Nigel Farage Accuses Educators of ‘Indoctrinating Children’ on Race Issues
The political figure stated that educators would initiate walkouts shortly after a Reform UK election victory, charging that they are “poisoning our kids” by telling students that African-Caribbean youth are oppressed and Caucasian students are perpetrators.
During an event for a Michigan-based religious institution, the politician expressed his viewpoint on the UK education system, stating that the “radical left-wing” had “taken over schooling”.
“I expect a teachers’ strike soon after securing a victory,” he remarked during a Q&A session.
“They are corrupting young minds. They instruct children to be ashamed of their country. They inform an eight-year-old black child that he is a victim and a white child of the same age that he is a perpetrator. They create division, instead of fostering unity. They promote this negative culture.”
Reacting to these assertions, the head of a major education union dismissed the notion that the education system was controlled by Marxists as “absurd”. He pointed out that industrial action must relate to teachers’ terms and conditions, and doubted whether the party would target these immediately upon entering government.
“The politician has crafted his public life on dog-whistle politics and currently, similar to other figures, he is lining up teachers and their organizations for a conflict,” Kebede stated.
“I think that’s grossly irresponsible. Neither I nor our union – push critical race theory as he’s suggesting … Should he become prime minister he would undermine state services, including education … and the outcome would be catastrophic for students and learning.”
The party, which tops surveys by about 10 points, has not set out much detail on a proposed education policy and does not appear to have appointed an education spokesperson.
Nonetheless, Farage’s remarks indicated the group would reform the system and the curriculum. He said: “We face an enormous task with schooling – absolutely herculean. Moreover, we can’t do it in six months or a year; it requires years, a long-term effort to reform.”
Farage expressed that younger generations are receptive to critical thinking, but millennials were “absolutely hopeless”.
Paying tribute to a conservative activist, Farage said: “All I want education to do to foster independent thought – to educate individuals that multiple perspectives exist and you make up your own mind rather than current practices where one is virtuous and one is evil. This is a huge undertaking in both Britain and America.”
The party has conflicted with a major educators’ organization, after Kebede called the party “extremist and prejudiced” and described the leader as “a poundshop Donald Trump”.
Farage has accused Kebede of being “a self-declared Marxist” … an individual intent that our children should be poisoned through education, their minds should be poisoned regarding national issues” and has argued that the union is trying to indoctrinate teenagers against Reform.
Almost one million people are employed in education in the UK, with educators comprising half and the remainder being assistants and administrative personnel. The leading teachers’ organization has about 450,000 members.
Countrywide walkouts over teacher pay and conditions in recent years led to significant interruptions in schools and extensive missed instruction for children.
At the US event, the Reform leader also vowed to promote the digital courses of the Christian college in the UK. He stated organizations like it were “part of the fightback”, adding that: “I mean this. I will help attract vast numbers of young people to your online courses. I pledge this now and I’ll do that.”
The college, a small private Christian college, provides complimentary classes. Its website states: “A scientific, literary, theological, political, and moral education is vital for well-being and to maintain the benefits of civil and religious liberty. It offers these beautiful courses for free to all who wish to learn.”
