Reading reports on a teacher spraying Asian pupils with air freshener because they smelt of curry, illustrates just how much more work has to be done in the UK to boost society understanding of culture and equality, otherwise known as cultural competence.

That this goes on at all, is shocking, that it is happening in schools where teachers have a platform with which to actually impact on the growing up of future generations, well that's just sad. According to the Telegraph report, an inner-city primary school in Swansea is responsible for employing the ignorant teacher at the centre of the issue, how will this school move forward?

Will it put up its hands and take responsibility, then urge its board, council, governors (or whoever holds the purse), for funding to re-educate and train its teachers on how to bring equality management into the classroom?

We certainly hope so.

There needs to be a wider understanding of how our behaviour impacts others in the workplace, and there also needs to be a far greater understanding of what is right and what is wrong at work. The problem for many is that they simply don't understand, and when we see news reports or read them in the paper there is a genuine apology staring back at us.

It probably is genuine, and it's genuine because the perpetrator didn't understand the impact of their comments or behaviour, and more to the point they didn't know they had stepped beyond the boundaries. Don't just use equality training to show employees what is right and what is wrong, use it to show people where the boundary line is today.

If you haven't noticed, it's moved.

Karen Murphy

Leadership trainer at Muika Leadership

If you'd like to speak to Muika Leadership about Equality Training within your organisation, we'd be happy to talk through the options. Call our equality trainer, Mui Li, on 01923 431 718.