---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At school, I was frequently subjected to…"
description: "\"At school, I was frequently subjected to racial abuse.\" — David Lammy"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/435/david-lammy-4617_abuse_at-school-i-was-frequently-subjected-to_802380.png"
---

#  At school, I was frequently subjected to racial abuse.

![“At school, I was frequently subjected to racial abuse.” quote by David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/435/david-lammy-4617_abuse_at-school-i-was-frequently-subjected-to_802380.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/435/david-lammy-4617_abuse_at-school-i-was-frequently-subjected-to_802380.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/435/david-lammy-4617_abuse_at-school-i-was-frequently-subjected-to_802380.png)

> “At school, I was frequently subjected to racial abuse.”

[David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker recounts frequent racial abuse at school, underscoring systemic racism and personal trauma.

**In simple terms:** Enduring racial abuse.

Key Takeaway

Advocate for anti‑racism and support victims.

Themes

racism trauma justice

Mood

determined somber

Type

political personal

When to use this quote

- school environments
- community activism
- legal reform

Key Concepts

social policy education psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- How can schools become truly inclusive?
- What support helps survivors heal?

A Different Perspective

The quote may not capture broader institutional factors.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/)

## Related quotes

> [I think that most minorities have experienced some form of racial abuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-swann/i-think-that-most-minorities-have-experienced-some-form-of-racial/)

[Lynn Swann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-swann/)

> [I think if you are a player that has faces racial abuse you should come out and say it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/i-think-if-you-are-a-player-that-has-faces-racial-abuse-you-should/)

[Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/)

> [It was so normal for me to have racial abuse spat at me and then when I moved to Dunfermline, there were a group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ncuti-gatwa/it-was-so-normal-for-me-to-have-racial-abuse-spat-at-me-and-then-when/)

[Ncuti Gatwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ncuti-gatwa/)

> [If its proven that there's racial abuse, the team's fans where there's abuse should quit the game as a loss and the result should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-wright-phillips/if-its-proven-that-there-s-racial-abuse-the-team-s-fans-where-there-s/)

[Shaun Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-wright-phillips/)

> [I remember going to stadiums and huge sections of the stand gave you racial abuse. It was never nice but it wasn't a surprise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hughton/i-remember-going-to-stadiums-and-huge-sections-of-the-stand-gave-you/)

[Chris Hughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hughton/)

> [You can't read too much or if there's good articles about you, bad articles about you, you can't dive into them with too much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mctominay/you-can-t-read-too-much-or-if-there-s-good-articles-about-you-bad/)

[Scott McTominay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mctominay/)

> [They don't pay me enough to take any racial abuse. If you come up to me and say something racially, I'm going to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-goldberg/they-don-t-pay-me-enough-to-take-any-racial-abuse-if-you-come-up-to/)

[Bill Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-goldberg/)

> [When someone makes a racist remark, that doesn't make him a racist, but you have to say, 'This the line. You've crossed it, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-davids/when-someone-makes-a-racist-remark-that-doesn-t-make-him-a-racist-but/)

[Edgar Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-davids/)

> [I suffered racial abuse in Lithuania, and in two games the fans were making monkey noises and throwing coins at me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulinho/i-suffered-racial-abuse-in-lithuania-and-in-two-games-the-fans-were/)

[Paulinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulinho/)

> [I used to sleep on floors and face racial abuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-great-khali/i-used-to-sleep-on-floors-and-face-racial-abuse/)

[The Great Khali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-great-khali/)

> [When I played, I received racial abuse but I was just one of a few black players and we weren't backed up by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruud-gullit/when-i-played-i-received-racial-abuse-but-i-was-just-one-of-a-few/)

[Ruud Gullit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruud-gullit/)

> [Just everybody stop the racial abuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/callum-hudson-odoi/just-everybody-stop-the-racial-abuse/)

[Callum Hudson-Odoi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/callum-hudson-odoi/)

> [We are what we frequently do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/we-are-what-we-frequently-do/)

[Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/)

> [People frequently ask me if adverse criticism bothers me. I've had a lot of it, and I have been able to shrug most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-giles/people-frequently-ask-me-if-adverse-criticism-bothers-me-i-ve-had-a/)

[Warren Giles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-giles/)

> [Sometimes, when full and in fear that I will continue to eat unwanted food just because it's staring at me, I will place my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-nichols/sometimes-when-full-and-in-fear-that-i-will-continue-to-eat-unwanted/)

[Rachel Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-nichols/)

## More by David Lammy

> [A good society is characterised not just by liberty but by mutual respect and responsibility. When this breaks down it takes a lot more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/a-good-society-is-characterised-not-just-by-liberty-but-by-mutual/)

[David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/)

> [For me, a hoodie is like a pair of slippers or pyjamas - something comfortable and well-worn that you can wear unthinkingly. Unless, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/for-me-a-hoodie-is-like-a-pair-of-slippers-or-pyjamas-something/)

