Bethan
I think this is an awful idea as where i live in newcastle there are very few other people with african or caribbean roots. I went to the second biggest comprehensive in the city and there was only one black boy in my year and if he had a class all to himself that would totally fuel racism from parents in my area when classes are so overcrowded already.

i definitely think more black teachers are needed though coming from a mixed race background i found it very odd not having anyone who shared my heritage to look up to other than my mum. also what about mixed race boys? do white people not realise that they are equally white and black?would they be put in 'black boy' classes?

melissa
well i kinda think its gud cos they get better at work and thing but they might not make friend with people from the other race and you have to think am i going to involve mixed race kids in this class or not but i would like to see it tested

Tom
why is everyone saying black? Surely it is Afro-Carribbean or more precisely Jamaican teenage boys we are talking about. Many black communities thrive with far better results than white kids especially East and South Asian and African.

D-Amatey
I have read most of the comment and believe that it would be beneficial to separate black students from white. I have gone through the education system and it is extremely racist it either makes you or breaks you. I mean that in the sense you work harder or switch off.

I think for black education really to take effect you need to start at primary schools because from there you experience racism to a degree. I remember a incident were a white male called me a "black monkey" so as a kid I called him a "white monkey". Now who had to stand outside the principals office until my mum who was called to come a collect me about the issue?

That is just one of many stories I have experienced or heard that I will never forget. Also a problem for many black males is they have no solid father-figure at home who can give them that guidance that a mother can’t. My people stay strong the system will just make you stronger.

melissa denvir
definitely. if it means that black boys can get along with there work without bein picked on and called names then they should separate them if it means to get them higher grades and a better education. also you should ask them and take in there opinions and how they feel about it. but i literally hate racism and if this will work then go ahead do ur thing cause black is beautiful.

Andrew D
It's all very well saying that everyone is the same, but I think most reasonable people would admit there are differences in attitude and culture between white and black. If you have shops, clothes, radio stations and TV programs for each, why not schooling?

Maybe the kids/teens would be better getting culture-specific tuition? I think everyone realises that separating back and white kids causes a new set of problems, but maybe it's not as bad as having both black and white boys reaching adulthood with a confrontational, street culture view of life.

strudey
separating people on the grounds of race can never do anything except fuel racism and bigotry. in this case it will be even worse, because black guys could end up feeling that they are somehow less than whites who stay in 'normal' classes. whatever the reasoning behind this move, it can lead nowhere positive.

marc from germany
It has nothing to do with color, it's all about teaching standards in inner cities and how teachers need to better communicate with their pupils. And at the same time politicians need to be taught that colour is only a colour and nothing to do with intelligence or behaivour!

courtney
i think that this is a stuiped idea if black boys want to learn they will. if there farthers want to go there sons parent evenings they will. seperate them and it will make them feel dum but if you keep them in the class with the others it might make them get higher grades.

Kevin Matthews
Trevor Phillips highlights many problems that african carribean boys are currently going through.The failure of a generation of young black boys to achieve credible academic achievement is serious the implications go far and wide.

The facts are the educational system has failed young black boys and Afro/Carribean families should have a choice to educate their children in a different structure. Just as Muslim children who are predominantly Asian have. Tony Blair wants to create choices for families on education - we must push for him to create choices for afro/carribean families as well.

Kwabena
If Jewish boys are educated separately if Musilim boys are educated separately, if Hindi boys are educated separately and if there is an American school in London for children of Americans only who live in this country, then why is it wrong to have African-Caribbean boys educated separately if the result is an improvement in the overall levels of attainment of African-Caribbean boys?

Seems to me that those who are against this are against African-Caribbean people doing well in life per se and want us to fall into their stereotyped vision of what a African-Caribbean person should be.

vanessa
i think this is a stupid and offensive idea. i didn't know that we had rewound and started back with segregation. instead of trying to label black youths as 'problem children' they should start working with them and trying to make things better. instead of pushing black people to the side as usual. start working with them and see why they aren't doing as well. and yes i know der are some lazy black boys out there doing nothing, but for the majority there is more to it.

Anthony Shepherd
I no longer live with my parter of 5 years and my son I admit is doing badly at school. I do attend parents evenings when I can (as I live outside London whereas my son is in school in Camden). he is being home tutored after school and I see him practically all weekends, but the fact is that schools these days are a soft touch for pupils.

all this politically correct nonsense are to blame. More parent interaction instead of computer games and American TV. We just have to face facts that it's up to the individual to learn you can't force your kids these days or you'll probably end up in prison. As a black man I would not send my child to only black classes or schools.

