Teachers told researchers that pupils have expressed far-right extremist views in their classrooms, as well as “extremist views about women” or Islamophobia.

Teachers in England have told researchers that extremist views such as racism, homophobia and conspiracy theories are rife within the classroom. Academics from the University College London (UCL) Institute of Education state that schools lack the resources and training to teach students how to discuss or reject dangerous views.

In July, the boss of MI5 revealed that agents are investigating teenagers as young as 13 linked to extreme right-wing terrorism. Director-general Ken McCallum said that teenagers represent a “rising trend in MI5’s counter-terrorism casework” especially in extreme right-wing investigations. Most of the teachers spoken with said that they have heard students express far-right extremist views in their classroom, as well as “extremist views about women” or Islamophobia and that 9 in 10 have heard students discuss conspiracy theory about Bill Gates, stating that he controls people through microchips in the vaccine. The report goes onto suggest that conspiracy theories and online disinformation “is an emerging area that needs consideration”.

The majority of teachers surveyed said they had encountered “hateful extremism” in the form of racist views in the classroom.
Researchers carried out in-depth interviews with English and Religious Education teachers and safeguarding leads in schools, as well as a survey of teachers, and assessed a literature review of research examining how schools build resilience to extremism in students in England as part of the study.

Almost all the teachers surveyed had encountered “hateful extremism” in the form of racist views in the classroom, according to the report. Dr Becky Taylor, from the UCL Centre for Teachers and Teaching Research, went onto say: “Engaging well with their local communities and ensuring that schools and teachers are supported and appropriately resourced can help young people to problematise ‘hateful extremism’.”

Kamal Hanif, a trustee of Since 9/11 and executive principal of Waverley Education Foundation in Birmingham said: “The findings of this study are particularly pertinent as we approach the 20th anniversary of 9/11. Children in school today were not yet born when the attacks took place.

“Indeed, many of their teachers were themselves only children at the time. It’s vital that we all learn about the attacks themselves and their ongoing impact.”

https://www.gbnews.uk/news/extremist-views-widespread-in-englands-schools-say-teachers/124624