While many of us think of racism as a direct attack from one student to another, racist comments can take other forms. This could include offensive jokes, hurtful stereotypes, the drawing of symbols, or general slurs that create a hostile or unwelcoming environment for everyone, even if no one is individually targeted.
More information about key terminology and examples of forms of racism can be found on the following sites:
- https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/preventing-addressing-racism-schools/guidance/key-terminology-and-examples-of-forms-of-racism
- https://humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/ahrc_sr_2021_4_keyterms_a4_r2_0.pdf
Our school and the Department of Education has a zero-tolerance policy for all forms of racism. This means that racist comments, in any form, are not acceptable. Our goal is to create a school environment where all students and staff feel safe, respected, and included, regardless of their cultural background.
To address this, our policy focuses on three key areas:
- Education: We actively teach students about cultural diversity and why these types of comments are harmful, helping them understand how their words can affect others.
- Reporting: All staff are required to report every instance of racism they see or hear. This ensures that we can officially document and address the issue.
- Response: We have clear procedures for handling these incidents. Our response is not just about punishing the student involved, it’s also about providing support to anyone who was affected and using the incident as a learning opportunity to prevent it from happening again.
We ask that families please continue these conversations at home and ensure students are aware of the definition and negative impacts of racial biases.
Advice on how to talk to your children about racism can be found here:
- https://raisingchildren.net.au/teens/family-life/teens-racism/racism-talking-with-children-teenagers
For more information, you can read the full policy here: