the times | Thursday November 25 2021 2GM 15
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heritage — but who have lighter skin —
have not been targeted by ASL to join.
It is difficult to avoid the conclusion
that ASL is not merely discriminating
against white children by operating
affinity groups from which they are
excluded, but also against lighter-
skinned people of colour.”
Another part of the document says
teachers are promoting and perpetuat-
ing “offensive and racially prejudiced
concepts derived from critical race
theory” and stifling expression of
opposing viewpoints. This has included
calling white people “oppressors” and
non-white people “oppressed”, and
invoking the concepts of “white privi-
lege”, “white fragility”, “white tears”,One of the most expensive day schools
in Britain has been accused of indoctri-
nating its pupils in critical race theory.
Testimonies shared among parents
of pupils at the American School in
London say their children have been
accused of “white fragility” and told on-
ly white people can be racist. They also
say that non-white pupils were recruit-
ed to “people of colour” affinity groups.
Robin Appleby, head teacher at the
ASL, will leave in January after accusa-
tions from parents about the school’s
approach to critical race theory.
However, parents say this will not
change the culture because Appleby
hired many staff who believe in the
same causes.
This week, according to parents,
some pupils were shown a video that
described Thanksgiving, which takes
place today, as a celebration of the mas-
sacre of indigenous people.
The private school in St John’s
Wood, north London, which charges
£32,650 a year and whose alumni
include the actress Kathleen Turner,
has pupils of 70 nationalities.
One parent said that those com-
plaining about the school were from a
variety of ethnic backgrounds and
did not want their children
segregated. Testimonies from
parents have been compiled into a
document seen by The Times.
It is understood that a separate
complaint has been sent to the edu-
cation department about the school.
One parent said in a testimony that
families wanted their children to grow
up colour-blind, not divided. Another
wrote: “During the past school year,
ASL has established racially segregat-
ed school clubs, referring to them as
‘affinity groups’. We are horrified by
this. We regard racially segregated
school clubs to be just as discrimi-
natory, offensive and immoral as
racially segregated lunch counters
and water fountains of the Jim
Crow-era USA.
“It has been reported to us by
parents with children who would be
considered to have darker skin that
ASL officials have been actively re-
cruiting them to the ‘people of colour’
affinity group. By contrast, children
who have South Asian and LatinoTop school accused of ‘racial indoctrination’
“inherited white guilt”, and “cultural
appropriation”. It said one pupil would
no longer participate in class debates
after being repeatedly accused by the
teacher of “white fragility” for asking
the “wrong” questions, while an En-
glish teacher had reportedly apologised
repeatedly to pupils for being white.
One father told The Times: “The
school is teaching them that white
children are oppressors and black
children are victims. It’s focusing on
differences. Most of us want to raise our
children to be colour-blind.”
Earlier this year, Hugh and Alexan-
dra Cochrane, who have two children
at the school, spoke of their concerns
after overhearing online lessons during
lockdown.
Mr Cochrane told GB News: “We
would hear teachers teaching things we
felt were politically motivated and
weren’t actually correct. Critical race
theory is not about equality, Martin
Luther King and the civil rights move-
ment, it’s about punishing people.”
A spokesman for ASL said: “We are
committed to building and sustaining a
diverse, equitable and inclusive school
community, and firmly believe that
this will lead to a better future for all our
children. Our families are supportive
of the school’s commitment to ensuring
a sense of belonging for all of our
students.”
A Department for Education spokes-
woman said: “Schools are required to
remain politically impartial and should
be mindful of the need to offer a bal-
anced presentation of opposing views,
when political issues are brought to the
attention of pupils.”Nicola Woolcock Education Editor
Robin Appleby, head teacher at the American School in London, is leaving in
January. Parents say pupils are encouraged to join racially segregated clubs