David Gillborn

Unpacking Critical Race Theory (CRT) and exploring why it has become a focus in politics across the US and the UK, White Lies uses CRT to expose the systemic racism that shapes education. It charts the coordinated campaigns – involving think tanks, mainstream media and politicians – that have tried to silence antiracism in the wake of George Floyd's murder and 'Black Lives Matter'.Each chapter is devoted to exposing a key ‘white lie’ by examining the evidence that shows how the interests of white people continue to occupy centre stage and block movement towards a more equitable education for all. Gillborn establishes how the public debates, shaped by misinformation and 'white lies', sustain race inequity and portray antiracism as a threat to freedom and justice. Key controversies are dissected and debunked, including:the extensive and coordinated anti-CRT campaigns in the US and the UK;the use of racial gaslighting to undermine claims to social justice;how multiple forms of intimidation are used to silence antiracist teaching and protest;the inaccurate portrayal of the white working class as race victims; andhow cruelty, in policy, aims to unify whites and demonize minorities.By avoiding unnecessary jargon to make complex debates accessible to a wide audience, this book is ideal reading for anyone studying CRT or interested in the topic of contemporary educational equality.

Unpacking Critical Race Theory (CRT) and exploring why it has become a focus in politics across the US and the UK, White Lies uses CRT to expose the systemic racism that shapes education. It charts the coordinated campaigns – involving think tanks, mainstream media and politicians – that have tried to silence antiracism in the wake of George Floyd's murder and 'Black Lives Matter'.Each chapter is devoted to exposing a key ‘white lie’ by examining the evidence that shows how the interests of white people continue to occupy centre stage and block movement towards a more equitable education for all. Gillborn establishes how the public debates, shaped by misinformation and 'white lies', sustain race inequity and portray antiracism as a threat to freedom and justice. Key controversies are dissected and debunked, including:the extensive and coordinated anti-CRT campaigns in the US and the UK;the use of racial gaslighting to undermine claims to social justice;how multiple forms of intimidation are used to silence antiracist teaching and protest;the inaccurate portrayal of the white working class as race victims; andhow cruelty, in policy, aims to unify whites and demonize minorities.By avoiding unnecessary jargon to make complex debates accessible to a wide audience, this book is ideal reading for anyone studying CRT or interested in the topic of contemporary educational equality.

This book is a major new investigation into the issues of 'race', ethnicity and education, following the educational reforms during the late 1980s. It provides an up-to-date and critical introduction to current issues and major research findings in the field, exploring the teacher-pupil relationship through a detailed account of life in an inner-city comprehensive. It reveals the influence of different racist stereotypes and highlights the especially disadvantaged position of Afro- Caribbean pupils within a school. Features: * Draws on a wide variety of research projects in ethnic schools to examine: achievement; curriculum content; language use; assessment and testing under the National Curriculum * Uses material collected during two years of research to consider young people's school experiences and issues relating to classroom discipline.

How do race and class intersect to shape the identities and experiences of Black middle-class parents and their children? What are Black middle-class parents’ strategies for supporting their children through school? What role do the educational histories of Black middle-class parents play in their decision-making about their children’s education?There is now an extensive body of research on the educational strategies of the white middle classes but a silence exists around the emergence of the Black middle classes and their experiences, priorities, and actions in relation to education. This book focuses on middle-class families of Black Caribbean heritage. Drawing on rich qualitative data from nearly 80 in-depth interviews with Black Caribbean middle-class parents, the internationally renowned contributors reveal how these parents attempt to navigate their children successfully through the school system, and defend them against low expectations and other manifestations of discrimination. Chapters identify when, how and to what extent parents deploy the financial, cultural and social resources available to them as professional, middle class individuals in support of their children’s academic success and emotional well-being. The book sheds light on the complex, and relatively neglected relations, between race, social class and education, and in addition, poses wider questions about the experiences of social mobility, and the intersection of race and class in forming the identity of the parents and their children.The Colour of Class: The educational strategies of the Black middle classes will appeal to undergraduates and postgraduates on education, sociology and social policy courses, as well as academics with an interest in Critical Race Theory and Bourdieu.The Colour of Class was awarded 2nd prize by the Society for Educational Studies: Book Prize 2016.

How do race and class intersect to shape the identities and experiences of Black middle-class parents and their children? What are Black middle-class parents’ strategies for supporting their children through school? What role do the educational histories of Black middle-class parents play in their decision-making about their children’s education?There is now an extensive body of research on the educational strategies of the white middle classes but a silence exists around the emergence of the Black middle classes and their experiences, priorities, and actions in relation to education. This book focuses on middle-class families of Black Caribbean heritage. Drawing on rich qualitative data from nearly 80 in-depth interviews with Black Caribbean middle-class parents, the internationally renowned contributors reveal how these parents attempt to navigate their children successfully through the school system, and defend them against low expectations and other manifestations of discrimination. Chapters identify when, how and to what extent parents deploy the financial, cultural and social resources available to them as professional, middle class individuals in support of their children’s academic success and emotional well-being. The book sheds light on the complex, and relatively neglected relations, between race, social class and education, and in addition, poses wider questions about the experiences of social mobility, and the intersection of race and class in forming the identity of the parents and their children.The Colour of Class: The educational strategies of the Black middle classes will appeal to undergraduates and postgraduates on education, sociology and social policy courses, as well as academics with an interest in Critical Race Theory and Bourdieu.The Colour of Class was awarded 2nd prize by the Society for Educational Studies: Book Prize 2016.

