Looking back on Tuesdays Values lesson, it is clear to say that it was thought-provoking and eye-opening. For me, Racism has always been thought of something that happened many years ago and has been always been unacceptable for as long as I have known. However, I also knew that this was not the case for everyone as racist behaviour and words are still common in the present day.

By looking at racist incidents in the past such as the brutal murder of Emmet Till, we could all strongly agree this was unnecessary and inhumane. However, despite the shocking case of Till, racism continues in the present day and we can see things haven’t completely moved on. A present day example of racism could be as relevant as this year, 2018. This would be through the rise of Islamophobia due to misinformation in the news and media. However, this is no excuse for the racist behaviour.

In the future when working as a professional I hope to teach children that inclusion in everyday life is one of the most valuable attributes to have. Whether this inclusion is for people of different races, gender, sexuality or anything else, I want to teach acceptance for everyone. I believe that the best way to do this is to teach children at a young age that it is ok to be different, in fact, it should be celebrated as we are all unique.

Therefore, this values lecture not only opened my eyes to the wider picture of discrimination but has also motivated me to make a difference. I hope to challenge discriminative thoughts of anyone who holds them and to stand up for equal rights to everyone.