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Diversity In Schools Must Move Beyond Performative Actions

In contrast to the revolutionary titles attributed to previous eras, the mid-21st century risks being remembered as an age of performative activism. Our current society perpetuates the belief that words (or tweets) speak louder than actions and, worryingly, this superficiality is now being displayed at an alarming level by individuals and organisations of trust.

Diversification has recently been a hot topic within the education system. Social media has been inundated with attempts by schools to demonstrate their ‘commitment’ to embracing a diverse curriculum. Through last October, the world of #EduTwitter appeared to be in competition to present the best Black History Month displays and assemblies and, initially, this passion felt refreshing.

Since then, however, aside from a small number of inspiring individuals, public discussions on diversifying the curriculum on a larger scale have become less prevalent. I began to wonder whether this silence represents a more significant lack of conversation behind the scenes in schools. My wondering quickly developed into concerns over the negative impact that this superficial commitment to diversification could have on ethnic minority students and staff.