And I would be very concerned – and I am concerned – that we’re being denied that. And I know that other councillors are concerned about that … These are all things that we should know about.” We are proud of how Brighton and Hove schools are engaging with us and leading on this complex work and hopeful that our approach will make a difference.”

Of course, racism is still very much a real issue unfortunately but words such as ‘systemic racism’ and ‘white privilege’ are inappropriate. It is my understanding that people who have engaged with the strategy are overwhelmingly in support of it. It is controversial. It is a controversial programme so it’s even more (reason) that we should have some access to it.

Ford KA KA TITANIUM

What is clear is that Critical Race Theory is divisive and it doesn’t necessarily divide people along party lines or by colour. The Equalities Minister is obviously not white yet has set out clearly, eloquently and passionately why she opposes it and believes it breaches the Public Sector Equality Duty. As a council, we believe that racism is not just a product of individual bias or prejudice but something embedded in our systems which is why the rich ethnic diversity of our city is not represented in council or in employees in our schools. Leading proponents of Critical Race Theory reject rationalism, liberalism and Enlightenment values. We accept that as a council we have got a lot to learn and a lot to do to prevent and mitigate against the racism that pupils, students and their families have told us happens in our schools. Ramzi's story was more complex than some. "I grew up in an Armenian-American community and I grew up in a divorced family so I feel like I had to come out twice," he said. It took until age 21, even after dating someone for the coming out to occur. "I was so scared of what it actually meant to call yourself gay so even the first man I dated, I still thought that afterwards I was going to eventually meet a girl and get married because that's what men did," he said. "Especially Armenian men."

Our race and literacy training for schools explains that we are all one human race and that race is a social construct used, for example, to justify slavery and the holocaust. Councillor Clare said: “My understanding is the training is commercially sensitive but also it’s schools who decide what materials they use.” Conservative councillor Alistair McNair said: “I support what Councillor O’Quinn has said and I agree with Mr Hart as well. Councillor Alistair McNair Yet the strategy seeks to overturn and racialise children’s indifference to skin colour differences. When he came to the realization that wasn't his future, he told his mother who was very supportive. His father ended up forcing the coming out, having already suspected, in an extremely intense scene. When Ramzi told him what he wanted to hear, his father became quiet and said "why don't you just put a bullet in my head." Ramzi's sister, who is also queer and had come out before, was also present.He said: “Hiding this from scrutiny is unwise – but to cite commercial interests in your ‘freedom of information’ request refusal is … a misreading of the Act.” If you had known of the controversies surrounding CRT, you would have had reason to investigate if the strategy breaches the ‘public sector equalities duty’ by fostering divisions among children. Adrian Hart I am asking that we have, as councillors, some access to these teaching materials. It’s very important that we should.

The work is central to the council’s legal duties under the Equality Act 2010 to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between communities – as well as to encourage civic engagement by under-represented groups. Schools are also free to engage any training providers to deliver training for their staff in line with school values and policy.We should be deeply concerned that the council is using very contentious and divisive philosophies to influence its guidance to schools such as CRT. Adrian has lived and worked in Bethnal Green and Stratford in east London since 1984, and before that he was an activist in late 1980s/early 1990s anti-racism campaigns. Collaborations with various London arts organisations resulted in a number of award winning films. These include Safe (winner of LWTs Whose London? competition and broadcast in 2002), Moving Here (awarded beacon status in 2006 by the Home Office) and Only Human (made in 2006 for Essex primary schools and broadcast on Teachers TV in 2009).

I can go on to my laptop if I want to look at what is being taught in secondary schools and I can go to the examples and I can find out what is being taught and so on. There is nothing in our strategy that aims to engender guilt or victimhood – and the development of critical thinking skills is one element of our educational output. Green councillor Hannah Clare, who chairs the Children, Young People and Skills Committee, said: “I don’t have anything more to add as I think you’re aware of our positive position towards the importance of discussing the reality and existence of racism in schools We would just like to ask that we are given access to this material … but we’d also like to have a report … as to how the anti-racial teaching is going in our school.At GCSE or A level stages, partisan political or religious ideologies are rightly presented, discussed and balanced with differing perspectives, but we accept that they should never be promoted.” Deb Austin said: “I’m aware that Mr Hart has been trying to access the training materials used by an independent trainer who is employed outside of the city council – and that request has been refused on the grounds of commercial sensitivities. She said that she and her Labour colleagues were all former teachers and added: “We should be able to see this material. It should actually be available to us and parents as well.