Breaking down barriers

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-45550555

Sannah Hussain is a boxer from Scotland, currently in training for "Judgement Night", a boxing tournament in Glasgow. She is also Muslim and she is visually impaired.

Sannah is raising money for a children's charity and says; "It's really helped break that barrier that women can't do this or women of this community cant do this, because they certainly can."

Sannah wears her hijab in the ring; "If I'm going to wear my sports hijab, they'll let me do that because they understand from speaking to me how important this is to show other people there's no limits, there's always a way round something."

"Like everything in life it's just about finding a way around things that are challenging."

Sannah finds reading small writing challenging and is often unable to read detail but she did not let that stop her working hard and achieving a degree. She talks about overcoming challenges; "When you overcome that barrier it makes you realise there is so much more you can probably do that you didn't realise and you want to discover those things."

What do you see in the picture

Where are they? What are they doing?

What do you notice about the person in the picture?

explain the story

- Why is Sannah unusual?

- What is a stereotype? Why is this story about stereotypes?

- What is Sannah doing to breral down stereotypes?

-Sannah talks about breaking down barriers, what does she mean?

- What is a hijab? Why does Sannah want to wear a hijab in the ring?

- If Hijab's are not allowed in the ring, what does Sannah do? (she talks to people and then they understand) What does this show about the importance of dialogue?

- Sannah says "It's about finding a way around things that are challenging." what does she mean?

- What can we learn from Sannah?

- Why is this story about No Outsiders?

No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the Equality Act in Primary Schools by Andrew Moffat

Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: Preparing young children for life in modern Britain by Andrew Moffat

Refugee mural

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/refugee-creates-stunning-mural-to-encourage-the-nation-to-choose-love_uk_5b292041e4b0f0b9e9a5928f?utm_hp_ref=uk-humankind

Majid Adin is an artist from Iran. He was forced to leave Iran in 2016 and became an refugee in the UK.

Majid has created a huge mural in London with the support of two charities to celebrate the kindness he received when he came to Britain.  He has been helped by local primary school children and local asylum seekers and refugees and says that he wants the art to bring people together.

Majid says, "Arriving and living in a new country with a different language and culture can be incredibly isolating. But ever since I arrived I have been shown great kindness and love. At first I struggled with my English but people were there to help me."

"I know some people in the UK are against refugees and we hear a lot about that in the news. But for me the British public have been incredibly welcoming."

"I wanted to work with Help Refugees (charity) to create a piece of art that represented the love that people have shown me throughout my journey."

"I want to bring together a community to celebrate our common humanity. To show people it doesn't matter what age, faith, sexuality or nationality you are, when we work together and show compassion and kindness toward each other we can do brilliant things."

What do you see in the picture?

What do you think the art is about?

Who do you think created it?

explain the story

- What is a refugee?

- How does someone become a refugee?

- How did Majid feel when he first came to the UK? What does isolating mean?

- Why do you think people helped Majid?

- What does this show us about many people in the UK today and their attitude toward people who are different?

- Why do you think Majid chose to create this art?

- Majid says he wants to bring together a community; how does this art help him to do that?

- Why does Majid say "it doesn't matter what age, faith, sexuality, nationality you are"?

- What do you think Majid would think about our No Outsiders ethos?

- What can we learn from Majid?

- what can we learn from the people Majid met when he first came to Britain?

- Why is this story about No Outsiders?

No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the Equality Act in Primary Schools by Andrew Moffat

Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: Preparing young children for life in modern Britain by Andrew Moffat

Diving

http://www.funcage.com/blog/british-artist-sue-austin-scuba-diving-while-sitting-in-a-wheelchair-12-photos/

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jun/21/underwater-wheelchair-flying-diving

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/clip/522427fc-f6fc-4fb8-8427-91e8d54b7904

Sue Austin is a British diver and artist. She is also a wheelchair user so when she dives, she does it in a different way to others. Sue says diving in her chair gives her the most incredible sense of freedom.

Sue says "Acquiring a disability has led to doing things I would have never even dreamed of."

When Sue first started using s wheelchair (aged 31) she felt people saw her differently; "It seemed like people were seeing me not as myself anymore, but from the perspective of what they assumed it must be like to be in a wheelchair."

"Because those stereotypes around disability are so powerful, people can get lost in them."

Sue has been asked to visit NASA to explore wheelchair use in space, and has recently achieved a flex wings pilots licence so wants to design a flying wheelchair. Sue says this feels like only just the beginning.

Sue says that people are realising that, "viewing the world from different perspectives enables them to have new experiences and breaks down boundaries for us all."

What do you see in the picture?
What is the person doing?
What is different about the way the person is diving?

