School should be a place where all children have equal opportunities. A place where curiosity is encouraged, talents are discovered, and people are accepted in all their diversity. But for many students of color, Black children, and children with a migration background, the reality is different.
Racism in schools is not an isolated incident. It is structural. Systematic. And often invisible to those who don't experience it.
What the numbers say
Studies have shown for years that children with a so-called migration background or non-German-sounding names are disadvantaged – for example, in grading, recommendations for secondary schools or in dealing with teachers.
According to a study by the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency (2020), around 48% of students of color surveyed reported having experienced racism at school. The number is even higher for students who visibly belong to a religious minority—such as Muslim girls who wear headscarves.
And it's not just classmates who hurt students. Racist comments and microaggressions also come from teachers:
👉 Teachers who systematically underestimate children.
👉 Teachers who don't want to learn names.
👉 Teachers who remain silent when racist remarks are made – and thus become part of the problem.
What those affected report
Many affected people talk about the feeling of not belonging .
From the pressure of having to be twice as good to get half as much recognition.
🔸 "I always felt like I had to prove myself. No matter how good I was, I was never trusted to achieve the same things as my white classmates."
– Sara , 17, daughter of Syrian refugees
🔸 "My son was denied a recommendation for a Gymnasium (grammar school) in elementary school – even though his grades were good. We were told 'he wouldn't fit in there very well.'"
– Rahim , father of a Black boy
🔸 "A teacher asked in class whether girls were even allowed to go to school in my country. I was twelve."
– Aylin , 19, student from Berlin
These experiences are not exceptions – they are an expression of a system that follows white norms and devalues or “differentizes” everyone else.
When school excludes instead of supporting
Racism in schools doesn’t just affect individual children – it influences entire educational biographies.
Those who are constantly questioned lose self-confidence.
Those who never have role models begin to question themselves.
Those who are not seen at school sometimes lose faith in being seen.
What needs to change
-
Anti-racist school education:
Critique of racism belongs in every pedagogical training program. Teachers must learn to reflect on their own prejudices – and take responsibility. -
Diversity in textbooks and curricula:
Our classrooms are diverse—our school materials often are not. We need stories, perspectives, and role models that reflect all children. -
Safe spaces & contact points:
Children and young people must be taken seriously when they report discrimination. They need people they can trust and safe spaces – without fear of consequences. -
Black and migrant voices in education policy:
Those affected must be allowed to participate in decision-making. Whether in parent associations, education committees, or at the state level – we need more representation.
Education must not be a privilege
Access to equitable education should not depend on your name, where your parents come from, or what language you speak at home.
Education is a human right.
And anti-racist education is the prerequisite for this right to apply to everyone .
Racism in schools must no longer be a blind spot.
Not in the classrooms. Not in the teachers' lounges. And not in education policy either.
It's time to look.
It's time to listen.
And it's time to act.
For a school that doesn’t sort, but strengthens.
For a school that includes everyone.
—
Lauin from Equal Rebels
For an education that is fair. For everyone. 🖤📚✊
