Things are getting out of hand." Paul was one of about 30 angry parents and supporters outside the school yesterday morning. They wanted answers after a black pupil there was subjected to abhorrent and distressing racial abuse.
A video filmed on Friday and now circulating on social media appears to show the boy being taunted, pushed and punched by one white boy, who makes him kiss his shoes.
The boy's mother and supporters held a meeting with a senior teacher and school governors as the protesters waited with handmade signs expressing their anger.
One of those at the meeting was Janett Walker, the chief executive of the campaign group Anti Racist Cumbria. She said afterwards that it had been an encouraging meeting, but it was early days. She said incidents like this were too often blamed on bad apples.
"It's not just about bad apples," she said. "We have got deep-rooted racism in society and we need to look at how we uproot that, not just keep blaming it on individuals. It is a societal problem.
This story is from the March 19, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the March 19, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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