Nigel Farage Claims Teachers of ‘Indoctrinating Children’ on Racial Topics
The political figure stated that teachers would go on strike shortly after a Reform UK election victory, 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 private US Christian college, the politician expressed his perspective on the UK education system, claiming that the “radical left-wing” had “now in control of our education system”.
“I’m anticipating a teachers’ strike soon after securing a victory,” Farage commented during a Q&A session.
“They are corrupting young minds. They are telling them to be ashamed of their country. They are telling little Johnny, who’s eight, who is black that he is a victim 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.”
In response to Farage’s claims, the head of a major education union rejected 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 doubted whether the party would target these immediately upon entering government.
“The politician has crafted his political career on dog-whistle politics and currently, like Trump, he is targeting educators and their unions for a fight,” Kebede stated.
“This is highly reckless. I don’t – and nor does my union – push critical race theory as he claims … Should he become prime minister he would sell out our public services, particularly schooling … and he would be a disaster for students and learning.”
The party, which is leading the polls by a significant margin, has not set out much detail on a proposed education policy and does not appear to have appointed an education spokesperson.
Nonetheless, his comments indicated the party would overhaul the educational framework. He said: “We have got a massive job with schooling – absolutely herculean. Moreover, it won’t happen quickly; it will take us years, years to turn this around.”
He stated that gen Z was more open to critical thinking, but millennials were “absolutely hopeless”.
Paying tribute to a conservative activist, he commented: “All I want education to do to teach critical thinking – to instruct people that multiple perspectives exist and they should decide for themselves rather than what’s happening now where one is virtuous and one is evil. It’s a massive job in the UK and US.”
The party has conflicted with a major educators’ organization, after the union leader labeled them “extremist and prejudiced” and dismissed Farage as “a poundshop Donald Trump”.
The politician has charged Kebede of being “an avowed radical” … someone who is absolutely determined that our children should be poisoned through education, their thinking tainted regarding national issues” and maintained that the union is trying to indoctrinate teenagers against Reform.
Almost one million people work in schools in the UK, about half of whom are teachers and the remainder being assistants and administrative personnel. The leading teachers’ organization has hundreds of thousands of members.
National strikes over teacher pay and conditions in 2023 caused widespread disruption in schools and millions of days of lost learning for students.
During the American gathering, Farage also pledged to help spread the online educational material of the Christian college in the UK. He stated such groups were “key to resistance”, adding that: “I am serious. I will help attract vast numbers of young people to these educational programs. I make that commitment tonight and I’ll do that.”
The institution, a religious educational establishment, offers free courses. According to its online description: “Comprehensive learning is necessary for personal happiness and to maintain the benefits of civil and religious liberty. It offers these beautiful courses for no charge to every interested learner.”
