Memorandum by The National Union of Teachers
(Oldham Division) (SOC 69)
I write to you as secretary of the NUT in Oldham.
My Union branch represents 1,200 Classroom teachers in Oldham
and we regret we have not been invited to give some contribution
to your committee alongside the other TU in Oldham. We are the
largest Teachers Union representing about 50% of Oldham's teachers.
The Oldham NUT members are at the front line of many of the problems
in Oldham and we have been very proactive for many years (before
and after May 2001) on the issue of combatting racism. Our Union
helped initiate the Oldham TU against racism and fascism, which
played some role in the last 12 months. We also have worked alongside
Oldham United Against Racism (OUAR) that in various forms has
existed for over 20 years in Oldham. We would welcome the opportunity
to discuss our views of what has happened in Oldham.
In the last 2 years the Council, police and
other agencies have begun to take some useful initiatives, but
as the Ritchie report showed many of the problems have as a cause
the lack of action for the last 20 years. We face a town physically
separated and we ask why was this allowed to develop? However
for teachers we ask why are our schools so segregated? We have
been raising this issue over the last two years and find there
is a reluctance to deal with this issue. Partly this is due to
the government policy of allowing full parental choice for schools
above all other principles and considerations but partly there
is an unwillingness to deal with this in primary or secondary
schools by the Council.
Many of the initiatives such as Unity in the
Community and Link programmes are fine, but really palliatives.
The children need to mix day to day and only when we work towards
this over years will we get the tolerance and welcoming for each
others community and diversity be truly valued as part of a multicultural
community.
The activity of the NF and BNP exasperates our
problems but the Council leaderships have run away from the issue
of the BNP but try to lump together antiracist activity with racists
and ban all activity thinking that things will be solved by not
dealing with them. This is a recipe for disaster. My members face
the youth in the schools and continually try to combat the racism
that exists on all sides but we are often frustrated in this.
The social issues of poverty and degradation
is obviously a catalyst for the growth of racism but in my own
ward for example (Royton North) we have a largely white area (not
deprived) giving over 1,000 votes to the BNP last May. Just thinking
it is deprivation without dealing with racism and fascism is damaging
and simplistic.
The TU in Oldham have played a considerable
role in fighting back against racism and the NUT is proud of what
we have done. Our members are the ones who more than anyone are
crucial in winning Oldham back from racism in the schools and
we are continually disappointed at the lack of willingness to
take our contributions on board. It is disappointing that we were
not able to speak to your own investigation and submit this short
letter as a contribution.
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