E/ME10/2/1

File of correspondence with Bedford Council for Racial Equality (BCRE), including information as follows:

1985 - 1988

From: 1985 To: 1988

- letter from Commission for Racial Equality Education Officer highlighting issues arising from Bedfordshire County Council (BCC) Equal Opportunities Sub-Committee meeting; - BCRE initial response to BCC’s consultative papers - report of Panel of Board of Studies on Multicultural Education and Chief Education Officer's (CEO’s) report on Swann Report; - extensive correspondence regarding BCC bids for Section 11 posts, including: details of community groups consulted and debate over BCRE’s perception of consultation process inadequacies; BCRE’s refusal to support BCC Section 11 bids in 1987; BCRE draft position statement regarding BCC submissions for Section 11 funding complaining largely about lack of consultation, with Local Education Authority (LEA) response; rough notes of meeting between BCC and BCRE to resolve issue; agenda of BCRE Education/Youth Sub-Committee meeting to discuss lack of consultation over Section 11 proposals with notes of LEA officer attending; notes of briefing meeting with BCC Education Committee Report Panel to discuss Section 11 matters with BCRE representatives; BCRE minutes of meetings of BCRE Education/Youth Sub-Committee to discuss, inter alia, current position on Section 11 bids and consultation; - list of groups affiliated to BCRE (comprises the following racial/religious groups: Asian; Bahá'í; Bangladeshi; Buddhist; German; Hindu; Indian; Irish; Italian; Muslim; Pakistani; Polish; Sikh; Welsh; West Indian; Ukrainian; Yugoslav; and other non-race/religion groups); - list of members of BCRE Education/Youth Sub-Committee, Employment Sub-Committee and Housing Committee; - BCC officer’s notes critical of the make-up and organisation of BCRE Education & Youth Sub-Committee; - letter from Special Adult Learning Programme North tutor criticising BCRE handling of Education & Youth Sub-Committee, in particular the actions of its chairman and the production of two sets of minutes, one for public view, another for the Executive Committee only, with agenda item presented to Sub-Committee by the tutor and the Executive Committee minutes covering it (sent to the tutor in error); with memo in response from County Multicultural Education Co-ordinator to CEO; - BCRE report and accounts of Summer Schools/Summer Camp 1987; - BCRE Work Programmes for 1987/88 and 1988/89; - memo from Education Welfare Officer expressing concern at rôle played by BCRE Afro-Caribbean Counsellor, particularly regarding alleged racism at St.Gregory’s Voluntary Aided Roman Catholic Middle, Bedford; - cutting from “Bedfordshire on Sunday” regarding claims by some parents of St.Gregory’s being “a hotbed of racism” and alleged assault of a black pupil by a white teacher; - cutting from “Bedfordshire on Sunday” regarding alleged power struggle at BCRE following the replacement of the chairman of Youth & Education Sub-Committee.

Access to material may be permitted under supervision

item

Bedfordshire County Council,
Chief Education Officer,
Education Welfare Service,
Bedfordshire on Sunday

EDUCATION, multicultural education, ethnic minorities, race issues, discrimination, Council for Racial Equality, BEDFORD, business correspondence, political correspondence, Commission for Racial Equality, Education Officer, Bedfordshire County Council, business papers, Chief Education Officer, funding, employment, Local Education Authority, agenda, SOCIETIES, Asians, Baha'i, Bangladeshis, Buddhism, Germans, Hinduism, Indians, Irish, Italians, Muslim, Pakistanis, Polish, Sikhs, Welsh, West Indians, Ukrainians, Yugoslavs, membership, social & welfare provision youth, youth education, HOUSING, Special Adult Learning Programme, North Bedfordshire, tutor, complaints, school accounts, LEISURE ACTIVITIES, Afro-Caribbeans, counselling, racism, St.Gregory's Voluntary Aided Roman Catholic Middle School, newspaper cuttings, Bedfordshire on Sunday, parent, assault, chairman