Addressing MPs on Wednesday, the Education Secretary warned that antisemitism is “normalised and amplified” on social media and “old tropes” have found a “new life” online.
asserted
tropes → address → life
The Government has accepted all 27 recommendations in Sir David’s review – which has called for political impartiality guidance for teachers to be strengthened.
asserted
guidance → accept → teachers
But the report did not call for a ban on teachers and pupils wearing political symbols or flags – like pro-Palestine badges – in schools and colleges.
Shadow education secretary Laura Trott has argued the review’s recommendations on education unions were “not strong enough”.
Meanwhile, the National Education Union (NEU), the largest education union in the country, has said calling on schools to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism is the “wrong approach” and it “risks deepening the problem”.
asserted
it → call → problem
Around half of respondents who witnessed or experienced antisemitism said that incidents were not reported, the review found.
asserted
review → witness → antisemitism
Speaking to MPs on Wednesday, Ms Powell said the “seminal” review into antisemitism in schools and colleges in England had exposed the “shocking scale” of the issue in British society.
asserted
review → speak → society
Read More
The Education Secretary said the voices of Jewish students and teachers “will be heard” as she said “change will come”.
asserted
change → read → students
Ms Powell vowed to write to schools and colleges to call on them to adopt the IHRA’s working definition of antisemitism.
asserted
Powell → vow → antisemitism
The Government will take forward a series of measures, including dedicated antisemitism training and resources for teachers and improved reporting of antisemitic incidents.
asserted
Government → take → incidents
Ms Powell promised to strengthen safeguarding guidance to make clear that antisemitism is “a distinct risk” that requires a distinct safeguarding response.
asserted
that → promise → response
In a statement to the Commons, the Education Secretary said: “All children and teachers should be able to go to school or college free from fear.”
asserted
children → say → fear
Schools and colleges will be given more support on how to ensure “controversial and sensitive” issues and geopolitical events can be discussed in an informed and impartial way.
asserted
issues → give → way
Sir David, who led the independent review, said pupils should be able to have open discussions on the conflict between Israel and Hamas without experiencing “prejudice or hatred”.
asserted
pupils → lead → prejudice
Speaking to the Press Association, he said it was “not good enough” that some teachers and pupils felt conversations on the topic were “too difficult to touch” when they arose in classrooms.
asserted
they → speak → classrooms
Sir David said he had decided against recommending an outright ban on teachers and pupils wearing political symbols or flags because he believed it was “unworkable” and “untested legally”.
But he told PA it was “entirely reasonable” for individual schools and colleges to use existing mechanisms – such as codes of conduct for staff and pupils – to set out what should be worn.
asserted
what → say → staff
Ms Powell, who has accepted Sir David’s recommendation, said: “But as Education Secretary, I am clear I would not expect to see teachers coming to school or college wearing or displaying any political material.”
asserted
teachers → accept → material
Shadow education secretary Laura Trott has argued that the review’s recommendations on education unions were “not strong enough”.
asserted
recommendations → argue → unions
The report acknowledged that some Jewish staff feel “excluded or insufficiently supported” by education unions due to activity and messaging relating to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
asserted
staff → acknowledge → conflict
But it did not conclude that education unions are “inherently antisemitic”, and instead it called on unions to “strengthen efforts” to address antisemitism.
asserted
it → conclude → antisemitism
Ms Trott said: “Asking them to examine their own actions is allowing them to mark their own homework, and we already know that this doesn’t work.”
asserted
this → say → homework
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said: “Recommending the IHRA definition risks tightening the chilling grip already stifling classroom discussion of the Gaza genocide.
asserted
Recommending → say → genocide
“Schools need practical support to confront antisemitism, not a contested framework that risks shutting down legitimate discussion.
asserted
that → need → discussion
“The very real risk is that children who cannot critically explore issues through classroom discussion will instead seek their answers in online and unsafe groups.”
asserted
who → explore → groups
He added: “This report will not tackle antisemitism.
“It wrongly calls into question the professionalism of teachers.
asserted
It → add → teachers
“The existing rules on impartiality in the classroom are very clear and teachers take that responsibility very seriously.”
asserted
teachers → exist → responsibility
Students, parents and teachers were urged to share their experiences for the Government-commissioned review between April and July.
asserted
Students → urge → April
Karen Newman, vice-president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said: “The evidence gathered by Sir David Bell showing the scale of the challenges is sobering, and makes clear the need for a determined and consistent approach.
asserted
need → say → approach
“Treating antisemitism in schools as a safeguarding issue will have the benefit of creating an explicit duty on all schools to address this as they would any other threat to children’s safety, and will strengthen accountability.”
asserted
they → treat → accountability
She added: “We remain concerned about undue external influence on schools driven by narrow political agendas, and tendentious materials seeping into schools and increasing disharmony, and we will continue to press for vigilance against this.”
asserted
we → add → this
Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: “Unfortunately, there are differing views on what may or may not constitute antisemitism and what is a legitimate expression of views over the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
uncertain
what → say → Israel
“Schools and colleges are often caught in the middle of divisive issues and find themselves having to navigate between strongly held opinions on either side of an argument.
asserted
themselves → catch → argument
“It is important that teachers are able to facilitate important conversations as this is key to the understanding of complex issues.
asserted
this → facilitate → issues
They must be able to do this with confidence.
asserted
They → do → confidence
The Aporia
