Same Old Story: Britons Say Literature Curriculum Needs a Diversity Upgrade
The U.K. is diverse, but many ethnic and racial voices remain underrepresented in its schools’ literature and curriculum.
LONDON — Since the 2011 Census, the U.K.’s Asian and Black populations have witnessed a jump in numbers, with other ethnic groups estimated to have nearly doubled by 2019. And with a large portion of the population being students, diversity in schools’ curriculums — particularly in literature — is crucial. But, despite its necessity, there has been a lack of texts by authors of color being taught throughout schools.
“It’s important to me that literature reflects the diversity that you see in society,” said Sharmilla Beezmohun, author and co-founder of Speaking Volumes — a live literature organization that aims to promote diversity in writers and their work. “It helps everybody to understand everybody.”
For years now, U.K. schools’ curriculums have been centered on teaching white authors, particularly in GCSE English Literature. And while students may choose what to read from lists of texts, a mere few of them are by non-white writers like Meera Syal and Kazuo Ishiguro — both of which are featured under the prose category. Instead, most of the lists have books by white novelists such as Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, and George Orwell. There is also a play category composed only of Shakespeare’s texts, therefore limiting the students’ selection of playwrights to a sole, white male.
However, it is not just the authors in schools whose voices are primarily white, but the teachers as well. A study produced by University College London, also known as UCL, found that 46 percent of all English schools have no Black, Asian, or minority ethnic (BAME) teachers. This drastic figure makes learning about diversity harder for students, all the while furthering the gap between white teachers and students of color.
According to Education Week, schools having teachers of color helps benefit all students, but notably improves the academic performance of students of color. This is likely due to the students feeling more confident in their ability to communicate with their BAME teachers.
It is also important for students of color to have representation in the books they read, both through the authors and characters, as it conveys identity and allows for these students to connect with and form a stronger relationship with literature.
“When I was young, there was nothing available in terms of Black or Brown literature for children,” said Beezmohun. “And it didn’t prevent me from being inspired and loving the literature I read, but if I had seen somebody who looked a bit like me, it might have been even more inspiring. It might have made me feel like I could be part of that literature world as well.”
Furthermore, while 70 percent of surveyed students value the importance of diversity and think there should be more representation in their schools, there has been pushback from officials. Among those against the reformation of schools is England’s Chief Inspector of Schools Amanda Spielman.
“I think my message would be don’t revise the curriculum in the context of a single issue or purpose,” said Spielman at Ofsted’s annual report. “Make sure that periodic reviews take all purposes into account.”
This statement came in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, which originated in the United States after the death of George Floyd. This then went as far as to influence the U.K., where many protests were formed to diversify the schools’ literature curriculum by including BAME writers.
Additionally, when urged to make changes to the national curriculum, the Schools minister, Nick Gibb, declined to do so. Instead, he issued a warning against “one-sided propaganda” and said that he saw no reason why the work of a “dead white man” should not be studied by students from ethnic minorities.
Despite the pushback from some U.K. officials, many remain in favor of diversifying the schools’ curriculums. Moreover, Wales has recently changed its national requirements for schools, calling for the mandatory teaching of BAME contributions as well as anti-racism training. By acknowledging the lack of representation in their curriculum and aiming to make a difference, Welsh schools have set the bar for the rest of the United Kingdom to follow.
The diversification of U.K. schools, both in terms of the curriculum and those teaching it, is essential to the education of younger generations. Not only does diversity teach individuals about other cultures, but it also leads to new, enhanced ways of thinking. By gaining a different perspective on a topic, students can seek innovative ways to solve problems all the while improving their understanding of the subject.
Although many changes have yet to be made, discussions regarding diversifying U.K. schools’ curriculums have been highlighted in recent years. With increased efforts and more conversations to be sparked, many Britons hope that schools will soon introduce a new curriculum that emphasizes the representation of authors, teachers and students of color.
