The Church of England has issued materials for its members to use during Black History Month but we think they could do more.
The website explains the purpose of the resources:
“Racism is at root an issue of power, the limiting of the capacity of certain people and groups to act whilst privileging and promoting the capacity of others, solely on the grounds of racial characterisation.
These resources are an invitation to develop a constant awareness to such dynamics in our worship and the life of the Church”
Yet, the CofE runs hundreds of state-funded schools that deny places to children of people that don’t share the Anglican faith. How on earth can it not see the hypocrisy in inviting people to ‘develop a constant awareness’ of the dynamics of racism and inequality?
In Oldham, for example, nearly a quarter of state secondary school places are reserved for children of practising Anglicans, denying places to disadvantaged children in the town as a result. These schools are not reflective of the local community. They select and reject, privileging ‘their own’, denying opportunities to others. Children travel into Oldham for these school places, whilst local kids on the school’s doorstep aren’t welcome because they don’t meet the ‘faith criteria’.
The kids that miss out year on year don’t need fine words and good intentions from the pulpit during Black History Month, or to see bishops taking the knee in support of Black Lives Matter. Unless the Church also takes action and does something about the injustice and inequality that it claims to abhor. Unless it also ends faith selection in its school admission policies.
We know there are many Anglicans who share these views. Is it not time to stand up and demand that the Church practises what it preaches?
References