Bernard Coard - Educator, Author, and catalyst for change in Black education

Bernard Coard is a Grenadian-born educator whose pioneering work in the UK exposed systemic racism in the British education system. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, as a teacher and youth worker in London, Coard highlighted the disproportionate placement of Black Caribbean children into “Educationally Sub-Normal” (ESN) schools and provided the evidence that communities and parents needed to challenge this injustice. His research became a cornerstone for the Black Parents Movement and influenced significant reforms in anti-racist and multicultural education policies.

Bernard Coard was born on 10 August 1944 in Victoria, Grenada. He attended Grenada Boys’ Secondary School, where he developed an early interest in politics, social justice, and community activism. He went on to study sociology and economics at Brandeis University in the United States before moving to the UK in 1967 to study political economy at the University of Sussex. While living in London, he married Phyllis Coard and began working as a teacher and youth organiser, laying the foundation for his advocacy against racial discrimination in schools.

Between 1967 and 1971, Coard worked in schools and youth clubs across South London. His firsthand experience revealed widespread institutional racism. IQ testing and teacher referrals were being used to place disproportionate numbers of Black Caribbean children into ESN schools, originally designed for pupils with severe learning difficulties. This practice limited the children’s educational opportunities and affected their long-term social mobility.

In 1971, Coard published his influential pamphlet, How the West Indian Child Is Made Educationally Sub-normal in the British School System. The work revealed that schools, local education authorities, and psychologists often mislabelled West Indian children due to racial bias rather than ability. Coard wrote:

“The children are therefore made neurotic about their race and culture. Some become behaviour problems as a result. They become resentful and bitter at being told their language is second-rate, and their history and culture is non-existent.”

The pamphlet made this evidence accessible to parents and community organisations, sparking mass mobilisation and enabling the Black Parents Movement to campaign against discriminatory practices and demand systemic change.

Coard’s research provided the Black Parents Movement and other grassroots organisations with the evidence needed to challenge racism in schools. Groups such as the Caribbean Parents Group and supplementary school initiatives drew on his analysis to develop curricula, organise advocacy campaigns, and support parents in navigating the education system.

His work also influenced national policy. The 1985 Swann Report confirmed the structural barriers faced by Black students, challenged racist myths about intelligence, and informed anti-racist and multicultural educational policies in the UK. Coard’s findings continue to underpin efforts to address inequalities and promote inclusive education.

Bernard Coard’s work remains central to understanding and combating racism in education. By exposing the mechanisms that disadvantaged Black Caribbean children, he enabled parents, educators, and community organisations to take action and advocate for equality. His research continues to inspire educators, activists, and policymakers committed to ensuring that all children have access to a fair and inclusive education.

Source:

• Coard, Bernard. How the West Indian Child Is Made Educationally Sub-normal in the British School System, 1971

• BBC One. Subnormal: A British Scandal, 2021