Johannesburg: Parents accuse school of racial segregation
A petition signed by parents asks why young children are being assigned to classes based on race
February 20, 2015
From: EWN
Johannesburg - Eyewitness News has learned that a group of almost 30 parents at a Pretoria private school have signed a petition about young children being assigned to classes based on race.
The parents are demanding an explanation from the Curro Foundation School in Roodeplaat and say it must act in accordance with the country’s Constitution.
But the school has denied any racial segregation and says it has worked out a formula to make sure that children, starting from grade R, don’t feel isolated and can make friends who share their culture.
In a petition to the principal, the parents demand to know why some classes are made up exclusively of black children, while white pupils are kept together.
They say separating children at such a young age perpetuates racial and cultural segregation and stunts the nation’s transformation.
But Curro Holdings’s André Pollard says that in some grades they have a very small number of white pupils who they try and keep together in one group.
He says once they have 12 or more children, they divide them equally into classes.
“It’s not because we would like to segregate the whites, it’s just because of friends. Children are able to make friends with children of their culture.”
A meeting to address this issue is due to take place at the school this evening.
(Edited by Tamsin Wort)