Season 2 episode 6 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we interview Kadeem, Nirad and Zahra from No More Exclusions.
“It goes back to how the teacher stands at the front. The students act to passively receive. We don't want to reproduce that amongst ourselves”
- Nirad
“Whether the law changes, and then the culture has to catch up, or whether we make it unconscionable to exclude and then the law catches up whenever it does. We don't mind ultimately. School exclusions will be abolished in this country in our lifetime”
- Zahra
Show notes, links
No More Exclusions Twitter, Instagram and Facebook + their website.
NME have a shop, a crowdfunder, a newsletter. Check out the work they're doing on a moratorium on school exclusions.
And also, the Soul Shack that Kadeem mentions!
We now have a Patreon! Please help keep the podcast going, at patreon.com/resistrenew. If not, there's always the classic ways to support: like, share, and subscribe!
Transcript
ALI
This is Resist + Renew,
KATHERINE
the UK based podcast about social movements,
SAMI
what we're fighting for, why and how it all happens.
ALI
The hosts of the show are
KATHERINE
Me, Kat.
SAMI
Me, Sami,
ALI
and me, Ali.
SAMI
I'm recording this now, baby!
ALI
Shit, it's a podcast!
SAMI
Right. So welcome everybody to the Resist+Renew podcast. And I am stoked today that we are interviewing and a group of people from No More Exclusions who I will get to introduce themselves in a second. But to kick us off, I will explain who No More Exclusions are.
They are an abolitionist grassroots coalition movement, focused around education. Their mission is to bring about an end to the persistent race disparities in school education in the next five years, and to effect change at legal policy, practice and cultural levels in education and society as a whole over the next 10 years - bold aims - and they want an education system that works for everybody.
So, not a small task. It'd be great if you can all introduce yourselves. Now, Kadeem, you good to kick us off?
KADEEM
Yeah, no problem. So my name is Kadeem. I've been organising with a number of students over the last three years. So I'd consider the work of No More Exclusions as closely in line with my life's work. Maybe seen as a troublesome student growing up now, obviously through that experience, I can see where the unaddressed issues are with the process of exclusions, and kind of what we need to do about stopping them.
SAMI
Amazing, thanks Kadeem. Nirad?
NIRAD
Yeah, thank you for having us on. My name is Nirad. I'm 22. Calling in from from Birmingham, where I grew up. I've been organising with No More Exclusions, mainly as part of the youth group for the past two years, since I graduated from university last year.
And it was really during that time, I was introduced, or at least that thought I was introduced to abolition. But it was really without the these past years of being part of No More Exclusions, as well as other groups. I wouldn't have developed an understanding of abolition, as it applies to the UK and as it applies to the so called education system.
SAMI
Amazing. Thank you Nirad. And last but not least: Zahra.
ZAHRA
Hey, I'm Zahra pronouns she her. I'm a recoveringteacher (all one word). I am one of the Co-founding members of No More Exclusions. And No More Exclusions is going to be three years old, so I've been here from the start next month. And I'm also a parent. I'm also a trade unionist, and a PhD student.
SAMI
Amazing. Thank you, everybody. And also, like I just realised, because I'm doing this introduction that we haven't mentioned that Katherine is also here. Classic, classic, classic, Resist+Renew podcast person.
And so Kadeem, can you kick us off? What what is what's going on with exclusions in the UK at the moment? Like, what is the situation that you are, as a collective, facing?
KADEEM
Or I'd say, like as a collective.
