The racism talk: how Black middle class parents are warning their children

One in three people in Britain describe themselves as being very or a little racially prejudiced, according to a recent British Social Attitudes Survey. How are middle-class black families coping with this rise in prejudiced attitudes and preparing their children for a society marred by such discrimination?

We carried out research with professional families of black Caribbean heritage across England and explored how they navigate their children successfully through school.

Our findings, based on 77 interviews, reveal that parents are engaged, involved and concerned about their children’s education success. But they often have to manage the lower expectations of success held by the school and work out how best to prepare their child for a society marked by racism. Parents were particularly concerned about how to ready and protect their children from racist stereotyping – and how and when to talk to them about the dangers of racism.