The Deracialisation of Initial Teacher Training: implications for social justice

Abstract

The Labour Government came into office committed to raising educational standards for ‘all’. With such a commitment it was hoped that their White Paper ‘Excellence in Schools’ and the new criteria for teacher training ‘Teaching: High Status, High Standards, Requirements for Courses of Initial Teacher Training’ (Circular 10/97), would amongst other things address the deracialisation of education brought about by 18 years of Conservative Government. This paper is concerned specifically with the deracialisation of initial teacher training and an analysis in this respect, of Circular 10/97 together with the implications for social justice. It will be argued that in spite of the Goverment's concern for achieving ‘education for all’ and the Teacher Training Agency's concern with the low level of recruitment of black and ethnic minority student teachers, Circular 10/97 is not only a lost opportunity in terms of re‐addressing ‘race’ and racism in teacher education, but its failure to do so is in itself counterproductive for social justice.