New figures from the Department for Education and Skills show that Black Caribbean children are still three times more likely than White children to be permanently excluded from school in England. The overall number of exclusions has also increased for the second year running. In the 2001 to 2002 school year, there were an estimated
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Roger Sylvester – police condemned for black death
It has taken the Sylvester family four years to get an inquest into Roger’s death. A verdict of unlawful killing has been returned. But the last successful prosecution of a police officer involved in a black death was in 1971, despite numerous inquest verdicts of unlawful killing since then. Clapping and shouts of joy, mingled
Canary Islands tragedy: did the RAF put border security before human safety?
An official inquiry was prompted in Spain after twenty-one migrants, trying to cross from the North African coast to the Canary Islands, drowned in two separate incidents in June. Their boats capsized after being intercepted by Spanish patrols. But now questions are being asked about the role of British planes deployed in the region as
Research finds racism against overseas teachers
New research into the training of overseas teachers reports that they are often unprepared for the racism they face and that school staff do not do enough to counter pupil prejudice and develop an equality ethos within schools. Because of teacher shortages in the UK, recruitment of teachers is taking place in Western and Eastern
Freedom Rides Again
Once again people are riding in buses across America to protest against a lack of civil rights. This time it is migrant workers drawing attention to their lack of security and freedom in the US. The Immigrant Workers Freedom Rides are the first ‘freedom rides’ the country has seen since the 1960s. The original freedom
Stories of Migration
As part of a three-year project entitled Local Stories / Global Times, Birmingham-based Banner Theatre has been working with asylum seekers in Sandwell in the West Midlands and Salford in Greater Manchester to create Migrant Voices, a new piece of multimedia documentary theatre based on their real-life experiences. The show is touring in October during
Reviewing anti-terrorist laws
The Campaign Against Criminalising Communities (CAMPACC) has recently submitted evidence to the Privy Council which is reviewing the Anti-Terrorism Crime and Security Act 2001. Its submission,Terrorising minority communities: ‘anti-terrorism’ powers, their use and abuse, examines how legislation disproportionately affects refugee and migrant communities and argues that the legislation is undemocratic and discriminatory. The submission contains
Destitute Iranian dies after suicide protest at refugee charity
Yet another asylum seeker has taken his own life after suffering misery at the hands of the British asylum system. Israfil Shiri had been thrown out of his Salford council flat and been denied benefits, under the government’s tough new rules. He set himself alight last week in the offices of Refugee Action in Manchester
Yarl’s Wood trial – a miscarriage of justice?
The restraint of a woman, who asked to attend church, sparked the disturbance that led to Yarl’s Wood detention centre being burnt to the ground. Of the eleven men charged in connection with the fire, only four were convicted, after a trial that may have been flawed. And yet, next month, Yarl’s Wood will be
Legal aid cuts will target those most in need of protection
Last January, the government threw asylum seekers onto the streets, under the new ‘Section 55’ rules. This January, it plans to deny them access to proper legal advice, under new proposals to ration legal aid. The result will be the ‘warehousing’ of cases and the end for many of a chance of a fair hearing.