I know that I'm opening myself up for a maelstrom of criticism here, but so be it.
I have a huge amount of respect for Michael Gove and I think that the education reforms that he is steering through parliament are some of the most significant elements of the government's programme. But on the issue of BNP members being barred from teaching I believe he has got it wrong.
Allowing a system where head-teachers can fire staff just because they are members of the BNP is wrong on both a practical and moral level.
The practical argument first. The BNP thrive on their victimhood status, they love to claim that the establishment and ganging up against them and preventing them telling voters the "truth", clearly the "truth" as the BNP sees it bears little relation to the reality that most of us would recognise. Singling the BNP out in the way that this proposal would serves only to reinforce their, already over inflated, sense of self importance. Selective treatment is counterproductive.
Now the moral case. As much as I despise the BNP and what they believe, they are a recognised political party. If government believes that they should become an illegal, prohibited organisation then it should make them so, until and unless they do we have to treat the BNP just like any other party no matter how unpalatable their views may be. All people have protection under the law against discrimination based on their political beliefs.
If a teacher breaks the law or acts in an inappropriate or unprofessional manner in the classroom or with colleagues then the appropriate action should be taken. But we are at the top of a slippery slope if we allow people to be fired not because of what they have said or done but just because they are a member of a political party.
Thought crime is straight out of Orwell's 1984 and has no place in British life.
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I agree James. As much as I despise them.
Totally agree - you should only be allowed to sack someone if they have provably done something wrong in the course of their employment.
I am however, also worried about the legal implications. Who decides if a political party is "extreme" and how is that judgement reached?
I also notice that a lot of support for the sacking of teachers holding extreme political views is coming from the unions.
How supportive will they be when a Marxist is sacked?
The probelm is it shows the philosphical vacuum at the heart of Cameroonism.
We are either a Conservative Party that believes in liberty, freedom and freedom of association for all or one that belives in liberty, freedom and freedom of association when it suits us to say it.
Gove is in the latter camp as is the whole of Cameroon project.
It is just knee-jerk politicking with no moral or philosphical compass.
The thing is this is not simply an attack on liberal speech freedom. There is a substantive issue here. This is the official delegitimisation by the state of the belief (unquestioned by all Britons only a few decades ago) that Britain should remain a majority white society.
How much inappropriate behaviour should children have to put up with from their teachers?
Is it reasonable for Black children to watch their teachers marching through their town demanding their expulsion from the country?
You can't just sack a teacher because they make an 'off-the-cuff' racist remark, it is very difficult to establish a pattern of behaviour and by that time how much damage has been done?
Far better to err on the side of caution where the wellbeing of children is involved and restrict from teaching those with membership of racist organisations along with those who have child pornograph on their computer.
Jimmy.. how can you compare the membership of a genuine political party with child pornography..
This is a slippery slope.. what's next... the green party? UKIP? the LIb Dems?
"Is it reasonable for Black children to watch their teachers marching through their town demanding their expulsion from the country?"
I cannot believe I am reading this. I never thought I would live to see the day when someone would seriously arguing for restricting political freedoms because it might offend children. Truly appalling.
As you have quite rightly pointed out, this move just reinforces the BNP's victim status. They are a legal political party with members from all walks of life. As long as they leave their political views outside the classroom then what is the problem?
The majority of people in Britain despise lib/lab/con but they have to put up with them "teaching" their children.
Cameron is a fascist. Full stop. You are correct James. Thought crime is right out of Orwell's 1984 and has no place in 21st Century Britian.
Why target a small handful of BNP teachers and not several thousand Marxist teachers who brainwash kids? I worked as a science technician in a London school for 3 years in the mid-1990's and was appalled at some of the conversations I overheard between teacher and pupil, such as the teacher suggesting to them that cannabis was totally harmless.
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