Diversity in Primary Schools Leads to Tolerance

A new longitudinal study from the Universities of Sussex and Kent concluded that “The ethnic composition of primary schools has a direct impact on children’s attitudes towards those in other ethnic groups and on their ability to get on with their peers.” The lead researcher explained, “Our findings add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that the more contact children have with other ethnic groups, the more cross-group friendships they will have and the less prejudiced they will be.”

This isn’t rocket science; I’m sure most readers here could have guessed those conclusions. For the purposes of convincing politicians, educators, and the like with more than our personal experiences and opinions, though, studies like these are welcome. It doesn’t take too much of a leap to hypothesize, either, that the results of this study would likely hold for diversity in family structure as well. Dissertation research, anyone?