Explain the story

- Why do you think people saw Sue differently when she first started using a chair?
- What does Sue mean by "stereotypes around disability"?
- How is Sue breaking down disability stereotypes?
- In what way is Sue encouraging people to view the world "from different perspectives"?
- Why does Sue want us to see things differently?
- What other groups of people can suffer from stereotypes?
- How does looking at things differently 'break down barriers for us all'?
- What can we learn from Sue?
- Why is this story about No Outsiders?

"No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the Equality Act in primary schools" by Andrew Moffat

"Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: preparing young children for life in modern Britain" by Andrew Moffat

Painting differently

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/disability-45501265/how-a-son-s-plea-launched-his-disabled-father-s-new-career

Seok Chang-woo is a painter. Thirty years ago he was an engineer but after an accident at work he had to have both arms and two toes amputated. One day Seok's son asked him to draw something, so Seok drew a bird. People saw the bird and told Seok he had talent. Seok decided he wanted to become an artist.

When Seok first went to art school the teacher said he had never taught anyone with no arms and advised him to go home and find another hobby, but Soek was determined.

Seok is now a famous painter. He uses his whole body to paint and often performs for audiences. He says if someone offered him his arms back he would refuse; "I like the way I am now."

What do you see in the picture?
What is the person doing?
What is different about the person?

Explain the story

- How do you think Seok felt when his son asked him to draw a picture?
- Why didn't Seok say to his son, "I can't"?
- How do you think Seok felt when he found a different way to draw?
- Why did the art teacher turn Seok away?
- Why did Seok refuse to leave art school?
- What British law says you should not face discrimination because of disability? (Equality Act)
- Who else is included in the law?
- What can we learn from Seok?
- Why is this story about No Outsiders?

No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the Equality Act in primary schools by Andrew Moffat

Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: Preparing young children for life in modern Britain by Andrew Moffat

Year 7 Bus home

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/liverpool-schoolboys-crying-bus-taxi-praise-world-a8528921.html

On the first day of secondary school at the end of the day a year 7 boy in Liverpool realised he had got on the wrong bus. He had no phone, no money and didn't know how to get home. 

The three older boys in the photo noticed the younger boy getting upset and helped him; they got off the bus at the next stop with him, phoned a taxi for him and gave him £10 to get home. They then waited with him till the cab arrived. When the taxi driver realised what had happened, he refused to charge the boy for the trip, taking him home free of charge.

The Head Teacher of the school has said this "sets the tone" for the year, "He has set a great example in front of a whole bus of year sevens, who all have that worry and anxiety about the bigger kids. It is a brilliant example of the older kids looking after them."

What do you see in the photo?

Explain this story is about being kind - ask the children to suggest what might have happened

explain the story

- How do year 7s feel as they start secondary school?

- Why do you think the boy got on the wrong bus?

- How did he feel as he sat alone and realised he was going the wrong way?

- When the older boys saw him getting upset, what options did they have?

- Why did they choose to help him?

- why does the Head Teacher say the boy set an example?

- Why did the taxi driver take the boy home free of charge?

- What does this show about people in our communities today?

- What can we learn from the boys in the photo?

- Why is this story about No Outsiders? (the younger boy felt like an outsider as a new starter at the school; the older boys made sure he felt welcome)

No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the Equality Act in primary schools by Andrew Moffat

Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: Preparing young children for life in modern Britain by Andrew Moffat 

Female Muslim boxer

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/meet-ramla-ali-the-first-british-female-muslim-boxing-champion_uk_5af46a7ee4b0859d11d132bf

Ramala Ali is the first British female Muslim boxing champion. She has won every boxing title there is to win in Britain and now wants to represent Somalia in the 2020 Olympics.

Ramala came to the UK from Somalia when she was a child. She started boxing as a teenager but she knew her parents would disapprove and so she didn't tell them about her passion. They found out when Ramla's brother saw her boxing in a match on television. Ramla's mother was very angry and told her to quit. Ramla says, "I've been so worried about what my family would think that I'd stop for a bit to make them happy. Then I'd go back when the bug would hit." Ramla says today she regrets the times she stopped.

Then Ramla was interviewed recently on Somali TV about her boxing and her uncle saw it. Ramla says, "He called me and told me how proud he was and how it broke his heart that I had to hide it so long. My Mum was worried about what her brothers might think but her family being OK with it made her much more OK with it and more supportive."

Ramla says after her last fight in Denmark, which she won, her Mum called her to say she was so happy; "I could never have pictured that we'd ever have a conversation like that."

Ramla talks about whether to represent GB or Somalia at the Olympics; "Some people have said, 'You're British.' I've lived here close enough to all my life and I love this country. But I was born in Somalia so for me to represent my homeland - it's something no one else has ever done... to wear Somalia kit just once would be amazing!" 

Ramla' is inspiring other athletes to follow their dreams.

- what do you see in the picture?

- how would you describe the boxers in the photo.

explain the story

- why is this story news? What's different about Ramla Ali?

- Why did Ramla feel she had to keep her sport hidden form her family?

- What was Ramla's Mum worried about?

