Mind the Gap, Episode 22 — Accelerating Diversity and Equity in Schools with Bennie Kara

Episode Overview

• This episode features a discussion with Bennie Kara, a deputy headteacher and author, about her work on integrating diversity into the school curriculum.
• The conversation explores the core concepts of "usualizing" diversity—reflecting the varied realities of society as commonplace—and intersectionality, the idea that individuals hold multiple overlapping identities.
• Practical strategies for diversifying the curriculum are discussed, emphasizing expansion and enrichment of content rather than replacement.
• The ultimate goal of this work is to ensure all students see themselves represented in what they learn, fostering a sense of belonging and making them feel "part of the story."

Key Concepts

• Usualising Diversity: Shifting the focus from what is "normal" to what is "usual" in a diverse society, acknowledging and reflecting the wide range of family structures, relationships, and identities as a commonplace reality.
• Intersectionality: The recognition that individuals are not defined by a single characteristic but by the complex overlap of multiple identities, such as race, gender, sexuality, and ability.
• Curriculum as Expansion: The philosophy that diversifying the curriculum is about adding breadth, richness, and more perspectives to the existing content, not about removing or replacing established topics or texts.
• Parallel Stories: A practical strategy for curriculum diversification where teachers highlight the simultaneous, valid experiences of different groups within a single historical event (e.g., teaching about both white British and Sikh soldiers in WWI).
• The Importance of Representation: The fundamental need for students to see their own heritage, culture, and identity reflected in the curriculum to feel present, validated, and part of the collective story.
• Systemic Support for Teachers: The necessity for strong leadership and a supportive school environment to empower teachers to navigate the complexities of this work, creating a safe space for difficult conversations.

Quotes

• At 1:06 - "You hadn't seen yourself kind of reflected back to you in the texts that you were asked to read." - Tom Sherrington recalls the powerful message from Bennie Kara's talk that first caught his attention.
• At 3:30 - "The specialism really is the curriculum aspect of this work." - Bennie Kara clarifying that her primary focus is on how to embed diversity into the core content of what is taught.
• At 8:31 - "...what about this intersectional space? What about the overlaps?" - Bennie Kara explaining the foundational question that led to the creation of the DiverseEd movement.
• At 20:30 - "Actually in our society, it is usual to see a family that looks a certain way... to see couples that look a certain way." - Bennie Kara explains the shift in language from defining "normal" to acknowledging the diverse realities that are "usual."
• At 22:29 - "It's not about a replacement culture... It's not about sort of saying, let's remove this and put that in there instead. It's actually, let's just add that breadth, add that richness to the conversations that we have." - Emma Turner frames curriculum diversification as an act of expansion and enrichment, not substitution.
• At 25:27 - "All I want to know is that I'm part of the story. I don't want to know that I created the story... but I want to feel present." - Bennie Kara powerfully articulates the core human need for representation and belonging that an inclusive curriculum can provide.
• At 26:52 - "It's not a box-ticking exercise, is it Bennie? It's not, right, I've had this conversation, we've made this curriculum... we're done." - Emma Turner emphasizes that building a diverse curriculum is an ongoing, responsive process requiring vigilance, not a one-time task.
• At 27:22 - "I think you genuinely can't do it on your own... people do need to feel safe to do this work." - Bennie Kara stresses the importance of systemic and leadership support for teachers undertaking this challenging work.

Takeaways

• Shift your school's language from "normalizing" diversity to "usualizing" it, framing a wide range of human experiences as common and expected.
• Approach curriculum review with a goal of expansion; seek out "parallel stories" and additional perspectives to enrich existing topics rather than replacing them.
• Ensure that diversity initiatives move beyond single-issue thinking by actively considering the intersectional nature of identity in all students and staff.
• Recognize that diversifying the curriculum is a continuous process of learning and refinement, not a one-time task with a fixed endpoint.
• School leaders must proactively create a safe and supportive environment, providing the necessary resources and backing for teachers to confidently engage in this work.