Glasgow Labour councillor Audrey Dempsey has stirred controversy by drawing attention to what she perceives as a concerning trend of racist attacks targeting white children and teachers in the city.

Audrey Dempsey, representing the Springburn and Robroyston ward, asserted that the issue demands serious attention and action from local authorities.

She called for heightened monitoring and data collection to address the reported incidents. Dempsey’s motion to formulate an action plan on the matter was not entertained by the Glasgow city council.

Following her remarks, the Scottish Labour Party distanced itself from Dempsey’s stance, while anti-racism campaigners criticized her comments as unconstructive.

However, Dempsey defended her position, citing subsequent communications from other Glasgow teachers who claimed to have encountered similar incidents.

She emphasized the need to confront the issue, asserting that ignoring it poses significant dangers. Dempsey clarified that her intention is not to racialize the matter but to address the reported instances of harassment and fear experienced by children and educators in certain schools.

Despite Dempsey’s assertions, a Glasgow city council spokeswoman claimed that there is no documented evidence indicating an uptick in racism against white students or teachers across the city.

Nevertheless, some Labour councillors expressed sympathy toward Dempsey’s concerns, albeit acknowledging that her approach may have lacked sensitivity. They highlighted the complexity of such issues and cautioned against dismissing them outright.

Official statistics from 2022-23 indicate 2,075 recorded racist incidents in primary and secondary schools throughout Scotland. However, advocacy groups like the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights argue that this figure underrepresents the true extent of the problem due to significant underreporting.

In response to Dempsey’s remarks, an SNP spokesperson condemned singling out children from black and ethnic minority backgrounds, urging Scottish Labour to clarify its stance. Scottish Labour reiterated its disassociation from Dempsey’s comments, emphasizing that they do not reflect the party’s position.

Nuzhat Uthmani, a lecturer at the University of Stirling and a board member of the Scottish government’s Antiracism in Education program, criticized Dempsey’s approach as unhelpful.

Uthmani stressed the importance of combating racism against all communities and noted that data indicates minority communities disproportionately experience such incidents.

She cited the government’s behavior survey, which revealed pervasive racism in schools, primarily affecting people of colour and marginalized groups.

In summary, Audrey Dempsey’s remarks have sparked debate regarding the perception and handling of racist incidents in Glasgow schools.

While she asserts the urgency of addressing reported attacks on white children and teachers, others caution against framing the issue insensitively or singling out specific communities.

Despite discrepancies in reported data, there is consensus on the need for comprehensive efforts to combat racism in all its forms within educational settings.

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Main Image: Audrey Dempsey, via Facebook.

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