There’s a reason young athletes are told to “just stick to sport” when they comment about problems in society.
It’s because the people telling them to keep their opinions to themselves are embarrassed that it takes athletes to do their job for them.
First we had Marcus Rashford whose brilliant campaign to make sure children in poverty didn’t go hungry resulted in a change to Government policy.
And now it’s the turn of fellow footballer Troy Deeney.
The Birmingham City captain has launched a petition and written an open letter to Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi, asking for a mandatory change to the school curriculum so it is more diverse.
He wants children to learn about the history of different ethnic cultures from a young age in an effort to “combat racist beliefs and stereotypes”.
He said: “We need to lay a pathway for longer lasting change for our kids as I believe the current system is failing children from ethnic minorities.”
I have children in primary and secondary schools, and the only time they come home with subjects related to other cultures is black history month, when we get a Mary Seacole fact sheet or occasionally when it’s a religious festival like Eid.
My elder son took GCSE history and I remember thinking, as he studied fortresses, how is this relevant now? But if we accept that history is vital and learning about old Norman forts is important, then surely we must accept that it’s crucial that we learn about different histories.
At Troy’s school, and mine back in the day, black history amounted to being shown an episode of US slavery series Roots. No lessons about the rich royal histories of African kings and queens. Most people would leave school not knowing they ever existed. And that has an impact on how people from different backgrounds are viewed in the world.
So I’m glad to see Troy campaigning on this issue and it’s inspirational to see him using his platform for public good.
Education is a vital tool when it comes to fighting prejudice. And if you don’t believe Troy, believe the late, great Nelson Mandela who famously said: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
I hope Mr Zahawi is listening.
