Black children think the police are racist. We must teach them about the 1980s

The relationship between the police and the black community in the 1980s was extremely problematic, and I have to say that I have sympathies for the rioters of yesteryear. But the question, as so many commentators keep ignoring, is whether our relationship with race in 2011 is the same as it was in 1980.

Once, I had a black author visit my school to talk to some of the black kids about the Brixton riots. He had extensive experience and knowledge of the riots. He naively explained to the kids that life for a young black man in the 1980s was tough, that he and his friends would get stopped by the police 5 times per day on average. The kids turned up their noses in disgust. They started muttering. This man had no idea! What did he know… old man! Life is hard for young black people on the streets because the police are racist!

So my guest apologised. He said he thought that things had improved, but perhaps not.

– Telegraph Blogs