Tough love is still love

For many years now reports and surveys have shone a light on the plight of white, working-class children in our schools.

We know they perform more poorly than any other demographic and that the problem is generational.

And we know that if children come out of school without qualifications and being unable to read and write properly, they will probably be poor for life – and so will their children.

Why do ethnic minorities do so much better than the white working class?

Education is more often a far more important priority for black and Asian parents.

They are either first, second, or third-generation British citizens, and many families know that, where they come from, life is tough.

There is often little or no social services, and a life on state handouts is not possible.

Be educated or starve and suffer – this is the mantra that many of these people know only too well.

In Britain, generations have lived under a welfare state, which for many has become a lifestyle choice.

They know that if they don’t work, they will receive somewhere to live and benefits. And their children will also bring in money to the home.

And when children grow up in a home – often a single-parent home – funded entirely by benefits, they will be more likely to follow suit.

And thus, a cultural problem has become embedded deeply in the psyche of many white British people. It leads to apathy.

I have seen it. Why, some parents ask, should my children bother with school and passing exams? After all, I didn’t.

The focus on ‘white privilege’ has not helped. There are many underprivileged white children in the UK, and to be told you are among the privileged is ridiculous.

This is not to minimise the effects of racism and its legacy. However, there needs to be a balanced approach that is not led by an ideological push in this direction.

Recognition of the problem is the first step to solving it. We need to value every child’s education, and where there are particular challenges, money needs to follow.

The most important thing is to tackle the problem early. Children must be numerate and literate by the end of the primary school years. The current government is more interested in inclusivity and sexual politics than focussing on the basics.

The welfare state needs to be designed so living on benefits cannot be a lifestyle choice. If parents work, children will be more likely to follow.

Schools and teachers must be ambitious for white working-class students – Oxford and Cambridge should not be ruled out because they are ‘elitist’.

And parents must be encouraged to understand the benefits of education.

It is staggering that a quarter of children start school without being potty-trained.

Parents must be told that this is their job, not the job of teachers.

And they must be told to help their children with their schoolwork – this is their job.

Tough love is still love.

Ends