Having spent the last several years studying a related practice - gender training for military and police peacekeepers - I have some thoughts on this... In short, this is a selective interpretation of research findings. 1/n https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-55309923

The decision to scrap training on the basis that it has not been proven to lead to behavioural change both places an unreasonable expectation on what training can achieve and rests on a reductive understanding of the nature of education. 2/n

First, of course training is not a sufficient for dismantling structural racism. These structures of oppression are more systematic than a few individual choices. This does not mean that education should not contribute to larger efforts. It is necessary but not sufficient. 3/n

Second, the idea that the effects of any training or education are so easily measurable and quantifiable after a single brief training session is misleading. The effects of education are diffuse and work in unpredictable ways. It may mean that what is needed is more training. 4/n

That this feature of education does not lend itself to a neoliberal cost-benefit calculation does not make it less true, and this of course links to problems with broader attempts to quantify and measure the outputs of all schools and higher education 5/n

I agree with @Halima_Begum that there is a danger that such training becomes corporatised - I’ve certainly seen comparable effects in peacekeeping - but that something can be done poorly does not automatically entail that it should not be done at all... 6/n

Seriously, again @BBCNews ? It took me exactly 5 seconds of research to learn that it is Dr Begum not Ms. This pattern of calling women with PhDs Ms while attributing Dr to men suggests some training in your newsroom couldn’t hurt! 7/n

All in all, while it may be hard to get excited about training - as limited and often compromised a measure as it is - this is a move by the government to dismantle anti-racist work. Don’t let the call for evidence of effectiveness fool you - this isn’t about doing better. 8/8