Institute, Drochia, Moldova, Jurmala State Gymnasium (Latvia), Al Hadi Women's School , Egypt. They were presented with the project idea and offered the possibility of joining the project to discuss the issue, to share their views and to present their country, speak about social issues and work together on recommendations.

Twenty-five students from the school organising the project (Poti Public School # 12) were involved in the project.

As part of the project, students observed the behaviour of citizens as regards civic engagement and then shared their observations with partner schools online.

Firstly, an online meeting was held between the schoolteachers and students and a plan was drawn up. The meeting was interactive and conducted in English. The schools subsequently worked individually on the following topics: civic responsibility in a democratic society, protection of the environment, human rights and citizens’ responsibilities. The students prepared materials for presentation and at the online meeting exchanged on how the citizens of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia see the above issues.

The following activities were planned and implemented within the project: students participating in the project observed the school yard, street, corridor, classroom, playgrounds and rest areas. They noted how citizens behave, and whether people show civil indifference? What is the reason for their indifference? Students later compared their notes with the other groups. In an online workshop, the students shared their data, facts, descriptions and outlined a common picture and common features. It was interesting for the students that they all drew a very similar general picture.

At a later stage, the students prepared a set of recommendations - the aim of which was described as "I - for a better future" and was to give students a sense of personal responsibility for civic indifference. Students created posters and slogans on what is the role of raising civic self-awareness. At the third online meeting, students shared their descriptions and recommendations, agreed on positions and set out common indicators, recommendations and clear characteristics. A final meeting was planned where school representatives presented their product. At the final stage of the project, an exhibition of the work was organised in the Poti 12th Public School. Students displayed their posters and slogans. Online discussions were held on raising civic self-awareness. As a result of the project, a school club called "I - for a better future" will be created, which will unite the primary and secondary classes of the Poti 12th Public School. The task of the club will be to work together to raise civic self-awareness with the participation of students.
 

Aims/objectives

  • Involve partner schools in the project and create a school network for promoting a democratic culture
  • Sharing the experience of different countries and creating a framework for a package of joint recommendations
     

Expected results/outcomes

  • Students participate in the project and gain experience of students from different school cultures.
  • The project creates a unified framework of recommendations to be distributed to all participating schools
     

Changes

  • The project created a school network with the participation of schools from different countries.
  • Students gained experience in making their own presentation material using international languages.
     

Challenges you faced

  • Different cultures and traditions of the partner schools involved in the project.
  • IT skills on online platforms.
     

Time-frame of the project:

The project lasted for two months
 

Council of Europe materials on citizenship and human rights education used while preparing or implementing your practice:

  • Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture
  • Living Democracy - manuals for teachers
  • Democratic governance of schools
  • We CAN!

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