Internal Factors (2) Institutional Racism

Question 1

What is critical race theory?

Answer 1

Sees racism as an ingrained feature of society so inequality is not based on conscious intent but is deep rooted and inevitable

Question 2

How is marketisation and segregation biased?

Answer 2

• Gillborn argues as marketisation allows school to select it means negative stereotypes can influence school admissions
• The Commission for Racial Equality (1993) found racism in school admissions procedure meant ethnic minority children are more likely to end up in unpopular schools due primary school reports that stereotype, racist bias in interviews, lack of information and application forms in minority languages

Question 3

Describe the ethnocentric curriculum

Answer 3

• Many see this as institutional racism as it builds a racial bias towards the dominant culture into the everyday
• Miriam David notes the Curriculum is ‘specifically British’ and ignore non-European languages, literature and music
• Ball criticises the Curriculum ignores ethnic diversity and for promoting an attitude of ‘little Englandism’, the history curriculum recreates a mythical age of empire while ignoring black and Asian people
• Coard argues that the curriculum makes black people feel unrepresentative and inferior leading to low self-esteem and failure
• However Indian and Chinese pupils is above national average

Question 4

How is assessment bias?

Answer 4

• Gillborn argues it is rigged to validate the dominant culture’s superiority
• The foundation stage profile made it appear that black student were doing worse than white pupils. In the new FSP black children ranked lower than whites across all areas measured even though in the previous assessment system they were doing better
• Gillborn argues this is due to it being based on teachers’ judgements and the FSP being completed at the end of reception instead of the start of primary

Question 5

How are access to opportunities bias?

Answer 5

• The ‘Gifted and Talented’ programme aimed to meet the needs of more able pupils in inner-city schools
• Gillborn found whites are twice as likely as black Caribbean’s to be identified as Gifted and Talented and five times more likely than Black Africans
• Tikly et al found that in 30 schools despite having the ‘Aiming High programme’ black pupils were more likely to be placed in lower sets than whites

Question 6

What is New IQism?

Answer 6

Gillborn argues this is when false assumptions are made about a pupils ability and it seen as fixed. Tests (IQ) aren’t a genuine measure of potential and only allocate students into inaccurate streams

Question 7

What are criticisms of Gillborn?

Answer 7

• He argues institutional racisms is the major cause while Sewell rejects it and argues it isn’t powerful enough to prevent success. Rather we need to focus on external factors
• Indian and Chinese still do well. Gillborn counterargues that the image of them as hardworking ‘model minorities’ conceals the institutional racism. It makes the system appear fair and meritocratic, justifies the failure of other minorities, ignores that they still suffer racism in school

Question 8

What is the link between gender, class and ethnicity?

Answer 8

• Connolly study showed how masculinity was constructed based on ethnicity. Teachers saw black boys as disruptive and controlled them more, and they sought status on non-academic way while Asian boys as passive and feminine leading to bullying.