The Church of England’s chief education officer has defended the Racial Injustice resources issued to schools across the country following criticism the guidance is “dividing pupils”.
Earlier this week, the Diocese of Coventry faced backlash from campaign groups after it said the dioceses encourage educators to teach pupils how their white privilege allows them to “benefit from the systematic oppression of People of Colour through racist policies and practice”.
The guidance also said that white privilege means “no one questions your citizenship” or harasses you “just for existing in public places”.
However, for Don’t Divide Us (DDU), a racially diverse group that contests the idea that Britain is “systematically racist”, the guidance helps promote radical political beliefs and divisive teaching around race theory in schools.
Now, in a statement, Nigel Genders has come up in defence of the schools’ guidance, saying the church is committed to addressing racism in schools “not by building up some people at the expense of others” he wrote, but by “facing our past and by doing so build a more just society for all”.
“This includes learning about the enduring impact of slavery and the reality of institutional and systemic racism.
“The wider Church’s work on racial justice is not an attempt to reflect demographic trends in society, to be politically correct, or to engage in a culture war but rather is fundamental to what we believe as Christians,” he continued.
Don’t Divide Us is calling on the government to commission an independent review into third-party organisations that provide schools with lessons, materials and instruction on “contested assertions about race, gender and other contentious issues”.
Genders concluded: “Our mandate comes not from identity politics but from our identity in Christ. That all people are created equal, and in the image of God, and it is our call to love one another.”
