Nursery teachers must teach toddlers about 'white privilege', unions say

Nursery teachers should be telling toddlers about ‘white privilege’ so they can learn to ‘develop anti-racist views’, according to teaching unions. 

The new 128-page guidance has been given as an alternative to the Government’s statutory guidance and has received criticism from Conservative MPs. 

It was issued after an official government report concluded that factors such as family structure and socio-economic background had ‘more significant impact on life chances than the existence of racism’.  

The new 128-page guidance has been given as an alternative to the Government’s statutory guidance and has received criticism from Conservative MPs

The guidance adds that ‘children’s racial prejudice’ is at risk of being ‘maintained or reinforced’ unless teachers received training in ‘understanding white privilege’ and ‘systemic racism’, according to The Telegraph.  

Conservative MPs argued on Saturday that teaching toddlers about white privilege risked ‘becoming some kind of political Soviet indoctrination session’.

The guidance, called Birth to 5 Matters, was developed by a group of 18 including the National Education Union, the National Day Nurseries Association and the Association for Professional Development in Early Years.  

While the Government’s guidance states that five-year-old children should ‘know some similarities and differences between different religious and cultural communities in this country’, Birth to 5 Matters advises staff ‘talking about race is a first step to countering racism’. 

It was issued after an official government report concluded that factors such as family structure and socio-economic background had ‘more significant impact on life chances than the existence of racism’

The advice, seen by The Telegraph, continues: ‘It is a mistaken assumption that treating all people in the same way and ignoring differences in race is a sufficient response to racism. 

‘This approach simply allows the continuation of bias in society which disadvantages people from black and minoritised groups.   

‘Practitioner training is an important step toward opening dialogue and developing understanding about white privilege, systemic racism, and how racism affects children and families in early years settings.

‘It is also time to challenge the widespread notion that ‘children do not see race’ and are colour blind to difference.

The guidance adds that ‘children’s racial prejudice’ is at risk of being ‘maintained or reinforced’ unless teachers received training in ‘understanding white privilege’ and ‘systemic racism’

‘When adults are silent about race, children’s racial prejudice and misconceptions can be maintained or reinforced.’

The chairman of the House of Education select committee called the advice ‘unacceptable’ and said it ‘insults white working class people from disadvantaged backgrounds’.

He said: ‘The whole purpose of children learning is to learn, not for some kind of political Soviet indoctrination session.’ 

Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch has previously said that teachers who tell their pupils that white privilege is a fact are breaking the law.