- Ramla's Mum is proud of her daughter today - why do you think Mum changed her mind?

- What does this show us about people and ideas? (ideas can change and people can change)

- Why does Ramla want to box for Somalia in the Olympics rather than team GB?

- What does this show us about the UK today? (It shows us the UK is home to different people of different nationalities. We all have different identities but we can be proud of where we came from and and we all belong.)

- what can we learn from Ramla?

- Why is this story about No Outsiders?

No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the equality act in primary schools by Andrew Moffat

Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: Preparing young children for life in modern Britain by Andrew Moffat

Male cheerleader

https://www.metro.us/sports/nfl-male-cheerleaders-rams-saints

https://www.queerty.com/nfls-first-male-cheerleader-totally-slays-debut-performance-met-cheers-jeers-20180820

The American football season has started and this year for the first time there will be male cheerleaders performing during the NFL games.

Napoleon Jinnies, Quinton Peron and Jesse Hernandez are the first males to join a traditionally all female event. Napoleon tweeted, "Everyone's love and support has been insane! Thank you and GO RAMS!"

One American commentator said, "A new normal has dawned."

Show the top picture first
- What do you see?
- Who are they? What job do you think they might have?
- Do you notice any differences?

show the second picture to show what the people in the photo do
- what are they called?
- why has this photo made the news?

explain the story

- what is a cheerleader?
- why does Napoleon say "Go RAMS!"
- why do you think traditionally cheerleaders have been all-female?
- what is different today?
- what does this show us about traditions and ideas? (they can change)
- what does this show us about gender equality in 2018?
- what does the commentator mean by "a new normal"?
- what can we learn from Napoleon, Jesse and Quinton?
- what can we learn from the NFL cheerleaders?
- why is this story about No Outsiders?

No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the equality act in primary schools by Andrew Moffat

Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: Preparing young children for life in modern Britain by Andrew Moffat

Going back to school assembly

Photograph: Jason Peters/AP

On 31st July 2015 164 members of the international skydiving team broke the world record for skydiving formation, over Illinois USA. This was their 13th attempt to build a shape resembling a giant flower. The previous record was 138.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/gallery/2015/jul/31/world-record-skydiving-formation-in-pictures

-What is happening in this picture?
- The skydiving team are an "International" team, what does that mean?
- How did the team make this happen?
- Do you think anyone on the team said, "I'm not holding his hand because we are a different religion," or, "I'm not holding your hand because we are from a different country". Did anyone say, "We have skin that is a different colour so we can't hold hands"?
- What was the consequence when everyone worked together?
- How do you think the team felt when they were working together and skydiving?
-You can see one skydiver is apart from the group and has not made the formation. What do you think the others are shouting to that skydiver? Do you think someone let the skydiver in?
- What are we going to do in school this year to make sure we can work together like this?
- Why is this story about No Outsiders?

"No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the equality act in primary schools" by Andrew Moffat

"Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: Preparing young children for life in modern Britain" by Andrew Moffat

Aretha Franklin Respect

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2018/08/14/how-aretha-franklins-respect-became-an-anthem-for-civil-rights-and-feminism/?utm_term=.c1c3abd32b3b

Aretha Franklin is known as the Queen of Soul; she was a singer born in Memphis, America in 1942 who died on August 16th 2018. One of Aretha's most famous songs is called "Respect" and she recorded it in 1967 at the height of the civil rights movement in America. The song became an anthem for civil rights, race equality and gender equality.

Aretha sings: "R E S P E C T, find out what it means to me". The song was No1 in America for 12 weeks. At the time in America black people did not have equality; only ten years previously America was segregated meaning black and white people were not allowed to mix and in many places this continued. Aretha's Dad was a preacher and was famous for the line; "Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud!".Aretha's song "Respect" became an anthem for human rights across the world.

In the 1960s Aretha Franklin went on tour with Martin Luther King, singing at his rallies as he called for non-violence in the civil rights movement. She also sang at Martin Luther King's funeral in 1968. Aretha's funeral on August 31st was attended by ex-presidents, artists and over 1000 members of the public; it was televised across America and the world.

Aretha Franklin said, "We all want respect, man or woman, black or white. It's our basic human right."

Play Respect as children come in to the assembly

What do you see in the photo?
Who is it?
What do we know about this person by looking at the photo?

explain the picture

- Why do you think Respect became such a famous song?
- What do you think Aretha learned from her Dad?
- Why is Aretha's Dad saying he's proud to be black?
- Is the song only about Respect for black people?
- Why does Aretha say man or woman as well as black or white? Who else could she include if she said that today?
- Aretha says respect is a basic human right; what does she mean?
- What law in Britain talks about equality? Who is the law for? Who is included?
- What can we learn from Aretha Franklin?
- Why is this song and story about No Outsiders?

No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the Equality Act in primary schools by Andrew Moffat

Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: Preparing young children for life in modern Britain by Andrew Moffat