Desparate measures

I sometimes find myself wondering what the phrase "racial equality" actually means, and how we'll know if we ever achieve it. I imagine Trevor Phillips, head of the Commission for Racial Equality, has the answers to both those questions - he certainly has plenty of suggestions for practical action. The problem is they all have an air of desperation about them.

For example, back in March, Phillips proposed that British schools should consider separate classes for black school boys - that would be 'separate but equal', I suppose. He also suggested that black fathers should be denied access to their children if they refused to attend parent teacher meetings - non-black fathers who exhibit the same behaviour would suffer no such sanctions.

Today, as the BBC reports, Phillips will give a speech warning that Britain is in danger of 'sleepwalking' its way into racial segregation. And he suggests new measures are needed to address the problem, including forcing "white" schools to take larger numbers of pupils from ethnic minorities - sounds like busing to me.

Presumably, in line with Phillips' earlier proposals, once these kids have been enrolled in the "white" schools, the black boys amongst them will be segregated and educated in separate classes. Or am I missing something?

I'm thinking the CRE may be looking for a new director sometime in the new year.