BNP Teachers

Mark Walker made this Freedom of Information request to North Yorkshire County Council

The request was successful.

From: Mark Walker

31 December 2009

Dear Sir or Madam,

By letter of 30 September 2009, The Secretary of State Ed Balls
appointed Maurice Smith to enquire into the "promotion of racism in
schools". Part of the review is aimed at determining whether
members of the British National Party (BNP) should be allowed to
work as teachers or in the wider school workforce.

At present there are a number of measures and safeguards in place
in place to protect children and young people in schools from
racially motivated discrimination and the promotion of political
doctrines that advocate discrimination and promote racist views.
These are:

• The requirement on schools to have equal opportunity policies

• The duty upon schools to promote racial equality

• Their duty to promote community cohesion

• The duty on governing bodies, headteachers and local authorities
to forbid the teaching of partisan political activities in schools

• The powers of the GTC (England) regarding suitability of
registration and where teacher conduct could bring the profession
into disrepute

I would like you to provide me with evidence of how effective these
measures are including whether they are sufficient to maintain
trust in the profession and protect children and young people.

Please provide the following information under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000.

1) What evidence is there that schools’ equal opportunity policies
are effective in combating racism?
2) What are schools in your area doing to promote racial equality
and promote community cohesion? Examples of measures deemed to be
good practice and recognised as being successful would be useful.
3) Can you provide me with any evidence that the measures listed
above have been effective (if this has not already been done)?
4) Are further measures required to either maintain trust in the
teaching profession or protect children and young people?

Yours sincerely

Mark Walker
Solidarity Trade Union
www.solidaritytradeunion.org

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From: DataManagement Officer
North Yorkshire County Council

31 December 2009

Dear Mr Walker

Thank you for your request for information under the Freedom Of
Information Act 2000, of which we acknowledge receipt.

Your request has been passed to the appropriate officer to provide a
response as soon as possible, and in any event within 20 working days,
as required by the Act.

Kind regards
Louise Jackson, for

Data Management Officer
North Yorkshire County Council
01609 533219 [email address]

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From: Susan Crawford
North Yorkshire County Council

19 January 2010

Further to your recent request I would like to inform you of the following:

All schools are required to have an Equality policy that covers race and as part of community cohesion all schools have a duty to promote racial equality and teach about discrimination, human rights etc. An increasing number of schools have links with UK schools from contrasting backgrounds (through the School linking network) enabling young people to work alongside each other on joint curriculum projects. Many schools also have international partner schools. Schools are also encouraged to invite visitors into school from a range of ethnic and faith backgrounds to work with the pupils.

Specific details in relation to your questions would be held by individual schools and are not held centrally. The only other information which I am able to provide you with is as follows:

65% of the LA's schools have been judged as good or better by OFSTED for community cohesion (first inspected from Sept 2008).

Schools can also work towards an Inclusion Quality Mark , this require schools to have equalities schemes in place addressing positive duties around race amongst other things, and to carry out impact assessments of their work in relation to different groups, including minority ethnic. Currently 81% schools have achieved the IQM.

I am sorry that I am unable to help you further, but I hope that this information is useful to you.

Susan Crawford

Susan Crawford
HR Manager CYPS
01609 532152

Access your county council services online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at www.northyorks.gov.uk.

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