St Cuthbert’s College Auckland bans the use of racial slurs by teachers after parents’ protest

Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon has told educators that the onus falls on schools and teachers to provide a safe environment for their students after another example of a teacher using the n-word in a lesson.

The headmaster of Auckland’s private girls’ school, St Cuthbert’s College, has instructed staff “that the word must not be uttered again” after its use in a lesson sparked protests from some students and their families.

The St Cuthbert case comes after a similar incident at Auckland’s Lynfield College in June that resulted in the school pledging not to use a word that represents “condensed generations of pain” again.

In that case, the video of a student protesting a teacher’s use of the word while reading a text went viral, prompting Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon to declare that the word should be “removed” and promised to communicate with the Ministry of Education to recommend a standard will be applied throughout the industry, similar to the codes that cover broadcasting.

The most recent incident occurred last month, when a St Cuthbert’s teacher was leading a classroom discussion about white supremacy and black separatism.

The teacher quoted African-American activist Malcolm X during the discussion and used the racial slur in its entirety.

In a letter addressed to the school board, a father of one of the girls in the class said they were “horrified and offended” by the use of the word.

The letter came after a meeting at the school between two families, the teacher and the school principal, Justine Mahon.

Speaking to the Herald, the parent who wrote the letter said that his whānau were satisfied with the response from the teacher involved, saying that they “appreciate the response from the teacher in question who reflected on her behavior and offered an apology that we accept as genuine” .

They stressed that they had contacted the Herald in an effort to draw attention to the fact that a teacher in New Zealand had used the word again, despite no ill intentions, given the focus on the subject by the case of Lynfield College and the Commissioner of Race Relations. strong words in their aftermath.

But they did disagree with director Justine Mahon’s initial handling of the episode, saying the Herald Mahon seemed to defend the teacher’s use of the floor.

They also claimed that the school’s proposed solution to the discomfort caused to the students was to offer their daughter a table and chair outside the classroom for the next class, something the whānau considered “an offensive and more damaging ‘solution’ to the problem. “.

“This solution proposes that the student is, in fact, the problem and that removing her will fix things.”

Mahon denied that he had defended the use of the word and told the Herald in a statement that he “defended the honorable intention of the teacher who was trying to teach the girls how language has been used to hurt and oppress others.”

Responding to the accusation that the school had suggested “removing” an affected student, Mahon said: “Knowing that the subject would be addressed in the next day’s lesson, I proactively offered a girl the opportunity to work in the area of counselors, if she prefers. “

After receiving the letter, the school board president responded to parents telling them that the board had met with Mahon to discuss the incident and that “the word used in the lesson will never be recited out loud.”

The board chairman’s letter also featured a number of other responses from St Cuthbert’s, including a reconciliation workshop, the establishment of an “anti-racism committee” and additional training for staff.

The father told the Herald that whānau appreciated the response of the Board of Directors.

They also called on all New Zealanders to come together to fight racism, especially in schools.

“Racism exists on a continuum. While it may seem like a small thing to some people, we believe it is the responsibility of all New Zealanders to report it wherever it occurs, especially in our schools where the future leaders of this country are developing.”, they told the Herald.

“We also believe that it is entirely possible for a teacher to engage in meaningful dialogue about racism without using language that causes further harm to students.”

In his statement to the Herald, Mahon reaffirmed St Cuthberts’ commitment to a supportive environment that does not support racism.

“St Cuthbert’s prides itself on being a culturally diverse school, and our girls are taught that oppression and prejudice have absolutely no place in the world. This is an integral part of our educational offering,” Mahon said.

“All of our staff are deeply committed to ensuring that we have a supportive environment that encourages diversity, tolerance, and does not support racism. Our staff teach our girls these important values ​​from ages 0 to 13.”

The Herald contacted the Ministry of Education and the Commissioner of Race Relations to question the progress of the guidelines proposed by Foon in June.

Education Secretary Iona Holsted told the Herald: “Schools do not operate in isolation from society. We all know that racism exists in New Zealand and many students experience it.”

“This affects their school, emotional, social and academic experience.

“We are working to address the systemic problems of racism through important initiatives, such as the government’s strategy for the well-being of children and youth, and a significant investment in the learning and professional development of the teaching workforce.”

Holsted added that the ministry meets regularly with the Human Rights Commission, the Race Relations Commissioner and the Children’s Commissioner on these issues.

“They are eager to continue working with us on how best to contribute to supporting teachers and students, which could be guidelines or other support,” he said.

“On a day-to-day basis, one of the most powerful things schools can do is ask children what would make a difference for them and involve them in solutions. We know that many schools operate this way.”

Foon confirmed to the Herald that his office is in regular contact with the ministry and looks forward to working with them to “develop guidelines to help teachers and schools navigate difficult conversations about race and racism.”

But until then, Foon added: “I think principals and teachers should prioritize the lecture on the use of controversial texts before a lesson. A safe environment should be provided for everyone, but especially for students. The responsibility should lie with the school and the teacher, not the student to make sure the classroom feels safe. “

He said he wanted students to talk about the support they needed in the classroom and urged the New Zealand Ministry of Education and the Council of Teachers to implement new initiatives to combat racism.

“Student voices are important, so I want to hear from students about the support they need when they review texts on racism, so they feel safe and the ways they believe schools should address race and language,” Foon said.

“We are aware of the education sector initiatives that are being designed to combat racism by the New Zealand Ministry of Education and Teachers Council. With the advent of Black Lives Matter and increased awareness of racism in society, I encourage roll out these initiatives as soon as possible. “