Racist and anti-immigration views held by children revealed in study

[Luiz 4,253]

A survey of 6,000 schoolchildren has found widespread misconceptions about the number of immigrants and non-white people living in England, as well as negative attitudes towards Muslims and those born overseas.

The study, believed to be the largest of its kind to be carried out in the UK, found that 60% of the children questioned believed it was true that “asylum seekers and immigrants are stealing our jobs”, while 35% agreed or partly agreed that “Muslims are taking over our country”.

The research was carried out by the charity Show Racism the Red Card (SRTRC) and based on questionnaires sent to more than 60 schools around the country from 2012 to 2014.

Ged Grebby, SRTRC’s chief executive, said the findings raised serious questions about the information young people were getting from the media and sharing online, and warned that more needed to be done to prevent them succumbing to far-right ideologies.

“We have found that there is a large amount of negativity when young people are asked questions about immigration or Muslims,” he said. “This survey shows that this is fuelled by a totally distorted view of the number of immigrants and Muslims living in the UK.”

The study of 5,945 children aged from 10 to 16 at schools across England found:

The average estimate for the percentage of foreign-born people living in the UK was 47%. The true figure is 13%, according to the 2011 census.

28% believed jobs being taken by foreign workers might stop them reaching their goals, and 49% agreed that migration to the UK is out of control or not being managed properly.

Nearly a third agreed with the statement “Muslims are taking over England”, while 41% disagreed, and on average respondents thought Muslims made up 36% of the population, as opposed to the true figure of around 5%. Almost half [47%] agreed there are poor relations between Muslims and non-Muslims in England.

Many of those questioned were also pessimistic about their own futures, with more than a third – 35% – believing they would not achieve their potential at school, 40% stating they will not earn enough in the future, and 43% saying there is a lack of job opportunities.

full story   http://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/may/19/most-children-think-immigrants-are-stealing-jobs-schools-study-shows

[Oscar 1,031]

Interesting 

[Dangerous Man 9,245]

It's not surprising since the media rn is filled with negativity towards Muslims, thanks to ISIS and terrorism from Muslim countries.

 

But I don't agree that all Muslims are threats to humankind. Not all of them are extremists.

[ItsTommyBitch 12,640]

The power of indoctrination and biased media  

[Blade 5,603]

It's not surprising since the media rn is filled with negativity towards Muslims, thanks to ISIS and terrorism from Muslim countries.

 

But I don't agree that all Muslims are threats to humankind. Not all of them are extremists.

​true dat hun bun. I grew up in a muslim household. I am more of an atheist now and I can tell you that in elementary school, when I was in islam-class, everything that the teacher thought us was peace and to love everyone. 

Those terrorists who "kill in the name of allah" are sinners.They have no freakin clue what the islam is all about.

[StrawberryBlond 15,569]

You can see how the low self-esteem about their opportunities after school is being heavily transferred to their hatred of foreigners. When we have self-doubt, we tend to doubt others too. I notice that people who have confidence in themselves tend not to be racist or xenophobic because they don't view other people as threats.

I think a big part of why they think Muslims are taking over is because there are definitely ones who are here illegally. Speaking from my cousin's first-hand experience in Bradford, north England, which is a big hotspot for all immigrants, especially Muslims, a large amount of them in the area cannot speak English and have large families who are all living in one house and they're on welfare with no employment. Not saying all Muslims there are like that (my cousin's become so close-minded so moving there and tends to over-exaggerate) but there are a big number who are, the statistics of the area prove it. Illegal immigrants are not counted in the census reports, so I doubt there's as little as 13% foreigners in the country. But no, there's nowhere near 50%. Yet, that's still the figure that the public thinks there is. Don't they ever consider that some may simply be there on holiday/visting loved ones/going to university, just like we do when we go to foreign countries?

I do think they are right though about the way immigration is handled in the UK,though. I have no problem with immigration but it needs to be more restricted. We let anyone in and plenty of chancers are abusing our very generous welfare system by moving here, not trying to get a job and living off the taxpayer's money. Or they send the money to their family abroad. It's not the way things are meant to be. Everyone who's let in should be proficient in the language and they must get a job unless they have a proven disability. They should only be allowed to claim benefits once they've had at least one proper job previously. Asylum seekers should be allowed, but need to be sent back to their old home as soon as possible. Too many end up staying. The UK is a small country, a small island, and we can't keep letting more and more people in who have no reason to be here other than for an easy life. Our country's size and limited resources can't handle it.

[craig 680]

The power of indoctrination and biased media  

​Overall the media tries to persuade people the other way and demonize UKIP type views. Having lots of immigrants is GOOD for the elite classes because more competition for low wage jobs drives down wages.

[ItsTommyBitch 12,640]

​Overall the media tries to persuade people the other way and demonize UKIP type views. Having lots of immigrants is GOOD for the elite classes because more competition for low wage jobs drives down wages.

​I'm not really qualified to speak on the inns and outs of British politics or economy... but the media is a heavily indoctrinating, brain washing force in most all societies that have it I'm not entirely sure what your quote had to do with mine tbh  

[StrawberryBlond 15,569]

​I'm not really qualified to speak on the inns and outs of British politics or economy... but the media is a heavily indoctrinating, brain washing force in most all societies that have it I'm not entirely sure what your quote had to do with mine tbh  

​I think he meant that British media is not as extreme as right wing American media. We don't have crazy, Republican news organisations like Fox News in the UK, just neutral news channels who give you news without personal bias coming into it. We've got our more conservative leaning newspapers but even they don't say anything that could be percieved as racist (well, there's maybe 2 papers that do, but I won't name them in case I offend any readers - a courtesy that I wish more people would exercise). News of extremist Muslims will be reported on extensively but it's just reporting, not necessarily followed by hating on Muslims. The people do that for them. Just like the 9/11 bombings made a lot of Americans racist towards all Muslims, the 7/7 bombings in London and the murder of a British soldier by a Muslim extremist in broad daylight made a lot of Brits racist towards all Muslims. An unacceptable, but understandable reaction, in other words. The media didn't force them into believing this way - they witnessed it for themselves and reacted to it.

[Better Day 5,766]

It is true. Facism is on the rise here in Britain. 

[HighwayGuy 1,498]

I feel like all the news outlets are focusing on immigration too much, and none of them describe any positive benefits of immigration and simply state "immigration has raised again the Conservatives have failed" 

There's also a lot of racism towards muslims because of the media coverage of islamic extremists which people don't understand are completed unrelated to the dominant muslim religion

So yeah basically blame the media 

[Luc 4,776]

It's normal. Young kids lack the ability yet to look at things critically, realistically, lack historic knowledge and a lot more. Some people never find the ability to look at things realistically (far-right and far-left voters basically), some do. Kids are also prone to media attention, and probably consider muslims to be the biggest 'problem' in the country, and the think it's actually possinle to just remove everyone from the country and make them move back to Poland, Pakistan, Turkey, etc.