ABSTRACT
British society has been characterized by long established and largely taken for granted inequalities of 'race', gender and class. The 1970s saw the establishment of the Commission for Racial Equality which serves to monitor the 1976 Race Relations Act and the Equal Opportunities Commission which promotes gender equality through the 1975 Sex Discrimination Act. However, these initiatives have provided little compensation for the deep-rooted cultural and socio-economic inequalities in the UK which are reflected in housing, employment and educational practices and which continue to disadvantage disproportionately working class, female and ethnic-minority groups. This historical legacy of inequality is apparent in all British social institutions including teacher education and schools. Equal-opportunities policies should be informed by those who are concerned to promote equality and should be seen as an ongoing and developing exercise. Courses are the main arena through which knowledge is transmitted and ideological discourses debated.
