“In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist.” Angela Y. Davis

These words from political activist and equality campaigner Angela Davis from years ago have been on so many people’s lips in recent months, its meaning re-interrogated and reinvigorated both in activist circles and beyond. The idea that we must both individually and collectively take responsibility for change has driven the anti-racist agenda into dinner-time conversations, workplaces, and learning agendas. Importantly, we now look to what shape our actions will take, and how we may sustain them in the years to come.

Since June, the mobilisation of people across the world for anti-racism has grown momentously. The initial outrage and protests have now, broadly speaking in Scotland, moved into the realm of organising, planning, and development of work to address the issues raised. The Scottish Government has shared that it has received over 1000 pieces of correspondence calling for decolonising of the curriculum, tackling the lacking racial diversity of the teaching profession, and ensuring racial equity in our schools. These are all incredibly important areas to address, and changes that the EIS have been supporting and pushing for, for decades.

During Black History Month, and as part of the EIS Anti-Racist Strategy, we launched a series of three posters to raise awareness of the importance of us all standing together against racism. The posters call EIS members to action – to take one small step and begin to make a big change for race equality.

At the recent EIS webinar, Side by Side for Equality: How to be an anti-racist ally, which will soon be available as a recording on the EIS website, we explored what those steps may look like. How can we be allies in anti-racism, and work together for racial justice and equity?

EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan reflected on the commonality in solidarity and struggle that exists between people of colour, and working-class people, and the intersections there within.

“We have to challenge ourselves in terms of our thinking, in particular if you are speaking from a position of white privilege.” Larry Flanagan, EIS General Secretary

This is a time when white allies must proactively show solidarity and support, but also know when to be silent and listen to others’ experiences. Larry noted that there are still far too many incidents of casual racism in schools and staffrooms, and that what we do as professionals in school is crucial to shaping the thinking of future young Scots. Here, teachers are in a unique position to make a difference.

Tony Adams, who sits on the STUC Black Workers’ Committee echoed Larry’s reflections, in suggesting that allyship is not a self-defined identity, but a lifelong process of trust and accountability to marginalised groups. Although painful to acknowledge, Tony shared, being a good teacher is not good enough, because while we still all have internalised racial biases as a result of growing up in a society that privileges whiteness, we have to be actively anti-racist.

Gemma Clark, Primary teacher and EIS member addressed some of the challenges you may come across when wanting to tackle racism, including reflecting on one’s own feelings of defensiveness and unhelpful claims of “colour-blindness” that effectively silence marginalised experiences and avoid accountability.

A first few steps for anti-racist activism and allyship, then, will be self-reflection, learning, and building confidence in addressing racism where you are. The EIS’s newly available anti-racist learning opportunities respond directly to these steps. In partnership with the Scottish Association for Minority Ethnic Educators (SAMEE), these events will give a comprehensive overview of the key race equality issues persisting in Scotland today, with relevance for the education setting, and enable participants to be effective voices for anti-racism within Education and within the trade union movement. The opportunity is, in the first instance, offered to Trade Union Representatives, Local Association Secretaries, Equality Representatives, Headteachers and Depute Headteachers, and the EIS BAME Network members.

In a June interview with Here and Now, Angela Davis reflected on the current collective awakening and reckoning, that should have happened immediately in the aftermath of slavery: “This is an extraordinary moment which has brought together a whole number of issues.” She continues, “I don’t know whether it would have unfolded as it did if not for the terrible COVID-19 pandemic, which gave us the opportunity to collectively witness one of the most brutal examples of state violence.”

“I am just so happy that I have lived long enough to witness this moment…And I think that I see myself as witnessing this moment for all of those who lost their lives in the struggle over the decades.”

You can download, share or print EIS’ Anti-Racist Posters here: www.eis.org.uk/Anti-Racism/EISAntiRacistInitiatives