Education policy is not designed to eliminate race inequality but to sustain it at manageable levels. This is the inescapable conclusion of the first major study of the English education system using ‘critical race theory’.David Gillborn has been described as Britain’s ‘most influential race theorist in education’. In this book he dissects the role of racism across the education system; from national policies to school-level decisions about discipline and academic selection.Race inequality is not accidental and things are not getting better. Despite occasional ‘good news’ stories about fluctuations in statistics, the reality is that race inequality is so deeply entrenched that it is effectively ‘locked in’ as a permanent feature of the system.Built on a foundation of compelling evidence, from national statistics to studies of classroom life, this book shows how race inequality is shaped and legitimized across the system. The study explores a series of key issues including: the impact of the ‘War on Terror’ and how policy privileges the interests of white peoplehow assessment systems produce race inequalityexposes the ‘gifted and talented’ programme as a form of eugenic thinking based on discredited and racist myths about intelligence and abilitydocuments the Stephen Lawrence case revealing how policy makers have betrayed earlier commitments to race equalityshows how ‘model minorities’ are created and used to counter anti-racismhow education policy is implicated in the defence of white power.Conspiracy? Racism & Education takes critical antiracist analyses to a new level and represents a fundamental challenge to current assumptions in the field. With a preface by Richard Delgado, one of the founders of critical race theory.

Education policy is not designed to eliminate race inequality but to sustain it at manageable levels. This is the inescapable conclusion of the first major study of the English education system using ‘critical race theory’.David Gillborn has been described as Britain’s ‘most influential race theorist in education’. In this book he dissects the role of racism across the education system; from national policies to school-level decisions about discipline and academic selection.Race inequality is not accidental and things are not getting better. Despite occasional ‘good news’ stories about fluctuations in statistics, the reality is that race inequality is so deeply entrenched that it is effectively ‘locked in’ as a permanent feature of the system.Built on a foundation of compelling evidence, from national statistics to studies of classroom life, this book shows how race inequality is shaped and legitimized across the system. The study explores a series of key issues including: the impact of the ‘War on Terror’ and how policy privileges the interests of white peoplehow assessment systems produce race inequalityexposes the ‘gifted and talented’ programme as a form of eugenic thinking based on discredited and racist myths about intelligence and abilitydocuments the Stephen Lawrence case revealing how policy makers have betrayed earlier commitments to race equalityshows how ‘model minorities’ are created and used to counter anti-racismhow education policy is implicated in the defence of white power.Conspiracy? Racism & Education takes critical antiracist analyses to a new level and represents a fundamental challenge to current assumptions in the field. With a preface by Richard Delgado, one of the founders of critical race theory.

"This research should make us extremely sceptical that the constant search for 'higher standards' and for ever-increasing achievement scores can do much more than put in place seemingly neutral devices for restratification." - Michael W Apple, John Bascom Professor of Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Policy Studies, University of Wisconsin, MadisonRecent educational reforms have raised standards of achievement but have also resulted in growing inequalities based on 'race' and social class. School-by-school 'league tables' play a central role in the reforms. These have created an A-to-C economy where schools and teachers are judged on the proportion of students attaining five or more grades at levels A-to-C. To satisfy these demands schools are embracing new and ever more selective attempts to identify 'ability'. Their assumptions and practices embody a new IQism: a simple , narrow and regressive ideology of intelligence that labels working class and minority students as likely failures and justifies rationing provision to support those (often white, middle class boys) already marked for success. This book reports detailed research in two secondary schools showing the real costs of reform in terms of the pressures on teachers and the rationing of educational opportunity. It will be important reading for any teacher, researcher or policymaker with an interest in equality in education.

* How are 'race' and racism implicated in education policy and practice?* What does effective antiracism look like in practice?* How can teachers and school students be encouraged to think critically about their racialized assumptions and actions?In exploring these questions David Gillborn makes a vital contribution to the debate on 'race' and racism in education. He focuses on racism in the policy, research, theory and practice of education, and includes the first major study of antiracism at the level of whole-school management and classroom practice. The voices of teachers and school students bring the issues to life, and illustrate the daily problems of life in urban schools. This is a fascinating picture of the key matters facing managers, classroom teachers and their students as schools struggle to develop strong and workable approaches to anti-racist education. It is accompanied by a critical review of current debates and controversies concerning 'race', ethnicity and identity.Arguing for a critical return to the concept of 'race', Racism and Antiracism in Real Schools represents an important addition to the literature on the theory and practice of education in a racist society.

A presentation of an important new investigation into the issues of race, ethnicity and education, following the extensive reforms of state education during the late 1980s. The author provides a critical introduction to the current issues and major research findings in the field.