Bayern Munich defender Boateng reiterates importance of education in fight against racism

Bayern Munich star Jerome Boateng called for discrimination to become an integral part of school curriculums in the wake of George Floyd death. The death of George Floyd along with those of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery earlier in the year has seen many icons across different fields of work share their tributes and take a stand against racism and support the George Floyd protests and the Black Lives Matter movement. Bayern Munich centre-back Jerome Boateng wants schools to include anti-racism lessons in the wake of George Floyd death and asserted the fact that no child is born racist. 

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George Floyd death: Bayern Munich star Jerome Boateng wants children to be taught about racism in school 

In a chat with DW, Jerome Boateng spoke about the importance of education in the fight against racism and social injustice. The Bayern Munich defender reiterated that no child is born racist and believes hatred for people based on the colour of their skin is down to a lack of education. Boateng stated that children should be taught that racial discrimination is unacceptable and they should stand up and defend people if they are being racially abused.

The Bayern Munich defender added that inculcating values in school and making them an integral part of education is the only possible way for society to make progress. The former Manchester City centre-back also spoke in favour of Blackout Tuesday and the Black Lives Matter movement and suggested that these movements should stick in and work with children and involve integration projects, something Boateng personally would love to do. 

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Bayern Munich star Jerome Boateng on the George Floyd protests

Speaking on the various pieces of footage being circulated from the mass protests in the US, Boateng said that some of the footage and videos shocked him and he termed them as 'brutal'. However, the Bayern Munich star suggested that the protests triggered by the Geroge Floyd death are a representation of how widespread racism against minorities is in America, and the role racial profiling plays in the US. The German international finds racism in the United States 'inexplicable', considering the contribution of African-Americans to the image and culture of the country. The Bayern Munich star revealed having experiences with racism during his childhood in Berlin but also remembers that colour did not matter when he stepped onto the football pitch. 

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George Floyd death: Bayern Munich defender feels white footballers need to aid the Black Lives Matter cause

With Bundesliga being the first of Europe's top five leagues to return to action following the coronavirus lockdown, many Bundesliga stars took a stand against racism while paying tribute to Geroge Floyd. Borussia Dortmund stars Achraf Hakimi and Jadon Sancho revealed t-shirts with the words 'Justice for George Floyd' written on them, while Marcus Thuram went down on one knee like former NFL star Colin Kaepernick, after scoring twice. Boateng, however, believes there is room for improvement and asked the 'white athletes' to show more support to the cause.

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