What does a welcoming community look like to you? Does your school take racial justice seriously? Is it okay to be different? These are the kinds of questions that I’ve been asking a variety of students over the last couple of months. I visited a range of primary and secondary schools and heard what the children and young people had to say.
First let’s hear from some year 6 students at St Bartholomew’s CofE Primary School, Crewkerne. I enjoyed discussing their thoughts with them and from our conversation it’s clear that these pupils have a heart for good relationships with both peers and teachers. Listen to what they’ve got to say:
Something that was mentioned there became a theme running through each conversation I had; being greeted sincerely and positively. One sixth form student said that “Welcoming communities should be a place where new people feel accepted, as soon as you walk in people are friendly, showing them respect”. A 13-year-old agreed saying that people “greeting you is really important”.
These thoughts were echoed by a group of sixth form students that I spoke to from Kings Bruton. They thought that the people in a community are probably the most important thing when it comes to being welcomed, stating that kindness
“makes it easier for people to fit in and be accepted into community”. When asked about whether it feels okay to be different and if difference should be encouraged one pupil stressed the importance of diversity sharing that “the more people who are accepted the more vibrant the community becomes and the more diverse it is so, therefore if can flourish more”. Following this, another pupil added that “community should be a melting pot of different personalities and talents, so I think it’s good if people are different.”
This group of sixth formers noted however that whilst they thought difference added value to a community there is a gap between theory and reality. One young person shared that
“everyone has to have their own personalities, but there could still be a line where people aren’t comfortable”.
When we talked about the need for racial justice these students have mixed feelings about how schools address it. While there are regular events, assemblies, and talks on topics like Black History Month and mental health awareness, some students feel these efforts can sometimes seem like box-ticking exercises. Others believed that while designated days are important, racial and social justice should be integrated into the community more consistently. There is also a sentiment that overemphasis on these issues can be counterproductive, making students hostile towards them. Overall, there's a call for a general understanding and acceptance of social justice from an early age.
I also had the pleasure of visiting Kings Academy in Cheddar where I met with a group of year 9 students. We had some group discussion before filming the two interviews below. It is important to note that there was a mix of girls and boys present in our conversations, however the girls opted not to be on camera and I have included quotes from them below. Have a listen to what some of the students had to say:
In the discussions before the videos one girl shared that she had experienced racial injustice in her life, and whilst it gets dealt with at school “if you have experienced it before, you’re kind of expecting it so we should do more to learn about racial justice so that people feel safe and comfortable”. Another shared that “it’s important to teach about issues because we are a mainly white school- we wouldn’t necessarily know others experiences otherwise”.
Wrapping things up, it’s clear from talking to students that creating welcoming communities and addressing racial injustice is very important. While designated events and assemblies play a role, there is a clear call for these values to be integrated more deeply into everyday interactions. I wonder how we might implement this in our churches, schools and communities- a necessary step for us all.
For our schools and churches to be places where every person is celebrated and valued, there needs to be intentional thought, genuine acceptance and an honest understanding of one another’s experiences.