The Reform UK leader Accuses Educators of ‘Poisoning Our Kids’ on Race Issues
Nigel Farage has asserted that educators would initiate walkouts within weeks a success at the polls for his party, accusing them of “harming young minds” by telling children that African-Caribbean youth are oppressed and Caucasian students are perpetrators.
During an event for a Michigan-based religious institution, the politician expressed his perspective on British schools, stating that the “Marxist left” had “taken over schooling”.
“I’m anticipating a walkout by educators soon after securing a victory,” he remarked in response to questions.
“They are poisoning our kids. They instruct children to be ashamed of their country. They are telling little Johnny, who’s eight, who is black that he is oppressed and little Oliver, who is white, who is eight that he is an oppressor. They are dividing us, instead of fostering unity. They promote this harmful mindset.”
Reacting to Farage’s claims, the head of a major education union dismissed the notion that the education system was controlled by Marxists as “nonsense”. He pointed out that any strikes must relate to educators’ working conditions, and questioned whether the party would target these immediately upon entering government.
“Farage has built his political career on coded rhetoric and now, like Trump, he is targeting educators and their organizations for a conflict,” the union leader said.
“I think that’s grossly irresponsible. I don’t – and nor does my union – push critical race theory as he’s suggesting … Should he become prime minister he would sell out our public services, including education … and he would be a disaster for education and children.”
Reform, which tops surveys by about 10 points, has provided limited specifics on a proposed education policy and does not appear to have designated an education lead.
Nonetheless, Farage’s remarks suggested the party would overhaul the system and the curriculum. He said: “We have got a massive job with education – truly monumental. Moreover, we can’t do it in six months or a year; it will take us years, a long-term effort to reform.”
He stated that younger generations are receptive to analytical thought, but millennials were “absolutely hopeless”.
Honoring a conservative activist, he commented: “All I want education to do to foster independent thought – to educate individuals that there are two points of view and you make up your own mind rather than what’s happening now where one is virtuous and one is evil. This is a huge undertaking in both Britain and America.”
The party has conflicted with the UK’s largest teaching union, after Kebede called the party “extremist and prejudiced” and described the leader as “a cheap imitation”.
The politician has charged the union head with being “a self-declared Marxist” … someone who is absolutely determined that our children should be poisoned through education, their thinking tainted regarding national issues” and has argued that the organization seeks to brainwash youth opposed to his party.
Almost one million people are employed in education in the UK, about half of whom are teachers and the others teaching assistants and support staff. The major education union has hundreds of thousands of members.
National strikes over educators’ salaries and work environment in recent years led to significant interruptions in schools and millions of days of lost learning for children.
At the US event, the Reform leader also vowed to promote the digital courses of the institution in the UK. He said such groups were “key to resistance”, adding that: “I mean this. I’ll assist garner hundreds of thousands, if not millions of youth to these educational programs. I make that commitment tonight and I will follow through.”
The college, a small private Christian college, offers free courses. Its website states: “A scientific, literary, theological, political, and moral education is necessary for personal happiness and to perpetuate the blessings of freedom. It offers these beautiful courses for free to every interested learner.”