BNP and Teachers

[John Simkin]

Chris Keates, general secretary of the National Association for Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers, has called for members of the far right British National Party to be legally barred from working in schools.

Although I hate everything the BNP stands for, I find this suggestion very worrying. First of all, it will not have the desired impact of keeping fascists out of the classroom. They will just leave the BNP before any legislation is introduced. If they get away with banning the BNP they will then go after extremist groups on the left. The problem is that the three main parties are sitting on each other’s laps in the centre, anything outside the mainstream will be seen as extreme.

[Gregory Carlin]

Chris Keates, general secretary of the National Association for Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers, has called for members of the far right British National Party to be legally barred from working in schools.

Although I hate everything the BNP stands for, I find this suggestion very worrying. First of all, it will not have the desired impact of keeping fascists out of the classroom. They will just leave the BNP before any legislation is introduced. If they get away with banning the BNP they will then go after extremist groups on the left. The problem is that the three main parties are sitting on each other’s laps in the centre, anything outside the mainstream will be seen as extreme.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The suspension of teachers in relation to their politics is not something that the teaching unions in Britain have hitherto endorsed.

Solihull Council, in a written statement, said: "The conduct of the teacher in the classroom was not in question."

Which is more than can be said for the conduct of many teachers who have been able to rely upon the full backing of their associations etc.

The NASUWT has a 'Campaign for Anonymity'. The irony will hopefully not be lost should that aspect be debated in the future.

The Catholic Church has apparently been given a present endorsed by the DfES to fire & hire with 'disruptive' politics in view.

The Green Party (for example) also have very disruptive politics if viewed from a purely Catholic perspective and the precedent is unambiguous.