Former history teacher says education system is broken and does not protect racial minority staff and students

Ugly scenes in Rotherham last month

A Labour education adviser claims that a failure to teach anti-racism in schools helped fuel the summer riots.

Funmilola Stewart, a diversity and inclusion specialist, said last month that beliefs that anti-racism in schools was “inappropriate” had contributed to the widespread unrest.

She is one of 12 individuals appointed by Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, to advise on an ongoing review of the school curriculum.

Ms Stewart, a former history teacher, is “trust lead for anti-racism and equality, diversity and inclusion” at the Dixons Academies Trust, which runs 16 academies and one sixth form college in Bradford, Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester.

In August, she wrote on X that the unrest “comes from” a “broken education system” that deemed “anti-racist education inappropriate”.

Former history teacher Funmilola Stewart

Ms Stewart said: “It comes from people questioning ‘Why we make everything about race’ instead of questioning people’s prejudice.

“It comes from a broken education system which fails to protect racially minoritised staff and students whilst simultaneously deeming anti-racist education inappropriate.”

Dr Alka Sehgal Cuthbert, the director of Don’t Divide Us, told The Telegraph that Ms Stewart’s remarks “stigmatised” those concerned about the “politicisation” of schools.

She said: “The review’s concern should be with ensuring all pupils get access to a curriculum based on the best formal knowledge to date, not promulgating the idea that schools are a substitute for politics.

“If Ms Stewart seriously thinks that the larger group of non-violent protesters were motivated by racism, and can be ‘educated’ out of their legitimate objections and concerns, she is at best, patronising and very out of touch.

“Much worse, by stigmatising a normal, majority concern about the politicisation of schools, she ensures that the actual minority of far-Right, actual race bigots, become an outlet for more people.

“This is utterly politically irresponsible and a betrayal of a government’s public duty to ensure our schools provide education, not indoctrination.”

In October 2020, Ms Stewart wrote in The Guardian that teaching of the Tudors should include black people who lived in England at the time.

She added that “fascinating and lucrative African kingdoms” should be taught in schools and that “students need to be exposed to the harrowing truths” of slavery and the civil rights movement in the United States.

Burnt-out bus in Leeds during the Harehills riot

Labour has previously said the curriculum review will “deliver a curriculum which is rich and broad, inclusive, and innovative”.

Others appointed to its board include Prof Becky Francis, its chairman, who in a 2006 book criticised Sir Tony Blair’s government for having “an obsession with academic achievement”.

She said: “I am excited to be working with this terrific group of professional experts.

“The Review Panel will draw on the experience and expertise of panel members with a detailed understanding of the curriculum in practice.

“ We have ensured that primary, secondary and post-16 sectors are represented to give due authority and respect to the expertise of education professionals in shaping the curriculum and outcomes they deliver.”

Sir Ian Bauckham CBE, appointed an observer of the review, in September 2018 told parents to leave their mobile phones on the kitchen table at night to set an example to their children.

In April 2014, he said more state schools should teach Latin, criticising “scornful” attitudes and “prejudices” towards it.

The Department for Education was approached for comment.

Ms Stewart was approached for comment.