[David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/)

> [I grew up under Thatcher; the era of apartheid; the era of the poll tax; the era of riots. I remember Neil Kinnock was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/i-grew-up-under-thatcher-the-era-of-apartheid-the-era-of-the-poll-tax/)

[David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/)

> [Edgy' music has always formed the cornerstone to any teenage rebellion. Most indulge in it precisely because adults like me don't like them doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/edgy-music-has-always-formed-the-cornerstone-to-any-teenage-rebellion/)

[David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/)

> [For even the most seasoned observers of American politics, Barack Obama is a phenomenon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/for-even-the-most-seasoned-observers-of-american-politics-barack/)

[David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/)

> [Unemployed people should be treated as potential to be realised, not a problem to be solved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/unemployed-people-should-be-treated-as-potential-to-be-realised-not-a/)

[David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/)

> [As I have consistently recommended, we desperately need to find more black judges, particularly females, who are chronically underrepresented in our courts across London…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/as-i-have-consistently-recommended-we-desperately-need-to-find-more/)

[David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/)

> [Our political class obsesses over social mobility from one generation to the next - whether or not people are doing better than their parents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/our-political-class-obsesses-over-social-mobility-from-one-generation/)

[David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/)

> [We should not let those with a political agenda use London's growing population to support their anti-immigration rhetoric, and we should challenge those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/we-should-not-let-those-with-a-political-agenda-use-london-s-growing/)

[David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/)

> [People 'demand' the opportunity to gamble away money they do not have, just like people 'demand' money from loan sharks at extortionate interest rates.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/people-demand-the-opportunity-to-gamble-away-money-they-do-not-have/)

[David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/)

> [Let me speak frankly: separate but equal is a fraud. It is the language that tried to push Rosa Parks to the back of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/let-me-speak-frankly-separate-but-equal-is-a-fraud-it-is-the-language/)

[David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/)

> [Ultimately, we must either abandon our reliance on stop and search or abandon any hope for a criminal justice system grounded in equality, impartiality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/ultimately-we-must-either-abandon-our-reliance-on-stop-and-search-or/)

[David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/)

> [A workplace culture where fathers are encouraged to take paternity leave would result in stronger families, a more equal labour market and a better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/a-workplace-culture-where-fathers-are-encouraged-to-take-paternity/)

[David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/)

> [The New Labour doctrine that skills training was the responsibility of employers was flawed. The idea that employers should take on a bigger role…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/the-new-labour-doctrine-that-skills-training-was-the-responsibility/)

[David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/)

> [Being in opposition takes some getting used to. As a former minister, you don't just lose your job and the enormous resources of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/being-in-opposition-takes-some-getting-used-to-as-a-former-minister/)

[David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/)

[Explore all 107 David Lammy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/)

## More Abuse quotes

> [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/)

[Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/)

> [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/)

[Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/)

> [Being nice is okay,but don't allow anybody to abuse it...try to fight for your self when you know your on the right way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-is-okay-but-don-t-allow-anybody-to-abuse-it-try-to-fight/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Build a bridge over shame by teaching kids about sexual abuse. Give them a chance to run to us should they encounter it. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-byers-ruch/build-a-bridge-over-shame-by-teaching-kids-about-sexual-abuse-give/)

[Carolyn Byers Ruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-byers-ruch/)

> [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/)

[Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/)

> [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/)

[Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/)

> [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/)

[Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/)

> [I have a theory that all abuse, no matter what kind of abuse it is, is foremost an assault on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-have-a-theory-that-all-abuse-no-matter-what-kind-of-abuse-it-is-is/)

[Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/)

> [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/)

[Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/)

> [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/)

[Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/)

> [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/)

[Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/)

> [“Stand up for yourself. Never give any one permission to abuse you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/stand-up-for-yourself-never-give-any-one-permission-to-abuse-you/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/)

[Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/)

> [“Words are free. It does not mean you should abuse them. Be kind with them. They will mirror your actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadinet-tekie/words-are-free-it-does-not-mean-you-should-abuse-them-be-kind-with/)

[Hadinet Tekie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadinet-tekie/)

> [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/)

[Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/)

[Browse all 3,113 Abuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "At school, I was frequently subjected to racial abuse.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Lammy"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/at-school-i-was-frequently-subjected-to-racial-abuse/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Abuse"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/at-school-i-was-frequently-subjected-to-racial-abuse/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/435/david-lammy-4617_abuse_at-school-i-was-frequently-subjected-to_802380.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/435/david-lammy-4617_abuse_at-school-i-was-frequently-subjected-to_802380.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/435/david-lammy-4617_abuse_at-school-i-was-frequently-subjected-to_802380.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“At school, I was frequently subjected to racial abuse.” — David Lammy",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "David Lammy",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "At school, I was frequently subjected...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/at-school-i-was-frequently-subjected-to-racial-abuse/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/at-school-i-was-frequently-subjected-to-racial-abuse/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