Matthew
i'm white but i think this is a ridiculous idea. i agree with Yemi that "doing well academically isn't cool" is a western attitude but it doesn't matter what skin colour you have it's all about attitude. Segregation will solve nothing but will lead to racism as whites may regard the black class as some kind of "dunce" class. Students should be streamed on academic ability not skin colour.

nai
I am a black girl and i honestly thing a class room full of black boys will do more harm than good. they will all relate to each other and feed of each other, this could backfire causing more disruption than before

Anita
was goin on ppl. seprating black boys from white people standard! dat aint helping no body if anyting all its gon do is start trouble coz its RACIST! standard its got nuttin to do wid da colour of da pupils dere jus as many white boys and any colour girls redy to start trouble when dere ready. Im a mixed race girl a if i woz 1 of da boys gettin seperated from every 1 other than my gender an race i would act worse. i dont appreciate it i dont think they should have to

It dont matter whether theyre blue, black, white, green or mixed when kids choose to misbeahave das exactly wot there gon do soon dery will have white schools and black schools why? just so the white and black pupils could supposedly do better it just isnt necessary or right! first we have black and white people are not equal and men and women are not equal now back to the black and white its a vicious cycle that we dont need to follow.

Samantha
The suggestion to separate our black men is absolutely ridiculous and would be fuelling the racism that is already still very prevalent in our society. I am a black female and I am a fully qualified lawyer. My brother passed his GCSEs with flying colours. I have a black boyfriend who is an engineer and know many other black men who are successful. My parents always encouraged education and pushed us to succeed.

The way forward is surely to continue to encourage our already intelligent race, rather than make them feel different because of the colour of their skin. More role models are definitely needed and if the saying is “being clever has never been cool” then the way forward has got to be to change this mis-conception amongst ALL young people.

As black people, we continually fight for equality to beat racism and prejudice opinions and we simply cannot back a suggestion that will negate all our past and future hard work. We as black people will and can succeed. Finally the idea to stop contact if a black father does not attend parent meetings is the wrong way forward. I can not see how two wrongs can make a right, surely the right way forward would be to emphasis the importance of parent evenings.

nai
black boys are as capable as the next person. if they are singled out they will think they are special case. the majority are more than capable and in todays society it can't be blamed on the background because people of all races have difficulties. Its an idea that may work but in the longrun its a bad idea.

Danny Johnson
This is only playing into the hands of the right wing. I can only believe that Trevor suggested this as some kind of shock therapy to get us (black ppl) to focus on the subject. The problem lies with us as parents the sooner we give education a top prioriy at home and actively help and encourage our youth the better for all. PARENTS WAKE UP TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!!

Dan Pollard
If I was black and was told to go to a different classroom to the other boys just to learn English, I would be highly offended. It sickens me to even think this is even being suggested, let alone implemented.

Anita
Although I can understand Trevor Phillips frustration and subsequent comments, segregation cannot be the answer, the answer may lie in more black male teachers, curriculum changes that take into consideration vocational studies and an understanding of certain boys circumstances at home e.g lack of male role models, financial hardship making the thought of further education imposible or the lack of a mentor.

Black boys and black adults find it hard to be accepted in a system geared towards their white counterparts anyway so to segregate them at a school age will only harden this attitude. Surely the school system should be trying it`s very best to ensure that all see themselves equal in the eyes of society.

Lionel
I think this is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. I am a black man and recieved 7 A grades in GCSE and so did many of my friends who are black. This will only demonise black boys and make more young black youth feel like they are failures. There are no positives to this argument and I am ashamed this came from a black man.

Yemi
This proposal goes against everything our black ancestors all over the world have fought and died out. By separating black boys in school, we could be fuelling racism and segregation in our society. In my opinion, the view that "doing well academically isn't cool" is a western attitude, not found in African/Carribean countries. I have had the benefit of growing up in both environments (Nigeria and England); and can say from 1st hand experience that back home, nobody wants to be associated with academically underperforming students.

I actually believe that alot can be learnt by integrating with people from other cultures. Perhaps the reason we're not performing so well, is that we're too insular? Yes, I agree that we all need positive role models, but many have achieve great hieghts without that privilege. We need to change our way of thinking, and determine to succeed no matter the odds

olumide adefope
As a "black boy" myself I believe separate classes plan will be of more harm to society than improve our "game". The attitude that it isnt cool to study is a problem children of all races face because study = work = effort = not cool.

I am at university right now but at school things are only cool when it looks like its done easy. Unless the government wants to control kids minds this problem cannot be solved by any advertising strategy. I agree with the positive role model approach but the real issue i think is teachers/government assume black children are slower and therefore do not drive them as hard to succeed.

In my case i found school work so easy i didnt do any as i began to assume real life would be the same. In school teachers need to focus equally on all students in the same class and not create a generation of black men who feel seperated from the rest of society.

Tanisha
how i c it is that the government is quick to label any black child girl or boy, and white ppl might become more racist towards black pl in genral. I TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH THIS