A LOCAL authority’s bid to take “the biggest anti-racism step in Scotland” moved forward after members passed new rules for the council and classrooms.
Two separate motions aimed at eliminating “racial injustice and discrimination” were put before North Lanarkshire Council’s latest full meeting.
Ruling Labour councillors and members of the SNP opposition united to back a call to teach pupils “the unadulterated history of our country”, including the ugly truth about war, slavery and empire, with specialist training rolled out to teaching staff to deliver those lessons.
They also voted yes to a joint bid to bring in citizens from ethnic minorities for a new working group aimed at changing the culture of the council and its region, from street to boardroom level.
That work – inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement – will include a critical re-examination of the area’s street names, statues, schools and other buildings to establish which of these, if any, pay homage to those engaged in
racist exploitation, as well as a rethink of all policy areas to root out anything that keeps ethnic minority residents at a disadvantage.
The move by councillors Paul Kelly of Labour and SNP brothers Danish and Junaid Ashraf was revealed in the Sunday National. The three said joint working was essential to ensure the move was about more than party politics.
Now this newspaper can confirm that the parties will co-chair the new working group to deliver fundamental change.
Meanwhile, the education motion was supported by all but the Tories.
Cumbernauld North Councillor Danish Ashraf said: “To our knowledge this is the single largest step in Scotland towards decolonising education in any council. This expansion and strengthening of our curriculum to include the reality of the former British Empire, colonialism and the many generations lost to the transatlantic slave trade is well overdue.
“This is a huge victory for Scotland as we all benefit from the truth being taught and of course in particular for descendants of former colonies and of Afro-Caribbean ancestry.”
Brother Junaid, who represents Cumbernauld South, added: “With the passing of this composite motion to endorse the Black Lives Matter movement, North Lanarkshire Council has the ability to be at the forefront of the most progressive change for race equality within Scotland. This is truly the proudest moment of my political career to date.
“It took real courage to bring forward the proposals, to take a long hard look at ourselves and really question if we are being inclusive of everyone. We will review all statues, historical symbols, buildings and schools in North Lanarkshire to
properly understand their history and context.
“We also seek to decolonise the curriculum, set up a community wide ethnic minority cross-party group with real power to make recommendations to the Council and reflect on the challenges to race equality within North Lanarkshire.
“North Lanarkshire is leading Scotland in race equality and I cannot wait for us all to make a success of these new proposals.”
SNP Group Equalities Officer, Councillor Junaid Ashraf added: “This Anti-Racist motion passed today is very personal to me. Now in North Lanarkshire, when young boys and girls who have the same background as I do, as an ethnic minority Scot, go to school they can feel as if their history and reality is being taught to them.
My history as a third generation Scots-Pakistani was never taught in school. I was never told about the shared history that my heritage has with the nation I call home. By teaching the history of the Commonwealth and Trans-Atlantic slave trade in full, we can improve community cohesion with one another.
I am disappointed we did not have cross party consensus on this motion today, and the Conservative Party chose to vote against teaching our history as it might damage their perspective of the empire and instead tried to frame the debate as a divide over the Constitution. None the less, I am proud of the SNP group for committing to progress race equality and tackle racial injustice in North Lanarkshire Council.
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