cause he is Jewish

[Carycach4]

Apologies cant see a thread about this.
Staff at Bristol Brunel academy blocked a visit by Damien Egan, their local MP because he is Jewish. Clear case of antisemitism. AIBU to thinking that headteacher and those driving this decision should be sacked and reported to the Teacher Regulation Agency?
(Apologies thread title isnt correct, but i can't edit it)

Link?

There will be more to this

Its in all the mainstream news, but interesting that is your first thought about a report of antisemitism.

It's disgusting. Apparently the teachers were threatening to wear keffirs (sp) if he turned up.
If i had children at that school i would remove them. I wouldn't want them being indoctrinated into hating anyone just for what their faith/race is.

His husband is Israeli and he has been there since the October 7th attack (presumably visiting in-laws) and is a Friend of Israel so the Union believe him to be - um - I dunno. Dangerous? Has opposing views to theirs?

It must be hard work being a Labour MP and Jewish frankly.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jan/12/jewish-mps-visit-to-school-cancelled-after-concerns-raised-by-pro-palestine-group

It's not because he's Jewish, it's because he's pro-Israel. He's part of Friends Of Israel at Westminster and visited Israel to show support for their government, apparently.

I don't agree at all with banning him, but it's not true to claim it's antisemitism. Being pro Netanyahu is nothing to do with the Jewish community world wide.

My own MP is Jewish and has been going to Israel and Gaza for decades as part of a peace delegation to support both communities.

Yanbu. It's the blatant racism, and the end of free speech.

It wasn’t because he is Jewish.

Utter hyperbole, which generally derails civilised discussion on issues.

The head teacher is in a difficult spot here.

The school (presumably with the head's approval and involvement) has invited him.

There was then a campaign against the planned visit by some members of the National Education Union, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and allegedly some parents including the threat of disrupting the event.

The head took the decision to cancel the event.

The head invited him knowing he was Jewish so it is not the head being anti semitic.
It is the head making the call that it was not safe for the pupils and guest to have the event go ahead.

Imagine if it has and the event has been disrupted and the MP or a child got hurt in any melee? Then people would be condemning the head for allowing it to go ahead

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

If you want to blame anyone, blame the people who threatened to disrupt the event, not the poor head stuck having to make a call that one side or another was going to complain about.

Teacher standards are very clear on how teachers should promote their own political views.

What a load of waffling shite. You might try to spin it all you want, but the fact is he is Jewish and has been uninvited due to backing Israel. Had it been a none Jewish person with similar views do you honestly think the decision would be the same?

A head teacher doesn't have super powers to prevent someone kicking off in an event or protests at the school gates before anyone claims the head should have "made it safe to attend".

They can't physically intervene to remove protesting or disruptive adults and that shouldn't be the expectation that a head teacher is supposed to also be security guard and police officer as well or spend a large chunk of their time having to debate middle eastern policy views with parents and teachers and random busybodies. That is not their job.

Ideally the event would have happened. MPs should visit schools regularly.

But the situation is much less than ideal and the head teacher has made a sensible call for safety.

Our children are being indoctrinated by the UK education system. I fear for my grandchildren future. These "teachers" should be brought to account.
Imagine how things would go if an MP of another "religion" was banned?
😡😡😡

But he wasn't going there to promote his political views....

And he hasn't been "banned". An event has been cancelled on safety grounds.

He is not permanently excluded from the school premises. It is just that this event is - sadly but sensibly - cancelled.

You'll note the MP himself has not condemned the head teacher or the governors. I am sure he understands they have been put in a difficult position.

So you don't need to start blaming the head if the MP himself doesn't feel the need to do so.

Showing support for Israel, being a Friend of Israel and visiting Israeli friends and family doesn’t make him pro-Netanyahu.

just as being pro-Palestine statehood and a member of the Palestine Solidarity Movement doesn’t make you a Hamas supporter

No but the teachers calling for the visit to be cancelled, and threatening to wear keffirs were!!

I’m not sure LFI are Netanyahu’s biggest fans. You can be a friend of Israel without endorsing the government.

Should we be asking all adults who go to speak in schools their views on Gaza before allowing them to speak to children about their careers, or other matters unrelated to Gaza?

Or just the Jewish ones?

Take a wild guess.......

That is why we have a police force

The double standards in this country are so blatant and getting worse but everyone is scared to say anything.

So why are you blaming the head teacher and calling for them to be sacked?

Are you under the impression head teachers get to give orders to the local police force?

This is absolutely unacceptable.

Not surprising that it’s Bristol, but this can’t be allowed to stand. Who do these teachers think they are? They’re there to teach the curriculum, not to platform their own political views or seek to control others.

Bristol council won’t do anything about this, they’re militant Omnicausers. But the Teachers Regulatory Authority should absolutely pick this up and investigate.

It’s really bad decision making by the school which has resulted in completely foreseeable negative publicity.

He is a politician so he is entitled to hold political views in public. He has a mandate given to him by his constituents. The public, including the teachers, have an opportunity to judge him on that record when he comes up for reelection. The public can legally protest and lobby against his opinions in many different ways.

Teachers can have political opinions but they cannot express those opinions in the work place. They have avenues and arenas to do that, including at the ballot box.

The school leadership gave into bullying and activism by staff members that cannot be justified. The issue doesn’t even need to be considered in terms of antisemitism. It is politicisation of a workplace and specifically a school.