Examining how Britain misclassified Black pupils as educationally subnormal

Examining how Britain misclassified Black pupils as educationally subnormal brief recap:

Maisie Barrett, author of 'Subnormal: How I was failed by the British Education System & A Colonial Family' tells this evening's Voices of #Windrush Festival's Misclassification of Black Pupils as Educationally Subnormal event of her experiences - she went on to get 4 degrees.

Noel Gordon's tells how his family was tricked into him being misclassified as educationally subnormal after a visit to the dentist. At his school, he was subjected to racial & other abuse, in a setting with no curriculum & where no academic work was done - Noel has 2 degrees.

Professor Thomas says the legacy continues to this day with the disproportionate use of school exclusions, data on under attainment with life long socio - economic impact.

Frances Swaine of Leigh Day says she's looking at the policies local authorities used in carrying out their duties in which they failed to educate their teachers and in turn, their pupils, and how systemic racism continues to affect pupils today. Noel Gordon launched a petition after the making of Steve McQueen's Subnormal film on the issue of misclassification, which he participated in. The petition needs more signatures to get the government to reply or parliament to debate.

Maisie Barrett says the policy relates to capitalism - the state wanted to create groups for low level jobs. She only managed to succeed by creating strategies to learn as her brain had not been stimulated, but she realized she had to improve her life, a life she was robbed off.

Professor Leslie Thomas KC says the solutions include: an acknowledgement of the issue, compensation, the training of teachers & educators, a revaluation of the curriculum to include more content on the experiences & histories of Black people & their shared histories with others.

Akima Paul Lambert, partner at Hogan Lovells & the events moderator summarizes the lived experience stories as heartbreaking & poignant, & says that organisations like the Society of Caribbean Lawyers which she chairs, must help provide evidenced based research & solutions.