History teaching in schools faces ‘whitewash’ warn Hackney politicians
Cllr Patrick Vernon OBE and Sir Trevor McDonald OBE with portrait of Mary Seacole in the background
Two Hackney politicians are amongst a number of high profile campaigners who have signed an open letter calling on the Education Secretary to scrap proposed reforms which would see the removal of prominent Black historical figures Mary Seacole and Olaudah Equiano from the National Curriculum.
Hackney MP Diane Abbott and Councillor Patrick Vernon are calling on the Coalition Government to rethink the plans.
Commenting on the proposal to remove Seacole and Equiano from school history lessons, Cllr Vernon said: “[Should this go ahead] this gives a clear message to all children and parents in Britain that we do not have a pluralist or multicultural society and thus equality of opportunity is only the preserve of the rich and privileged.
“Is this history we want to teach and use to shape future leaders in 21st century Britain?”
Simon Woolley, director of Operation Black Vote said: “Dumping Mary Seacole and Olaudah Equiano denies children part of our rich diversity of key historical figures. It is also seen by some as the whitewashing of British history.”
Mary Seacole was a British nurse of Jamaican origin who combated racial prejudice to care for British soldiers during the Crimean War, and such was her popularity that 80,000 people came out to pay tribute after the end of the conflict and in 2003 she was voted among the 100 greatest Black Britons.
Olaudah Equiano was a former slave who became a pioneer at the forefront of the anti-slavery abolitionist movement in the late 18th century.
Mr Gove said last month that students should learn about more “traditional figures” such as Oliver Cromwell and Winston Churchill.
A panel meeting discussing Mary Seacole’s work and her relevance to the National Curriculum will be held from 7 – 9pm at Dalston’s CLR James library on Tuesday 12 February.
For more information and to book a seat, please contact enisuoha@tssa.org.uk.
Related story: