Chiefs have detailed how education in West Dunbartonshire schools is working to stamp out racist and sectarian behaviour.
A report outlines how a suite of measures are in place to educate children, with schools developing their own projects.
Councillors had previously called for information on how the local authority is tackling the issue after reports of anti-catholic graffiti across the region.
In June, Councillor Karen Conaghan told members she had been contacted by “distressed” constituents over slogans being painted locally.
And Councillor Jim Bollan advised that he had witnessed such graffiti as members united in their condemnation of such acts.
They asked for detail on how the local authority is educating youngsters, as well as the policies and procedures in place to protect staff and citizens from sectarian behaviour.
The report, which will be discussed at a full council meeting on Thursday, states that schools provide learning content on religious and racial tolerance in line with the National Curriculum for Excellence.
Schools develop their own projects, with learning structured around defining racism and sectarianism, its impact and actions to take to deal with it.
Last year, all headteachers attended sessions provided by the organisation Show Racism the Red Card to support learning. Other resources used in West Dunbartonshire’s schools include Divided City a novel study which explores the issues of sectarianism in the context of Glasgow football clubs.
In 2019/20 the Mentors in Violence Prevention programme was also introduced into West Dunbartonshire mainstream secondary schools, which educates young people about mentoring and supporting their peers covering a range of social, emotional and behavioural issues.
They learn about how to respond appropriately and the impact of the ‘bystander approach’, taught that saying nothing and standing back are not the answer to witnessing racial and sectarian abuse.
The programme will restart in the next academic session. The report also outlines the council’s policies on marches and parades.
It states that the right of peaceful assembly is a fundamental right of a democratic society and adds that a code of conduct is in place, which includes routing information, which must be adhered to.
At the meeting in June, members unanimously agreed to write to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, justice secretary Keith Brown and equalities minister Christina McKelvie among others about their concerns.
Dumbarton member Karen Conaghan told how she was moved to raise the issue in order to represent everyone in her community and that she had been asked by several people over a number of years to act.
She said: “That’s just despicable in this day and age. I believe injustice needs to be tackled and this sort of bigotry and racism called out and addressed.
“Within our schools, our young people aren’t taught hatred. This sort of behaviour comes from somewhere.
“There are attitudes with our young people which are just unhealthy.”
