Black British history is not taught at our school. The harsh reality of British Imperialism, along with the Civil Rights struggle following post-war immigration are integral parts of our history which are often swept under the rug. This history is relevant today in allowing us to better understand British legislation, institutions and social structures, and more importantly help us consider what more can be done to address the institutionalised racism which remains.

At Huntington School there is an hour a week dedicated to 'citizenship', i.e. 'life lessons'. Undoubtedly some of these lessons are important to be taught to impressionable secondary school students, however it is just as important to learn these monumental historical events to raise awareness of and bring up the topic of racism. This is particularly important in York where a lack of diversity makes thorough education even more necessary. We have not had so much as an assembly on it! Even a couple hours of article reading and Crash Course style YouTube videos would be a step in the right direction to teaching students something that should be essential.

As we continue to see and hear about racism ever more frequently on the news its unbelievable our education system implies it is no longer occurring on such a scale, particularly in Britain, when this is certainly not the case. It is unrealistic to suggest changing the curriculum, but dedicating a few Monday sessions to this topic would be valuable to those who are uninformed. Sign the petition if you're interested in making a change at our school.