ETHNICITY AND EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE IN THE UNITED-KINGDOM - RACISM,ETHNICITY, AND VARIABILITY IN ACHIEVEMENT

This article examines recent research on the variability of educationa l performance in Britain. The composition of Britain's minority popula tion is reviewed, followed by a discussion of differences in attainmen t. The bulk of the article explores some of the social processes that lie behind the statistics, especially concerning teacher racism and st udent adaptations. The possibilities for improvement at the school lev el are considered briefly within the context of national reforms that prioritize market principles and marginalize equality concerns.