Education grant for black and ethnic minority children cut by Croydon Council
CROYDON Council is facing accusations of racism after cutting a grant which supported underachieving black and ethnic minority children.
Nero Ughwujabo, chief executive of the Croydon Black Minority Ethnic (BME) Forum, this week criticised the council's decision to cut the £100,000 Education Community Grants Programme budget, which funded supplementary education.
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Nero Ughwujabo
It will mean 16 BME organisations will lose their funding, and has sparked concern from parents and volunteers.
Mr Ughwujabo said: "It is a travesty. The grant-funded pop-up and Saturday classes are there to help stop the disproportionate levels of BME children getting excluded from mainstream schools and to support their achievements.
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"The parents feel that their children are being victimised.
"It is not my place to say whether it is racism, but that is what many of the groups are saying. The council has not taken the time to look at the impact of this. Everyone responding rejected the proposals, and yet the council has gone ahead with the decision."
The BME forum is now planning a campaign against the cuts, and will protest outside the next full council meeting on October 15.
The forum has also written to council leader Mike Fisher, condemning the decision and requesting a formal review of the process.
Davina Arhin, who attended the classes herself and now has two children who use them, is furious with the council.
"I think it is racist because it disproportionately affects those in black and ethnic minorities," she said.
"It's sad but mainstream schools are not equipped to fully educate BME children. They are tailored for white middle class people so these extra classes really help our kids.
"My son now wants to be an astrophysicist because they have enabled him to believe he can do what he wants. These cuts were not thought through."
Responding to the claims, a council spokesman said: "As the numbers of children from ethnic backgrounds have increased, our education system has risen to this challenge – and we are now, sensibly, looking to invest in still more improvements to the borough's mainstream schools programme.
"Furthermore, since last autumn a 'pupil premium' payment gets paid to any school that takes on students with additional needs.
"This means that schools can always afford to provide the support that their children require, and the proof that this works can be seen in exam results.
"By not making these funding changes we would have to cut back on mainstream activities – something that would be felt by everyone."
Comments
by Dracia
Saturday, August 18 2012, 7:33PM
“I don't know why BME children are disadvantaged compared to white children. That in itself is a racist attitude, perpetuated by BME people themselves, and it is a shame and disservice to their children to think they can't compare to the indigenous population.”
by donna_kebab
Friday, August 17 2012, 8:11AM
“I would ask why there are so many BME children who need this service. We have had black immigration since the 50's, so this means that these children are now 4th or 5th generation British. So where does this attitude come from that gets them excluded or makes them feel deprived of a 'proper' education' ? It certainly didn't happen with BME children in the 60's and 70's, and it can't just be the schools system, since we often read stories of refugee children coming here, starting at state schools without a knowledge of English, yet still managing to reach A Level or University standards within a short timeframe.”
by CuppaTeaPlz
Friday, August 17 2012, 12:58AM
“Grants cut, its happening everywhere to vulnerable groups, so what they shouting about...”
by vorlander
Thursday, August 16 2012, 11:25AM
“Isnt this racist to the white native people of the Borough ? Why would our own Govt and Councils discriminate against us ?”
by Svensson20
Thursday, August 16 2012, 10:24AM
“If schools "are not well enough equipped" in her own words, does this not mean that the parents of said children are not up to the job of raising them properly?
I think you shot yourself in the foot Davina Arhin and at the same time made a sweeping statement which MANY BME parents would find very offensive.”
by Dollydreamer
Thursday, August 16 2012, 9:59AM
“I find this whole article racist. An education community grant to help just black and ethnic minority children. Is that in itself not racist? What would Mr Ughwujabo think of a grant given to only under achieving white children? BME Forum, a forum aimed at and for only black and ethnic minorities. Is that not racist? If not racist then at the very least seperatist? How would Mr Ughwujabo see a white only forum? As for Davina Arhin where does she get her ideas from. Mainstream schools are not equipped to fully educate BME children. Why? How? substantiate your claim, if you can't then that is racist. As for her statement that schools are tailored for white middle class people. That statement alone is not only racist but also smacks of classism. The statement... My son now wants to be an astrophysicist because they have enabled him to believe he can do what he wants... Children shouldn't need extra classes to believe in themselves, that's a parents job.”
by RecFan
Wednesday, August 15 2012, 11:43PM
“More racism claims from Nero here:
http://tinyurl.com/d54bzk2
It's old, but there might just be a Leopard about!”
by penniner
Wednesday, August 15 2012, 11:03PM
“What about under achieving white children of which there are many.”
by NHSExec
Wednesday, August 15 2012, 8:41PM
“Davinha Arvin - "mainstream schools are not fully equipped to educate BME children"???????
So the provision of classrooms, teachers, books, IT equipment and study aids is sufficient for white kids, but BME kids need more?
Of course all that extra funding comes via my tax payments, so if you don't mind Ms Arvin, pay for it yourself and not fleece me of tax to fund your precious offspring.”
by RecFan
Wednesday, August 15 2012, 7:23PM
“" The man finished by saying to Powell: "In this country in 15 or 20 years' time the black man will have the whip hand over the white man."
Nero Ughwujabo is clever not to directly use the word "racism" but rather "blames" the groups. These groups and their ilk no doubt see one way racism in every action yet are no more than the catalyst for Enoch Powell's "rivers of blood" vision.
Contributors have already said this and I'll say it again - the action of the council is not racist!”