No Total Safety Without Total Inclusivity

Posted on: November 28, 2022

Dr Stephen M. Whitehead

One of the most important and much needed changes to occur in education over the past decade has been the introduction of safeguarding and student protection – ensuring a school or university has the necessary systems and procedures in place to protect students both physically and online.

It used to be that almost any individual with a half-decent CV and claiming to have teaching experience, could land a job in an international or independent school without too much scrutiny as to their professional background. Thankfully, this is no longer the case. Similarly, most university leaders will regard their institutions as safe places for staff and students.

So why is it then that over the past year and more we have witnessed a growing chorus of global protests against perceived injustices, effectively abuses against students and staff, in many of those very same schools and universities?

From accusations of racism and homophobia to protests against the dominance of ‘whiteness’ in management, from student mental health concerns to ‘predatory male academics’ few schools and universities can claim to be fully functioning, protecting, ‘safe’ institutions.

The answer to that question lies in one’s understanding of the term ‘safeguarding’.

Educational leaders and managers have not needed to be convinced of the necessity to protect students from potential sexual predators, this has been vitally clear from the outset. After all, who wants their institution to be in the news for all the wrong reasons?

But trying to convince those same leaders and managers of the need for ‘Total Inclusivity’ is a much tougher task. They don’t see the risk, they don’t get the message, or maybe they care but don’t see it as a priority.

However, it is certainly a priority for many of their students and staff, both current and past.

Increasingly, the world of education is being called out over its lack of inclusivity, effectively its lack of safeguarding. I know because I have talked to the leaders of many such institutions, leaders shocked to find that what they imagined was a safe, protected, inclusive learning community, was for many students and staff, anything but.

And make no mistake, these leaders are in a state of shock.

The hastily created ‘inclusive and diversity’ statements posted on institutional educational websites over the past few months is merely a public attempt to ameliorate a deeply rooted problem. It is a problem that goes to the heart of not just education, but the value system of our profession.

However, the good news is that while the problem is embedded in institutional myopia, ignorance, and in a few instances, resistance, naming the problem is easy.

‘There can be no safeguarding without Total Inclusivity’

To imagine otherwise is to fail to understand both safeguarding and inclusivity.

If a student, or staff member, is not safe within their identity, then you no longer have a learning community. What you have is a division of identities, a social hierarchy, where some identities are more valued, protected, respected, recognised, and elevated than others. That cannot be acceptable, and it cannot be permitted by any educationalist, and certainly not those institutions claiming to be educating the ‘global citizens and leaders of tomorrow’.

Implementing safeguarding procedures is relatively straightforward. For the simple reason that doing so in no way challenges an institutional culture nor the assumptions of the individual.

In short, safeguarding is like cherry pie – everyone likes it.

But not everyone likes Total Inclusivity. Why? Because it requires the institution and every member contributing to it, to agree to this simple but profound statement:

‘Total Inclusivity means recognising, valuing, protecting and nurturing diverse identities, including those of race, gender, sexual orientation, class, disability, age, religion and language.’

Unlike safeguarding, which can be added on to an institutional system without requiring all staff to reflect on their identity and any associated privileged status, Total Inclusivity requires change in people, not just systems.

So how can a school or university implement Total Inclusivity?

1.     By networking, sharing, supporting and advocating.

2.     By learning and developing ourselves and our organisations.

3.     By being uncompromising and persistent.

4.     By challenging inequitable practice, attitudes, stereotyping and racial, sexual assumptions.

5.     By promoting those identities which are not privileged, which are vulnerable, and which are marginalised.

6.     By creating teaching and learning systems which put the development of emotional intelligence above all other intelligences.

How does Total Inclusivity link to the individual?

1.     Recognise that institutions do not create change, people create change.

2.     Accepting that the primary aim of education must be the development of the individual while recognising how our personal and professional actions shape learning communities.

3.     Be the change you want to see in your school, college, or university, and in your students.

4.     Recognise your privilege; reflect on that privilege; react to any sense of entitlement and build your narrative to embrace Total Inclusivity.

How does Total Inclusivity link to Safeguarding?

1.     Recognise that while ‘safeguarding’ of both staff and students is not only worthwhile but an essential, vital aspect of the whole school operation, safeguarding without Total Inclusivity is like locking the door to your home and leaving all the windows open.

2.     No one is safe unless they are safe and secure in their identity.

3.     For schools and universities to be safe places for all, Total Inclusivity must be the foundation of the whole learning community.

So, carry on safeguarding, but put Total Inclusivity first, not last. Without Total Inclusivity your instituting is failing. Recognise Total Inclusivity to be not only a right for all people, but an absolutely essential resource which benefits everyone.

 Note: For detailed information and guidance on how to implement Total Inclusivity in your school or university see the following books:

Whitehead, S. and O’Connor, P. (2022) ‘Creating a Totally Inclusive University’ Routledge

Aow, A., Hollins, S. and Whitehead, S. (2022) ‘Becoming a Totally Inclusive School’. Routledge.