Cases Not Proven: an evaluation of two studies of teacher racism

Abstract

In recent years a number of studies conducted in schools have claimed to provide evidence of the existence of racism amongst teachers, and practices within schools which significantly disadvantage many ethnic minority students. Unfortunately, there has been a tendency to accept such studies rather uncritically, without questioning the nature of the evidence they present to support their conclusions. In this paper I examine two such studies from a more critical point of view. I argue that both suffer from a number of serious weaknesses and that their claims should not have been accepted in the way that they have been.

A question of ‘style’: Black teachers and pupils in multi‐ethnic schools1

“…Foster (1992a) for instance, posits the view that White working class and Black children may attend less 'effective' schools, and, as a result, he suggests that their attainments may be lower (see also Foster, 1990Foster, , 1991Foster, ,1992bHammersley & Gomm, 1993).…”

Underachiever or Misunderstood? A Reply to Roger Gomm

“…Their purpose is to explicate the allegedly dubious empirical grounds on which claims of racial inequality in education have been mounted. Readers of this journal will be familiar with the exchanges between Foster and both Cecile Wright and Paul Connolly (Foster, 1990a(Foster, , 1991Wright, 1990;Connolly 1992). These have centred on Foster's critique of Wright's research into the differential treatment of white and Afro-Caribbean children in two comprehensive schools and on the controversy surrounding Foster's ethnography of an inner urban, multi-ethnic comprehensive school.…”

Case Still Not Proven: a reply to Cecile Wright

“…I suggested therefore that her case was unproven. My critique (Foster, 1990b) raises difficult questions about what evidence would be adequate to demonstrate beyond reasonable doubt the validity of the claims made in Wright's account. I have dealt with these issues elsewhere (Foster, 1990c).…”