Addressing anti-Roma racism in the classroom means reviewing what we teach, how we respond and the expectations we communicate. This guide offers a starting point for educators: recognising prejudice, responding to specific situations and making room for knowledge and perspectives from Roma people.
In this guide
Recognising racism beyond explicit insults
Anti-Roma racism, also referred to as antigypsyism, is a specific form of racism. The Council of Europe describes its roots in prejudice and stereotypes and its expression through discriminatory practices, including in education.
There is no need to wait for an insult before addressing it. Ask whether an individual’s behaviour is being attributed to an entire community, whether a pupil’s ability is being underestimated, or whether Roma people appear in teaching materials only in connection with problems. The task is to review educational practice without making any child a spokesperson for their background.
Before planning an activity
- Review the materials: whose voice is present, which historical period does the text concern, and what sources does it use? Avoid presenting one experience as a description of every Roma family.
- Set a specific objective: identifying a generalisation, checking a source or recognising a cultural contribution. A focused activity is easier to evaluate than a day of broad messages.
- Consider participation: offer different ways to contribute and do not ask Roma pupils to explain their family lives or validate the material.
It also helps to agree how the staff team will support someone targeted by a racist comment. The response should not depend solely on that person’s ability to defend themselves in front of the group.
Three situations for reflecting on a teacher’s response
The following situations are illustrative examples written for this guide. They are not accounts of actual incidents or testimonies from the association.
1. Someone makes a generalisation about Roma people
Interrupt the comment and identify the problem without repeating it unnecessarily. Explain that a characteristic has been attributed to a whole people and invite a more precise formulation. Afterwards, speak with the person affected in an appropriate setting, listen to what they need and follow the school’s safeguarding and behaviour procedures.
2. A resource shows only poverty or conflict
Do more than add a positive image. Ask who produced the resource, what it leaves out and which other sources could provide context. Supplement it with work, research or accounts by named Roma contributors. The aim is to broaden understanding, not replace a negative stereotype with an apparently positive one.
3. A pupil is asked to speak for an entire community
Return responsibility for preparing and checking the activity to the educators. Anyone who wishes to share an experience should be able to decide what to say and withdraw without having to justify that decision. A personal contribution has value in its own right; it is not evidence of what all Roma people are like.
Including history, language and contemporary life
In a March 2026 publication, the Council of Europe warned against reducing Roma history to stereotypes or narratives of victimhood. When planning activities, we can bring together memory, cultural work, language and social participation.
For example, reading about the Samudaripen and remembrance on 2 August can lead to a discussion of how public memory is shaped. An introduction to the Romani language can open a conversation about linguistic diversity, without judging anyone’s identity by the language they speak.
Continuing with training and reviewing what has changed
Edupíndoles, Rromanipe’s training modules against anti-Roma racism, is one of the association’s areas of work. Visit the project page to learn about its approach and contact the association to ask about current availability.
The 2024 article on anti-Roma racism in the classroom records a past training experience; it is not a current invitation to enrol. After an activity, review which materials the team has improved, how comments were addressed and which questions need further training. A session can start a longer process, but it cannot establish that racism has been resolved.
From the association’s archive
Short training modules to eradicate anti-Roma racism
Sources and further reading
External references in English, consulted on 16 October 2026.