Thousands of children, some as young as four, were sent home from school for racism last year.
Campaigners called for urgent action to stem the tide of hatred in our classrooms, amid fears bigotry has become “normalised”.
They say impressionable youngsters are repeating in the classroom what they hear from their parents and right-wing figures in the media. In total, 11,619 children were suspended for racist behaviour in 2023 – up 25% on the previous 12 months, and equivalent to almost 60 suspensions a day.
Shockingly, 1,413 were still at primary school, with seven incidents logged against kids as young as four.
They say impressionable youngsters are repeating in the classroom what they hear from their parents and right-wing figures (file image) ( Getty Images)
Dr Shabna Begum, who heads up racism think-tank the Runnymede Trust, said: “The fact that children and young people are picking up and articulating racism in schools feels entirely predictable in this current climate.
“Recent years have seen media and politicians legitimise hateful language and violent policy that would once have been scorned. Children are reflecting the hatred that has become a normalised