Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Tuesday, 23 April 2024
Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth
Ireland's International Obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child: Discussion
3:00 pm
Bel Nabulele:
If I may, I will come in. Not just speaking as a young person but speaking as a Black Irish young person, I have been asked all the questions like whether my hair is real, whether it is flammable and all those random questions you have here. Building on what was said about education, one of the things that can help is having an anti-racism policy in schools that is separate to an anti-bullying policy. An anti-racism policy that would hold not just the students accountable but also the teachers. It can be hard to know when you are stepping over that line when what you are saying is not okay to say. Having a policy that outlines what should not be done or said and that makes it very clear to everyone would be helpful. I do not mean presenting a 40-page or 50-page document to every student and teacher to read but rather making it clear, so that there is no excuse not to follow the policy. Implementing it properly would be a big thing.
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