BNP teachers

[calamari]

any opinions? Teachers can now openly belong to the BNP.

I would feel uncomfotable working with someone who belongs to, or openly supports, the BNP. Not because of my personal views but because it goes against the whole ethos of my school IYSWIM.

Banning people from becoming teachers because of their political beliefs is a slippery slope. Much as I abhor the BNP, I don't believe it's right to fight one example of extremism with another.
A teacher who starts inciting racism can be dealt with under existing laws anyway, I'd have thought.

I am a teacher and would be horrified to find out that a colleague was a member of the BNP. I agree that teacher's private lives should be private - but BNP membership seems a bridge too far to me.

It's a tricky one, isn't it? Membership of the BNP is not simply about political beliefs, it's about racism, homophobia and misogyny. A person can hold these views whilst expressing them in insidious ways rather than 'inciting racism' or homophobia. They would still have a detrimental effect on the children in their care.

So while I loathe Tories I wouldn't object to my children having a Tory teacher. But I would strongly object to them having a BNP-supporting teacher (not least because I'm black so my children would obviously be subjected to prejudice).

Basically, any child unfortunate enough to be placed in the class of a BNP supporting teacher (whether or not they're a member...) will be subjected to some level of discrimination unless they're white AND male AND straight.

Sorry, when I say 'loathe Tories', I don't mean Tory voters; I mean the party. Some of my best friends are Tory voters .

I really don't think they could implement school policies honestly and effectively. I would feel uncomfortable working with someone in my school if I knew they were a member.

Perhaps it would be interesting to ask how people would feel towards a black/ asian/ gay/ muslim teacher who is a member of a black/ asian/ gay/ muslim separatist organisation being in charge of their children? There are such organisations in this country, for blacks and muslims at least, and they do promote hatred towards people who are not black/ muslim.

IME they're nutters and I wouldn't go near them with a bargepole, nor would I want a black separatism-supporting teacher in charge of my children - despite my being black.

Riven - wouldn't it be interesting if such organisations had the same public profile as the BNP in this country? i.e. elected representatives, recognition as 'authentic' political parties, etc. It would be SO interesting to see how people responded to that and what impact that would have on the response to the BNP being allowed to, well, exist.

But surely there will already be teachers who are BNP members, and we just don't know who they are. So if they're not vocal about their views within their job, surely it shouldn't matter? Or maybe it does? To be honest, I'm not completely sure. But it just doesn't feel right to ban then. We are a liberal, democratic society. And this seems to go against that.

Very true, uberalice.

But oif I found out my childs teacher was a BNP memeber, I would hve them out of that class, quick as a shot.

Lynette, even if they were doing a good job and not spouting racist views?

uberalice - that's what I was referring to in the last para of my first post. Their prejudices will always bias the way they treat they children in their care. So for people like me, it's one of those uncomfortable thoughts that we just have to live with. Welcome to our world!

Of course I can understand why people would be uncomfortable with this, but as speedy says what about all the other beliefs.

Personally I'm uneasy about religious people teaching children anything in case their beliefs colour what they teach.

It's a very slippery slope though.

Whether we like it or not, the bnp is a legitimate party who has democratically elected MP's in parts of the country. And To single out that one party runs the risk of dictating to people against their democratic right, however distasteful their beliefs.

Also, you don't have to be a member of the bnp to be a racist. In fact, you don't have to be white to be a racist. As long as you don't bring those views into the classroom how you vote/feel/think is not for anyone else to dictate.

I actually loathe R.E. being taught because of the reasons mentioned.

If it has to be taught i would think it sensible for it to be delivered by an atheist as religious bias will inevitably creep in.

I would be shocked if a teacher I worked with was a member of the BNP. However, everyone has the right to their own beliefs as long as they leave them at the door. Maybe they can't but the policies within all schools should be robust enough to weed them out. We can't rely on people carrying BNP membership cards for us to be able to stop discrimination.

Speedy, referring to your last para, surely if a teacher discriminated against a student on the basis of gender, race or sexual preference, then that would have to be dealt with anyway, regardless of whether or not they were card carrying BNP members.

But I do see your point all the same.

I agree that if I found out a teacher was a BNP member, I would freak out completely.

But what if the teacher has BNP views but isn't actually a BNP member?

In other words, what is it about membership of a legitimate organization which underpins ineligibility?

Very very slippery slope.

Better to actually try to take on the BNP, address the legitimate issues of the many non-racist voters who turn to them in despair, and marginalize Griffin's thugs. This is quite hard, of course.

What if you heard that your child's teacher ws a fanatic religious zealot? Would you then, too, assume that they were unable to hold back on their opinions when teaching?
Or would that be somethingortheother-phobic?

It's a horrible to think that a teacher may support the BNP, but I wouldn't want to see them prevented from joining any political organisation. What about teachers that are not members but hold similar views? I agree it's a slippery slope.

responding to speedygonzales...
I'd never, ever mind whatever race/background/teacher teaches my child so long as they teach well.
If they are men=mbers of radicl groups, religious zealots, and if they decide to bring that with them into the class room, I'd object.
For me, race doesn't matter. opinion does.

I couldn't imagine ever wanting a teacher to be sacked for their political views, whatever they are.

Then again, I'm a BNP voter.

Maybe this shows why social "liberalism" is the dominant ideology and the only view tolerated in many places today.

To its adherents, their worldview is the only one that a reasonable person could hold, and any departure from it is fundamentally immoral.

Dissenters just think it is a difference of opinion. Without moral self-righteousness, how can they win?

Incidentally, the BNP MEP for Yorkshire taught Politics at an FE college for many years.

i worry that people want to be 'openly' supporting the bnp. what do you want a badge? oh yes maybe you do!

wear your badge outside for all to see, go on, dare you