THE ORGANISER of the London rally held in solidarity with Child Q is calling for more black supplementary schools and black school governors.

Jacqueline Courtenay, from Islington, north London, organised the rally held outside Hackney Town Hall, last month.

The solitary rally was one of many nationwide demonstrations demanding justice for Child Q, the 15-year-old black girl subjected to a strip-search while menstruating, by Metropolitan Police officers.  

Speaking to The Voice, Ms Courtenay said she felt compelled to do something after reading the harrowing report. 

She said: “It definitely was not a solo thing, but I guess it did start with me deciding this has upset me because I’m a mother of three and a parent governor and I’m someone who is conscious and concerned about the way black children are treated. 

“When this report came out, I read it in one sitting and I cried and thought this is disgusting.

“It almost felt like George Floyd all over again, that vibe of a serious miscarriage of conduct by a police officer. I felt like I wanted to march and make a stand and I knew other people felt the same way.” 

“I knew as a community, we would need a space to heal, reflect, come together, and work out what needs to be done next,” she added.

Ms Courtenay who is of Ghanaian heritage told The Voice, she had never organised a rally before, but reached out to prominent community activists like Patrick Vernon OBE, who agreed to support her. 

The compliance professional designed a poster, shared it on social media and it went viral. 

She explained to The Voice, that the first poster she put out, received some negative feedback.

She said: “People weren’t very happy with the way the first poster I made was worded because it included black boys and black girls.

“It said ‘solidarity for all black children who have been dehumanised in our education system’ because that is what I strongly believe.

“But it was good we were called to task on that, so that we could focus on black girls, the time had come after Child Q, for the conversation to be specific.” 

It took Ms Courtenay just three days to organise the rally, which took place on 20 March, this year. 

She is one of the speakers at an an online event tonight (7th April) organised by Stand Up To Racism and Diane Abbott MP.

Other speakers include Lester Holloway, editor of The Voice; rapper Crystale; campaigner Patrick Vernon; Chantelle Lunt from Merseyside Black Lives Matter; and Kevin Courtney, joint-general secretary of the teachers union NEU.

Original demonstration organised by Ms Courtenay attracted 2,000 people and was attended by Ms Abbott, who was a guest speaker, and former Metropolitan Police superintendent Leroy Logan. 

“It was a fantastic turn out, I couldn’t have wished for a better turn out, MP Diane Abbott was there, broadcaster Eddie Nester, the Mayor of Hackney and so many others, it was amazing,” she added. 

The mother of three believes the work has just begun and wants the public to continue to mobilise and come together to “retain our focus on the general idea of how black children are treated in schools.” 

Ms Courtenay said she took on the role as parent governor because she wanted a “visible presence” in her children’s school and urged members of black community to do the same or consider pursuing a career in teaching.

She said: “If you are black professional and you are looking for a career change, go into teaching because we need so many more black teachers, our children need to see representation in the classroom.

“If you are a black parent with children in a school, try and form an action group with other parents that makes you more emboldened to raise issues and have more insight because you are talking to other people.”

Ms Courtenay welcomed the idea of black families embracing black supplementary schools, as an additional educational tool to support their children’s learning, but also feels the time has come for the UK to adopt the “American model of historically black schools.” 

She said: “I’ve considered home schooling and I absolutely agree supplementary schools should make a comeback. 

“I think we need to go a step further and look at the American model and it may sound radical, but I’m not against the idea of seeing historically black schools in the UK, like we see in America.

“Here it might be predominately black schools, open to all, but a focus on black children and black teachers and that would really shake things up.

“It would tell the system, we have trusted our children in your care since black people have had a real presence in the UK and you haven’t made any real improvements, if Child Q can happen in 2020, so we are going take that control and power back. 

Ms Courtenay said in order or black schools to successfully work, they would need financial backing and have teachers who have “the cultural competency” to understand black children and not overlook them.

Ms Courtenay shared a special message to Child Q, her mother and her family and said: “Firstly I would want to say to her mother, from a mother to another mother, I’m so sorry that you sent your beautiful daughter to school one day to take her mock exams in preparation for her future and the child you let go to school that day was not the same child that came back home to you that evening. 

“That is not right and is not what should’ve happened, that is not what should ever happen again to any child, or any black child in this country.

“To Child Q, I hope the rally on 20 March shows you, what I intended for it to show you, that people care. 

“When black children are hurt in such an egregious way, people will come out, we will get out of our homes, we will walk, we will march and we will shout for you and be in solidarity with you. 

“You are not alone and I hope that it helps you in your healing in getting over and through this terrible time life and I hope you do not allow this situation to define you.

“I think it is wise you have chosen to stay anonymous and whenever you are ready to come back into the world, it will be with full confidence, as you know there are so many people who support you and are there will you in spirit.”

Speaking directly to Child Q’s family, Ms Courtenay said: “I hope her family remain strong and steadfast and don’t let up and that they use all legal help to get justice because they deserve that.” 

Ms Courtenay said she hopes the demonstration is the start of long-lasting change for black children in the British education system.