BNP Teachers

Sunderland City Council did not have the information requested.

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

Solicitor - Freedom of Information, Sunderland City Council

Dear Mr Walker
I confirm that your request for information has been received and is receiving attention.
The Council aims to provide available information promptly and in any event within 20 working days, unless, exceptionally, there is a need to consider whether the information is exempt from disclosure. Please note that there may be a charge for providing copies of the information. If the cost of complying with your request in full exceeds £450, we will ask you to reconsider your request, or to pay a fee before the information is supplied. If we need to ask you to refine your request or to pay a charge or fee we will let you know.

Mark Anderson
Managers Assistant
Telephone 0191 561 2464
e-mail [email address]

Customer Number: 1224
Request Number: 2037

show quoted sections

Jackie Weeks, Sunderland City Council

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Walker

 

Please find attached my response to your request for information
concerning equal opportunities and schools. Please contact me if you have
any problems opening the attachment.

 

Regards

 

Jackie

 

Jackie Weeks

Information Governance Officer

Children's Services

City Library and Arts Centre

30 - 32 Fawcett Street

Sunderland

SR1 1RE

 

Tel: 0191 561 7926