I wonder if the school simply wanted a morris side and was unaware of anything wrong with blackface until some pc mad do-badder pointed it out to them?
It would never occur to me that there was a racist overtone to blacking up - indeed I used to black up myself when I was a member of Dead Horse Morris.
None of their members were in any way racist, nor was their founder, Mark Lawson, who was also co-founder of Bishop Gundulfs (non blacked up) and the Blacksmiths weekend at Lewes (blacked up).
If a morris side chooses to black up or not, it is their choice, and not to be dictated by the pc brigade( may they rot in hell).
The original blacking up WAS done for disguise, but as time passed, I expect they became associated in the minds of the ignorant with Nigger Minstrels, and unfortunately the dancers decided to go along with that image and not correct that ignorance. The folk in those sides were probably equally as ignorant. Nigger Black may well have been the name on the tins of blacking they used. But they did not go out of their way to lampoon people of colour.
To demand that Border, Molly or any other other tradition shun blacking their faces is an injustice not welcome in a free thinking society.
Nor should sides choosing to black up have to explain in advance that their choice is not based on any racial motives - although I think it encumbant upon them to dispel that notion should it be put to them.
Full marks to Motley for not cowtowing to the schools wish to dance without blacking up.
Zero marks to the school for missing a chance to educate the so called "masses" who see this tradition as racist.