Dear Mr. Lascelles and Board of Governors,

 

As alumni of King Edward VI School, we have been reflecting on contemporary issues of racial injustice, both in the US and here in the UK. These conversations have highlighted just how little we were taught about this during our time at school and Sixth Form. In light of recent global events, regarding the Black Lives Matter movement, we are writing to you with several proposals on how to improve education and inclusivity at King Edward's.

 

We consider ourselves to have been incredibly privileged, and are grateful to have received such a good education at King Edward's. We have no doubt that the incredible teaching we received there played an enormous role in our future prospects, and that we are currently studying at such prestigious universities. However, we are aware, and increasingly concerned, that King Edward's is not a diverse institution. With this in mind, we believe that the education could still be improved further through the broadening and diversification of the curriculum. It is the responsibility of educators to teach and commemorate this history, including its impact on current politics. However, we feel that King Edward's did not equip us with adequate knowledge about systemic racism, both in the UK and globally. This is a view shared by the alumni of many many other institutions across the country- we are not alone. This is especially important for King Edward's, as Louth, and Lincolnshire as a whole is predominantly white. Thus, whether or not it is currently required by the curriculum, we feel that students should be provided with a well rounded education on a broad range of issues that don't just relate to themselves. This will enable them to go out into the world with kindness and compassion, which is the only way we can expect change to occur. Further, while we understand that there are many complexities and challenges in facilitating these changes, this should not be a reason to shy away from it, but rather grounds for official implementation.

 

We do acknowledge that it has been some time since we left KEVIGS, and we don’t wish to undermine any valuable work that you may currently be doing. However, we would appreciate if you could answer the following:

 

What statement has KEVIGS published in response to recent events?
How are you currently teaching on the history of British colonialism?
How do you currently address issues of racism within the KEVIGS community, and how are you accommodating the pastoral needs of BAME students?
How are you leading conversations with students about white privilege?
Have there been any discussions on police brutality and bias, both in the US and the UK?
 

 

In addition to answering these questions, we ask that you address the following proposals:

 

We propose that beginning from Year 7, some topics on British Colonial History, Black British History, the Civil Rights movement be included in the curriculum to make our history education less euro-centric. We know that during GCSE years there is a set curriculum provided by the exam boards, but we ask that in the younger years, where there is more flexibility in the curriculum, these changes be made. We learned about the Victorians and the Great British Empire, although there was very little mention of the impact this had on the countries we colonized. To my memory, there was a lot of focus on "explorers" finding new lands, and little mention of the lives and culture of those who lived there before. Indeed, while slavery was sometimes anecdotally mentioned in the context of the empire, by and large this was swept under the carpet. Similarly, we learned about the World Wars, but overlooked the contributions of black soldiers. If you had asked us to talk about colonialism, post-colonialism, the Empire Windrush, or race relations, we would have been able to tell you very little.

 

We also suggest expanding the curriculum to include British Civil rights activists, in order to bring the issue closer to home, and to demonstrate to students that history is something that affects them too. We did a lot of study on Women's Rights movements in the UK, including the Suffragettes and Suffragists, for which we are extremely grateful, and we are suggesting that we carry on this inclusivity to reform our education into something less Euro-centric.

 

This being said, it is not only in History that there are improvements to be made. We suggest that the curricula of English Literature and other Humanities be reformed in order to include more books written by people of colour. Exposing pupils to educators, writers, thinkers, and activists of colour will help bring a broader range of topics and perspectives into the classroom, not to mention help build a sense of identity for students of colour whom all too often do not see themselves represented.

 

And finally, our biggest request. We know that the school is steeped in history; of which we are very proud. However, the four main historical figures we learn about at King Edward's are none other than Smith, Hobart, Franklin, and Tennyson. I was in Smith house, and was led to be very proud of being so. However, we suggest that this name be changed. The euphemistically named "explorer" was presented to us as a hero, which reflects only a small part of his story. Furthermore, this view ignores the fact that they wiped out indigenous tribes, and glorifies colonization, making little mention of the erasure of Native American cultures and peoples. May we suggest that we rename the Smith house, choosing another alumnus or historical figure from Louth or the surrounding areas, who doesn't have such a problematic past.

 

If this is not possible, then we ask, at the very least, that students be taught the truth about British "explorers", so they do not grow up with a rose-tinted idea of colonialism. This will allow students from all different backgrounds and races to grow up knowing that they are equal and valued parts of the King Edward's community.

 

Again, we are grateful to KEVIGS for the education we received, but now is the time for transformational reform. We would appreciate it if you would respond to this Open Letter publicly to maintain the transparency of the exchange, and so that we can work together to ensure that the King Edward's community is an inclusive and safe environment for current, former and future students.

 

 

Kind regards,

 

Students of King Edward VI Grammar School

 

[This letter was co-authored by Amy Baxter, Cory Partridge, Delali Afi, Eleanor Bareham, Jordan Partridge, Lucy Marie Barker, and Toby Grantham]