How ACS Schools supported 'Show Racism the Red Card'
Each October a movement called ‘Show Racism the Red Card’ holds its annual Wear Red Day in the UK. The 6th annual Wear Red Day will take place across England, Wales and Scotland on Friday 16th October 2020. Wear Red Day is a national day of action which encourages schools, businesses and individuals to wear red and donate £1 to help fund anti-racism education for young people and adults across the UK. Show Racism the Red Card is the UK’s largest anti-racism educational charity. It was established in January 1996, thanks in part to a donation by then Newcastle United goalkeeper Shaka Hislop, and has grown from strength to strength delivering educational workshops to young people and adults in schools, workplaces and at events held in football stadiums.
Every penny raised during Wear Red Day goes towards enabling education about racism and supporting campaign workers to work with more young people and adults across the UK to challenge racism in society.
ACS Cobham, Egham and Hillingdon all took an enthusiastic part in the campaign on the day with many students and teachers wearing red to show their support. It was the students themselves who initiated many of the ideas to support the campaign. These initiatives included students who participated paying a donation to wear red, a raffle, football matches and a card tree featuring students’ thoughts on “I am fighting racism by….' at Hillingdon. In total over £2,000 was raised across the 3 UK schools.
Focus on Diversity and Inclusion.
Celebrating diversity and a culture of Inclusion is a key priority for ACS education strategy and there are a number of initiatives now ongoing around the schools aimed at building engagement in these subjects across our communities: One of these initiatives, the staff Diversity and Inclusion Council, recently held its first meeting, another offered staff the opportunity to participate in several workshops with a group of recent ACS Cobham Alumni.
Around the schools the student councils are also working on their own diversity and inclusion initiatives. These are subjects that concern us all and more on this will follow in future issues.
Dr Shea, Personal Counsellor ACS Cobham, centre in red