BNP Teachers

Mark Walker made this Freedom of Information request to Powys Council

The request was successful.

From: Mark Walker

19 January 2010

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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Powys Council

20 January 2010

January 20, 2010

Person Dealing: Andrea Hughson
Direct Dial: 01597 829418

Dear Mr. Walker,

FREEDOM of INFORMATION ACT 2000
Reference No: F-2010-00027

Thank you for your request for information, received at this office on
January 19, 2010, in which you requested details of the following:

What evidence is there that schools' equal opportunity policies are
effective in combating racism, how are schools in this area promoting
racial equality, and are further measures required?

Your request will now be considered and you will receive a response within
the statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined by the Act, subject
to the information not being exempt or containing a reference to a third
party. In some circumstances Powys County Council may be unable to achieve
this deadline. If this is likely you will be informed and given a revised
time-scale at the earliest opportunity.

There may be a fee payable for the retrieval, collation and provision of
the information you request. If this is the case you will be informed and
the 20 working day timescale will be suspended until we receive payment
from you. If you choose not to make a payment then your request will
remain unanswered.

Some requests may also require either full or partial transference to
another public authority in order to answer your query in the fullest
possible way. Again, you will be informed if this is the case.

The due date for responding to this request for information is February
16, 2010.

Should you need to discuss this further please contact the officer dealing
with your request as identified at the beginning of this letter or
Information Management on 01597 825013.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in
Powys County Council.

Yours sincerely,

Andrea Hughson
Rheolwr Cofnodion a Chydymffurfiaeth
Records & Compliance Manager
__________________________________________

Powys County Council
Information Management
Unit 29,
Ddole Road Enterprise Park
Llandrindod Wells
Powys
LD1 6DF
01597 825013

http://www.powys.gov.uk/index.php?id=46&...

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Powys Council

9 February 2010

February 9, 2010

Person Dealing: Andrea Hughson
Direct Dial: 01597 829418

Dear Mr. Walker,

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000
Reference No: F-2010-00027
Thank you for your request for information dated January 19, 2010
concerning what evidence is there that Powys schools' equal opportunity
policies are effective in combating racism, how are schools in this area
promoting racial equality, and are further measures required?

This is to inform you that your request has been considered and I can
provide the following response:

1. What evidence is there that Powys schools* equal opportunity policies
are effective in combating racism?
82% of Powys schools have a Race Equality policy adapted to meet their
particular circumstances
67% of schools have recently reviewed or are currently reviewing their
Race Equality policies
58% of schools consider that their policy has an important effect on their
school
75% of schools have procedures in place for recording, reporting and
responding to racist incidents
80% of schools report that their staff are aware of their race equality
responsibilities and are able to meet them effectively

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.
44% of schools have Race Equality Action Plans and 27% of schools have
linked their plans to targets and actions in their school*s development
plan

3. Can you provide me with any evidence that the measures listed above
have been effective (if this has not already been done)
Attainment data at KS3 and KS4 indicates that pupils not registered as
White British are out-performing their peers.

Four reports of racist incidents were received in the academic year
2008-09. As this may have reflected an under-reporting of such incidents,
the requirement to report racist incidents was brought to schools*
attention with the issuing of updated guidance. In the current academic
year, seven reports of racist incidents have been received to date.

4. Are further measures required to either maintain trust in the teaching
profession or protect children and young people?
No data/evidence available

I trust we have met your information requirements at this time. We believe
that this request is now complete and shall be closed immediately. Should
any further information be requested regarding this topic, a separate
request will need to be submitted.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in
Powys County Council.

Yours sincerely,

Andrea Hughson
Rheolwr Cofnodion a Chydymffurfiaeth
Records & Compliance Manager

If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received in relation to
your request and wish to make a complaint, please contact Information
Management. Our complaints procedure is available on request or on our
website.

If you are still not satisfied following this, you can make an appeal to
the Information Commissioner, who is the statutory regulator. The
Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner*s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone 01625 545 700
www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

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