Nigel Farage Accuses Teachers of ‘Poisoning Our Kids’ on Race Issues
Nigel Farage has asserted that teachers would go on strike within weeks a success at the polls for his party, accusing them of “harming young minds” by instructing students that African-Caribbean youth are oppressed and white children oppressors.
At a gathering for a private US Christian college, the politician expressed his viewpoint on the UK education system, claiming that the “Marxist left” had “taken over schooling”.
“I expect a teachers’ strike very quickly after securing a victory,” he remarked during a Q&A session.
“They are poisoning our kids. They are telling them to be ashamed of their country. They are telling an eight-year-old black child that he is a victim and a white child of the same age 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 dismissed the notion that the education system was controlled by Marxists as “nonsense”. Kebede noted that any strikes must relate to teachers’ terms and conditions, and questioned whether Reform would attack these immediately upon entering government.
“The politician has crafted his political career on dog-whistle politics and currently, similar to other figures, he is targeting educators and their unions for a conflict,” the union leader said.
“This is highly reckless. I don’t – and nor does my union – advocate such divisive theories 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 students and learning.”
Reform, which tops surveys by a significant margin, 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. Farage declared: “We have got a massive job with schooling – truly monumental. Moreover, it won’t happen quickly; it will take us 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 Charlie Kirk, he commented: “My goal for schooling is to teach critical thinking – to educate individuals that multiple perspectives exist and you make up your own mind as opposed to what’s happening now where views are labeled good or bad. It’s a massive job in both Britain and America.”
The party has conflicted with a major educators’ organization, after Kebede called the party “extremist and prejudiced” and dismissed Farage as “a poundshop Donald Trump”.
The politician has charged the union head with being “an avowed radical” … an individual intent that young minds be corrupted at school, their thinking tainted regarding national issues” and has argued that the organization seeks to brainwash 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 recent years caused widespread disruption in educational institutions 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 Christian college in the UK. He said such groups were “part of the fightback”, noting: “I am serious. I will help garner hundreds of thousands, if not millions of youth to these educational programs. I pledge this now and I will follow through.”
The institution, a religious educational establishment, offers free courses. According to its online description: “A scientific, literary, theological, political, and moral education is necessary for personal happiness and to perpetuate the blessings of civil and religious liberty. It offers these beautiful courses for free to all who wish to learn.”
