When we hear that Black Caribbean and Traveller students are up to four times more likely to be excluded from school than their peers, it’s tempting to think of this as a matter of bad luck or coincidence. Indeed, The Independent, suggests that racism and teacher bias may be contributing to these outcomes. This framing implies that bias is an occasional lapse — something that some teachers, perhaps, need to address.
To combat this, the article suggests that individual teachers need to work on their biases. This misses the point entirely. This is not an individual issue. I’ve yet to stumble into a room full of teachers plotting the exclusion of marginalised students. And laying the responsibility there leads us down the slippery slope that Zeus Leonardo warned us about where most believe they are not “that” teacher and they are one of the “good ones”. The question is, if we are all so “good”, why are these disparities such a permanent feature of the education system? Is it a coincidence or a conspiracy?
While not deliberate, these exclusion rates are also not accidental. Disparities in school exclusion rates have persisted for decades because inequality and bias are systemic—entrenched in the fabric of our education system. As David Gillborn reminds us, “These patterns are not accidental: an accident would suggest that the outcomes are somehow unpredictable and random, but the consequences are wholly predictable.” We must recognise that the system of educational inequity doesn’t need a mastermind behind it for these disparities to persist. It just needs well-meaning educators and charities to continue to find elaborate ways to avoid the root cause. The problem isn’t that young people lack resilience ,confidence or self-control. This blames young people for inequities that adults have created and upheld. But it’s not on them, it’s on us! The problem is the system, and we are the system.
The Hidden Practices of Systemic Bias
The exclusion of certain students is not an isolated problem; it’s a symptom of a much larger issue. The article touches on adultification, where minoritised young people are often perceived as older and more threatening or malicious than their peers. This is not a new or rare phenomenon — it’s a long-standing, common pattern of misunderstanding and mistrust toward marginalised communities.
Adultification is just one of the many ways schools harm young people. Trauma-informed practice is a popular approach for understanding and tackling oppression in schools that aims to create a safe and supportive environment for students who have experienced trauma. But many “trauma-informed” schools—both primary and secondary— focus on trauma experienced outside of the school gates, while regularly employing harmful techniques to control behaviour. We’ve heard teachers say “That makes me sad”,“I’m very disappointed” “Keep that up, and…” with such ease. This is why we say systemic bias is “baked in”: it’s as integral to our practices as concrete is to the school building. But guilt, shame, isolation and intimidation are tactics associated with abuse, causing childhood trauma. These are then learned tactics for coercion and control, so as children develop into adults they continue this harmful cycle.
The Path Forward: A Call for Transformation
The disparities in exclusion rates are not just statistics—they represent real harm being done every day, especially to marginalised communities. To be unaware of these persistent disparities is itself a safeguarding concern. Educators have a responsibility to act now.
This is not about waiting for policies to change, but about committing to a journey of transformation. It begins with introspection and a willingness to confront the uncomfortable truths about our schools. if you are reading this and thinking “I am doing my best…” finish the sentence “I am doing my best to mitigate the harm the system causes young people.” Ask your students tomorrow: “What does it take to be a good student here?” If their answers focus on being quiet, following instructions, and producing good work, ask yourself: Are these the characteristics required to challenge the system that so desperately needs shaking up?
In order to change “our system” we need a practice model that goes beyond merely identifying adultification or employing trauma-informed practices when it’s convenient. It must be more expansive—something simple, that unifies and enables us to keep each other accountable. At Class 13, we are committed to making a real dent in inequity in the education system. We have spoken with hundreds of educators, parents and other professionals and we have developed such a model that we are keen to share. Our foundational training supports educators in increasing their sensitivity to inequity within their environments and gives them tools to become a threat to the existence of inequity.
But we can’t do this alone. We invite you to join us in this journey: share this article with your teacher friends; jump on our course in October; find a way to be part of our community. Addressing these disparities isn’t just a task for policymakers, and collective action is central to making long-term change. It starts with each of us, today.
