Child Q - BMSC statement

There was an alarming report in March 2022, that the Hackney police force put a 15-year-old young Black girl through the ordeal of a strip and search at the instigation of her school on the suspicion that she smelt of marijuana. What could have motivated this outrage on a person so young? There was a failure by the police and the school to follow correct procedures in handling this matter. Most regrettably, the search took no account that she was doing exams and on her menstrual cycle. Neither the school nor the police considered contacting her parents before the strip and search.

The failure to observe safeguarding rules by having a teacher present during the search is a gross dereliction of duty on the part of the school.

What accounted for the delay in disclosing this appalling incident? The incident occurred six months after George Floyd's murder by the US police, which sparked a worldwide protest against racist policing.

Were the school and the police trying to avoid the scrutiny they deserved?

Schools must take steps to prevent a child, regardless of race, from being subjected to such an ordeal at the hands of those who are supposed to protect them. The girl's experience at the hands of the police resurrects the long-standing criticism of the methods of policing Black people and their communities.

There has been an outpouring of dismay and incredulity in the Black Community at the gross indignation in the process in which this child was stripped and searched, which is akin to the way in which slaves were examined during sales at slave auctions during the slavery period.

Action is required from the government and the teachers' unions to prevent a repetition of this outrage.

Schools should ensure that their pool of teachers reflects the community they serve. Furthermore, Black teachers should hold positions of seniority to help guard against the overtly racist practice of the type experienced by Child Q.

UCU's black members' standing committee (BMSC) is concerned that, since the report's publication, there appears to be no national action on the way forward. In fact, it seems to be 'business as usual.'

The BMSC is demanding answers to the following questions:

• who authorised the search on Child Q?
• why was it deemed necessary to strip search Child Q?
• why were Child Q's mental health and wellbeing not considered?
• why was her situation not investigated after her examination?
• having interrupted her exam writing, whose bright idea was it to return her to the examination hall after subjecting her to a traumatic strip and search?
• why were the school teachers callous in treating her so humiliatingly?
• has OFSTED thoroughly reviewed the school's Safeguarding and Race Equality policies?
• who in the school is going to take responsibility for this debacle?

UCU and its BMSC stand in solidarity with Child Q's family and other families whose children are going through a similar experience in school.

UCU and its BMSC urge the school authorities to follow the families' demands for concrete actions in all areas of education and training. The BMSC supports the NEU statement and calls for an inter-union conference working across the unions on how to support children such as child Q.