Midland council plans to introduce gipsy awareness month

Jun 18 2009 by Chris Henwood, Birmingham Post

Black Country youngsters could be targeted in a bid to stamp out prejudice towards gipsy and traveller communities.

Sandwell Council is looking at introducing a gipsy awareness month every year from 2010 and plans to publish thousands of leaflets explaining why nomadic people are misunderstood. The project, put forward in a 40-page report of the authority’s equality and diversity panel, would also see the creation of a gipsy and traveller liaison officer – something the report claims is common among UK local authorities.

“Such celebrations can help myth bust, make individual communities feel part of the wider community and overall have a very real impact on community cohesion,” said the report, which also said the awareness month was already held nationally.

“Therefore the panel believes that in 2010 and subsequent years the council through its Communities Unit should run events in each of the six towns on Gipsy and Traveller History Month.”

It added: “Furthermore, these should be organised through consultation with members of the gipsy and traveller communities and if a Gipsy and Traveller liaison officer has been appointed, with their assistance.”

However, Fiona McEvoy, from the Taxpayers’ Alliance, described the project as a “politically correct whim”.

“It’s not for local councils to manipulate the school curriculum based on their latest politically correct whims, especially when educational standards are flagging,” she said.

“It is more vital than ever that our children receive a solid grounding in key subjects like maths, English, history and science.

“Schools should be using their taxpayer-funded resources to the optimum affect and that means prioritising some topics over others rather than stretching themselves trying to cater to each demographic within the class.”

The panel’s recommendations are expected to go before members of the authority’s ruling cabinet later this year.