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The National Trust has announced plans for children aged five to 12 to learn about the Black Power salute from the 1968 Olympics during a baking workshop at Morden Hall Park, London. Critics have denounced these initiatives as irrelevant and politically motivated, arguing they distract from the site’s historical significance. Campaigners assert that such lessons should not be linked to this specific property or the National Trust's mission, alleging it promotes a narrow political perspective rather than comprehensive history education.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-10,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The National Trust has faced backlash for plans to teach children aged 5 to 12 about the Black Power salute at Morden Hall Park in south London during a baking workshop. The event aims to mark Black History Month by discussing Tommie Smith and John Carlos's protest at the 1968 Olympics, but critics like Cornelia van der Poll from Restore Trust argue that it is irrelevant to the property’s history and distracts from the organization’s core mission of preserving Britain’s historic heritage. Van der Poll asserts that emphasizing political topics undermines the National Trust’s original purpose, labeling the initiative as 'pathetic' and a departure from its founding principles.
Written for “National Trust Controversy Bake Off” on 2026-10-10,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.35, but every quote it verified points right, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 71148: score contradicts its own evidence · logged 2026-10-10
The National Trust has sparked renewed uproar by announcing 'ultra–woke' plans to teach children as young as five about the controversial Black Power salute – during a baking workshop.
asserted
Trust → spark → workshop
The initiative forms part of a series of events to mark Black History month.
asserted
initiative → form → month
It will involve children aged five to 12 being taught about the origins of the salute at the 1968 Olympics during a 'fun and educational' baking session at Morden Hall Park, a National Trust property in south London.
asserted
children → involve → London
Critics have branded the plans 'pathetic' and said it was further proof that the charity had lost sight of its founding principles to protect the UK's historic heritage.
asserted
charity → brand → heritage
Cornelia van der Poll, of campaign group Restore Trust, which has criticised the National Trust for pursuing an increasingly 'woke' political agenda, said any link between the US civil rights movement and Morden Hall Park was 'highly contrived'.
asserted
link → criticise → movement
She said: 'Teaching children about a Black Power salute is not relevant to this particular property and it's not relevant to what the National Trust does.
'Much as we might sympathise and we do sympathise with civil rights in America, nevertheless it is a political subject...
uncertain
it → say → America
When you emphasise the political at the cost of everything else, you end up short–changing [children] on the actual relevant history.
asserted
you → emphasise → history
Describing the National Trust as 'ultra–woke', historian Andrew Roberts said it was 'sad, pathetic but wholly predictable' that the charity 'won't even let five–year–olds bake cakes on their premises without taking the opportunity to force Left–wing propaganda down their throats'.
asserted
olds → describe → throats
The Trust's website says children attending the baking session will 'learn about the inspiring story of Olympic athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos and their iconic Black Power salute'.
asserted
children → say → athletes
They will then be assisted to make and bake their own 'Olympic Gold Cookies'.
asserted
They → assist → Cookies
Morden Hall Park in Morden, in south London, where children aged five to 12 are set to be taught about the Black Power salute as part of a series of events to mark Black History month
Tommie Smith, centre , and John Carlos raise gloved hands skyward in protest during the playing of national anthem after Smith received the gold and Carlos the bronze for the 200 meter run at the Summer Olympic Games in Mexico City
The 200m sprinters raised their black–gloved fists on the podium at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics during the playing of the American national anthem to protest systemic racism and institutional segregation in the US.
asserted
sprinters → set → US
The salute has become an enduring icon of the civil rights movement.
asserted
salute → become → movement
The only link between slavery and Morden Hall Park is that the family who owned it had a business processing snuff, Ms Van der Poll said.
asserted
Poll → own → snuff
'What the National Trust is trying to do is tell people of African descent that this is particularly relevant to them, assigning them victim status,' she said.
asserted
she → try → status
'It is treating black people as a group rather than as individuals who might be interested in the historic properties.'
A National Trust spokesman said: 'We provide opportunities for people of all ages to explore the people, events and ideas that have shaped history and the world we live in today.
'
uncertain
we → treat → history
This Black History Month, activities taking place across the National Trust cover 18th to 20th–century history.
asserted
activities → take → history
At Morden Hall Park, people can hear about the 1968 Olympics and how they became such a significant moment in modern history.'
asserted
they → hear → history
An unnamed member of the National Trust said: 'I think it would be best for all concerned if the Trust just allowed the kids a chance to bake.
asserted
Trust → say → chance
The Trust should be teaching the children about the property, not about Black Power.'
asserted
Trust → teach → Power
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