The Reform UK leader Accuses Educators of ‘Indoctrinating Children’ on Race Issues
Nigel Farage has asserted that teachers would go on strike within weeks a Reform UK election victory, accusing them of “harming young minds” by telling children that black pupils are victims and Caucasian students are perpetrators.
During an event for a Michigan-based religious institution, the politician expressed his perspective on British schools, claiming that the “Marxist left” had “taken over schooling”.
“I expect a walkout by educators very quickly after winning the next general election,” he remarked in response to questions.
“They are poisoning our kids. They are telling them to feel guilt about their nation. They are telling little Johnny, who’s eight, who is black that he is oppressed and little Oliver, who is white, who is eight that he is an oppressor. They create division, instead of fostering unity. They promote this negative culture.”
Reacting to these assertions, Daniel Kebede rejected the idea that the education system was controlled by Marxists as “nonsense”. He pointed out that any strikes must relate to teachers’ terms and conditions, and doubted whether the party would target these immediately upon entering government.
“The politician has crafted his public life on dog-whistle politics and now, similar to other figures, he is targeting educators and their unions for a fight,” the union leader said.
“This is highly reckless. I don’t – and nor does my union – push critical race theory as he’s suggesting … If he were to lead the government he would sell out our public services, including education … and he would be a disaster for students and learning.”
The party, which is leading the polls by about 10 points, has not set out much detail on a proposed education policy and does not appear to have designated an education lead.
Nonetheless, Farage’s remarks indicated the party would overhaul the system and the curriculum. He said: “We face an enormous task with schooling – absolutely herculean. And, we can’t do it in six months or a year; it requires years, years to turn this around.”
Farage expressed that younger generations are receptive to critical thinking, but millennials were “absolutely hopeless”.
Paying tribute to Charlie Kirk, Farage said: “My goal for schooling is to foster independent thought – to instruct people that there are two points of view and you make up your own mind as opposed to what’s happening now where views are labeled good or bad. This is a huge undertaking in the UK and US.”
The party has conflicted with the UK’s largest teaching union, after Kebede called the party “far right and racist” and dismissed Farage as “a cheap imitation”.
Farage has accused the union head with being “an avowed radical” … an individual intent that young minds be corrupted through education, their thinking tainted about everything to do with this country” and maintained that the organization seeks to brainwash teenagers against Reform.
Almost one million people are employed in education in the UK, about half of whom are teachers and the others teaching assistants and support staff. The leading teachers’ organization has hundreds of thousands of members.
Countrywide walkouts over educators’ salaries and work environment in recent years caused widespread disruption in schools and millions of days of lost learning for students.
During the American gathering, the Reform leader also vowed to promote the digital courses of the institution in the UK. He said such groups were “key to resistance”, adding that: “I am serious. I’ll assist garner hundreds of thousands, if not millions of youth to these educational programs. I make that commitment now and I’ll do that.”
The institution, a religious educational establishment, offers free courses. Its website states: “A scientific, literary, theological, political, and moral education is necessary for personal happiness and to perpetuate the blessings of freedom. The college furnishes these excellent programs for no charge to all who wish to learn.”
