We should push Gove to ban BNP teachers

By Wes Streeting / @wesstreeting

Today’s Times Education Supplement (TES) reports that a draft copy of regulations seen by the paper reveal a watering down of Michael Gove’s pledge to create new powers to sack members of the BNP – and other extremist groups – from working in our schools. The paper reports that the ‘ethics and behaviour’ section of new standards state that ‘teachers must have tolerance and respect for the rights of others, and not undermine UK democratic values’, nor should they ‘express personal beliefs, including political, religious or moral beliefs, in ways that exploit pupils’ vulnerability’.

Teaching unions have warned that the new standards add very little to existing arrangements. The current frameworks were found severely lacking in a case last year involving a BNP-supporting teacher who had posted anti-immigrant messages on the internet, describing them as “savages”, using a school computer. Astonishingly, Adam Walker, the teacher in question, was found not guilty of racial and religious intolerance by the GTC.

This demonstrates why Michael Gove was right to speak out against the GTC’s decision in this case and to promise tough new measures. Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, is pressing Gove for a change in teachers’ contracts to prevent BNP members from entering the profession, mirroring the provisions already in place for the police force and prisons service. So far, she’s had no reply.

State bans on the basis of political affiliations or ideological motivations should always be treated with caution. Even the term ‘extremist’ is subjective and problematic. But teachers have a unique responsibility and duty of care to young people at an important stage of their lives. It is hard to imagine how those who harbour racist views could possibly treat BME children in their classrooms with the care, support and dignity they deserve. I wouldn’t want that experience for those children and I wouldn’t want my own children exposed to that kind of bigotry and prejudice from individuals who carry such authority and influence.

If Michael Gove lived up to his pledge and gave schools tough powers to bar racists from the teaching profession, he would gain cross party support. Such a move would also carry the virtue of being the right thing to do to protect our children.