panelists at a forum last night stressed.

And they warned that the Island cannot begin to combat institutionalised racism without teaching the "total truth'' about black history in schools.

The forum, sponsored by the Human Rights Commission and the National Association of Reconciliation at St. Paul's AME Centennial Hall, was aimed at finding solutions to rid Bermuda of the historic problem.

None of the panelists -- lawyer and UBP adopted candidate for Devonshire South Mr. John Barritt, Bermuda College lecturer and spiritual director of Bermuda's Hebrew Israelites Mr. Elijah Ben Israel, `Bermudian Magazine' associate editor Mr. James Ziral, Sandys Secondary teacher Mr. Lewellyn Simmons, and NLP spokesperson Ms Cheryl Pooley, claimed that there was one-clear cut answer.

But Mr. Ziral, Mr. Simmons, and Ms Pooley all agreed that revamping Bermuda's "one-sided'' education system was the place to start.

Mr. Ziral told the predominantly-black audience that the school system teaches white and black children about the contributions that whites have made to society, but rarely mentions the accomplishments of blacks.

"The education system with the exclusion of black people from Africa and other parts of the world perpetuates a society where whites are racists because they grew up with education system that taught them blacks have contributed nothing to society,'' he said.

"Whites are learning nothing except how great white folks are and how much white folks have contributed to society. And the sad fact is so are blacks.'' Noting that students learn about people like Sir Francis Drake, but never hear about blacks such as Toussant L'Overture -- "a Haitian leader more powerful than Napoleon'', Mr. Ziral said: "Unless blacks and whites are exposed to such facts, nothing will change''.

The owner of Cedarstones Productions also stressed that blacks must have confidence in themselves and support each other.

But Mr. Simmons, who teaches history and social studies, said it was difficult for black children to have a sense of their worth when they only have a Eurocentric school curriculum.

"I do all that I can to ensure that our children see their role, their relevance to the message that's being taught,'' he said. "But it is very difficult to do that with a Eurocentric curriculum from Year One to Year Five.

"We have a gross imbalance of the message our children get.'' Mr. Simmons, who stressed that the curriculum should be balanced with European and African history, said children will continue to be labelled as "out of control'' as long as they cannot identify with what is being taught in schools.

Ms Pooley agreed that education is the "absolute key'' to eradicate racism in Bermuda.

And she said Bermuda could not survive without the inclusion of blacks.

But, noting the handful of whites who attended, she said: "Racism can't be addressed in the country until both races participate''.

Mr. Barritt advocated having more dialogue in community, political and church groups on the issue, while Mr. Ben Israel said Bermuda should tear up its Constitution, which was created with blacks in mind, and come up with something that includes everyone.