Ethical arguments related to racial discrimination
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain racism and key ethical arguments about justice and equality.
Key learning points
- Racism can be individual or systemic, rooted in bias, history and structures, and continues despite legal protections.
- White privilege and positive action reveal ongoing inequality and ways to address it.
- Windrush, the Bristol Bus Boycott and Black Lives Matter expose past and present racial injustice.
- Ethical responses include human rights, virtue ethics and utilitarianism.
- Key debates include fairness in positive action, limits on racist speech, and the role of anti-racism.
Keywords
Discrimination - actions that come from prejudice attitudes
Equality - belief that everyone is equal in value and worth
Justice - what is right and fair
Positive action - taking steps to support underrepresented groups, such as encouraging applications from ethnic minority candidates in fields where they are underrepresented
Racism - prejudice, discrimination or hostility directed at someone based on their race, ethnicity or skin colour
Common misconception
Racism only exists when someone deliberately says or does something hateful.
Racism can also be unconscious, indirect or systemic. It includes things like biased policies, underrepresentation, microaggressions and privilege.
Teacher tip
An explanation of white privilege is included, although this is not required and so could be removed from the lesson if necessary.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
5 Questions
Q1.What was the main goal of the Equal Pay Act?
Q2.Subtle gender can continue even after laws are passed to promote equality.
Q3.What do humanists use as the basis for promoting equality?
Q4.What do feminist theologians challenge within Christianity?
Q5.Which Christian denomination does not allow women to become priests?
Assessment exit quiz
5 Questions
Q1.Match each term to its correct meaning.
actions that come from prejudice attitudes
the belief that everyone is equal in value and worth
what is right and fair
Q2.Racism can be individual or ...
Q3.Why is white privilege sometimes invisible to those who have it?
Q4.The Bristol Bus protested against racial discrimination.
Q5.What are microaggressions?
To help you plan your 11 religious education lesson on: Ethical arguments related to racial discrimination, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 religious education lesson on: Ethical arguments related to racial discrimination, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 religious education lessons from the Religion, human rights and social justice unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.