Category: ACERT

Ruby-Leigh Smith

I thank God that kids aren’t in school right now. After Thursday’s airing of Channel 4’s ‘Dispatches: The Truth of Traveller Crime’, I wouldn’t go back to school for a week. When a program like that has been aired, it is always seen by the parents of children that I go to school with. They spread their hate to their children. It is seen by the children themselves a lot of the time as well. Let the racist comments begin.

And everytime something like that is aired, the levels of racism go up. Not to the point where I am openly targeted in the playground, canteen or classroom, but more to the point where people ask me if it is true, and there are racist slurs written on bathroom stalls.

Disgusting.

How could I be expected to go to school and have to face this?

The Gypsy Roma Traveller community has so many battles to fight. And now they have another one – against Channel 4.
How dare Channel 4 air this program. They have set our community back by decades. Any battles which we have won in the past have been wiped from memories as we face racist comments on social media and in real life as a result. One Twitter user, after the show was aired, posted, ‘​I’ve never wanted a certain group of people to get wiped out by coronavirus so much #dispatches​’.

I ask why there has been no legal action taken against posts like these. I ask why there is currently no legal action being taken against Channel 4 for producing and airing such a vile, vulgar and vindictive program.

I ask why this program was not filtered and changed. Why is it okay to air such a one-sided program on our community?

Why is racism at ​our​ culture the last acceptable form?

There has been a wave of anger and frustration that Channel 4’s ‘Dispatches: The Truth about Traveller Crime’, shown Thursday 16th April at 9.00pm, once again perpetuated crude racist stereotypes and generalisations under the guise of a serious documentary.

ACERT and other organisations have been wary of cooperating with C4, especially since Big Fat Gypsy wedding did so much damage. Pauline Anderson, Chair of the Traveller Movement, contributed to the programme and made a strong case for educational inclusion and opportunities, but her contributions were cut with footage which effectively undermined and contradicted what she had said.

For those of you who saw the broadcast, you’ll know it was an unbalanced and damaging portrayal of Gypsy and Traveller people which has set excellent community cohesion work back by 20 years. Since the broadcast aired, we’ve seen an alarming spike in hate speech against Gypsy and Traveller communities on social media. Given that Gypsies and Travellers already experience very high levels of racism and discrimination, this is indeed worrying and totally unacceptable.  

The Travellers Movement request for solidarity and support

If you saw the programme you may wish to make you views known:

– Tweet your condemnation, tag Channel 4 and Ofcom. Please also tag TTM (@GypsyTravellerM) and use the hashtag #AfterDispatches

– Write a letter of complaint to Channel 4. Submit your complaint online here:  https://www.channel4.com/4viewers/contact-us

– Lodge a complaint with Ofcom – you can submit the complaint in the link below. It only takes a few minutes. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and-on-demand/how-to-report-a-complaint

The Traveller Movement has issued a press release at:

https://travellermovement.org.uk/news-news/129-traveller-movement-s-response-to-channel-4-s-dispatches-the-truth-about-traveller-crime

The Traveller Movement and ACERT took the lead in highlighting the particular impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, school closures and lockdown on the education of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children.

The letter highlighted the potential impact of disrupted education on an already low achieving group, subject to low teacher expectations and digital exclusion.

It mentioned the impracticality of social isolation for many families as well as the caring roles taken by some children. It also expressed concern that the education of some students may not restart after the disruption.

It is crucial that the government ensure that the educational gaps Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children already face are not widened further by the response to the pandemic. 

Coronavirus: School Pupils Lacking Internet Access Could Fall Behind

Travellers’ Times  Coronavirus special edition

full of news & useful information about how to stay safe and well during this crisis is now available as a PDF to download from their website https://www.travellerstimes.org.uk/…/TT-Corona-final-final-…Printed copies are available free of charge and can be posted directly to home addresses please email travellerstimes@ruralmedia.co.uk 

National Autism Awareness Month podcast

Did you know April was National Autism Awareness Month? To mark the occasion Travellers’ Times wanted to share with you a TUMLUT podcast by producer  Regina Fisch in conversation with Romani activist, advocate and mother of three Nikki Hughes. 

This is a must-listen for anyone wanting to find out more about autism. In this podcast Nikki openly shares her experiences on the pathway to her adult diagnosis and discusses her day to day experiences as an autistic person and all the things she wishes people would know about autism – they cover everything from race, ethnicity, culture, ableism, and the importance of community. 
Depending on your personal preference you can listen to the podcast on any of these major podcast platforms,   Spotify Apple Podcasts Breaker Google Podcasts Overcast and Radio Public. 

You can also follow Nikki on Facebook and Instagram @autisticlifeinmotion.  

Tutors for Covid

Traveller Movement  RomBelong (Kings College London) ‘Tutors for GRT’ has set up an initiative that seeks to provide free tutors for families who might be struggling to home school their children during Covid-19 school closures. 
They have DBS checked tutors who have offered to provide free tutoring. They are currently open for referrals, so if you know any families who would benefit from this program you can simply ask them to either call/text this mobile number 07527486856 They can also be reached on The Traveller Movement’s Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.