Following the widely publicised death of George Floyd in
the USA, as a nation we have entered a period of protest,
introspection and debate on the subject of racism and Britain's
colonial past.
Schools in the UK appear to be coming under particular pressure
to act to address racial bias and inequality, including calls for
positive action to improve the diversity of staff and governors, to
rename schools and their buildings and to 'decolonise'
curricula.
In letters published in The Independent newspaper on and since 1
June 2020, a group of former pupils have suggested that independent
schools, whose alumnae include notable public figures and business
leaders, have a particular responsibility to produce 'balanced
and unbiased individuals'. We understand that some schools have
also been approached variously, and in some cases collectively, by
alumni, pupils, parents and staff, calling for them to take a
leading role in tackling these issues. This has resulted in
