Two BNP-supporting brothers have fallen foul of education chiefs after accessing right-wing websites while teaching in schools.
Adam Walker, 38, quit his job as a technology teacher after being suspended and told he faced disciplinary action. He used a computer at Houghton Kepier, a foundation school in Houghton-le- Spring, Tyne and Wear, during working hours to view politically extreme sites.
His brother Mark, 36, a former RAF weapons technician, was suspended from Sunnydale Comprehensive, in Shildon, County Durham, pending an internal probe. Mark, also a technology teacher, was found to have accessed the BNP's website during school hours. The pair stood as BNP candidates in Tony Blair's nearby Sedgefield constituency last month.
Married Mark, who served in the first Gulf War, admitted he had viewed the website.
He said: "I looked at the BNP site but I've no idea why that should be an offence. Teachers often look at sites when they are at school. I am being persecuted because of what I believe in. This wouldn't be an issue if I was standing for Labour or the Tories. I love teaching kids and I'm a very good teacher. I've worked at the school almost eight years and the governors know I'm dedicated and a very hard worker. I've taken the children away on trips and my political beliefs are no way in conflict with my professional role. I don't preach politics at work. I was stunned when I was hauled in before the head teacher.
"She said she'd seen someone with my name standing for the BNP and asked if it was me. When I said it was, they went through my computer records. My suspension is an infringement of my human rights and on my right to freedom of speech. I shouldn't be persecuted for having a certain political view. However, I am prepared to sacrifice my career for what I believe in. I would stand up to machine gun fire to stand for the BNP. I believe in the party."
Mark, from Spennymoor, County Durham, who claims he and his brother are close friends of BNP leader Nick Griffin, was hauled before school bosses a week ago. Meanwhile Adam, a former soldier and karate expert, left his job in February after admitting accessing three right- wing sites and a discussion forum about the BNP.
Adam, also from Spennymoor, claimed: "I got a letter from the school which said I was unfit to teach because of my political views. I admit I did look at a number of sites which could be seen to be right-wing during school time. Maybe I shouldn't have done that. I also spent a lot of time on computers while teaching kids but it was only when they were working on their own computers and I was free to do my own stuff. I spoke to advisers who said the school had a right to get rid of me so I left without a fight. I jumped before I was pushed."
Sunderland City Council refused to comment on Adam Walker's resignation. A spokesman for the council said: "It's inappropriate to comment on internal matters at Houghton Kepier School."
Sue Byrne, head teacher at Sunnydale, said: "I can confirm that a member of staff has been suspended, without prejudice, by the school governing body pending inquiries into allegations of misuse of school equipment."
Sunday Sun (Tyne and Wear)
June 17, 2007
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14 comments:
The damn reds are stifiling our freedom
So we can assume that you would disapprove if a couple of teachers were caught and sacked for looking at a couple of extreme left-wing sites too? You'd be all for stifling freedoms then. Anyway, who the hell are you to talk about freedoms, nazi.
Fuck off you nazi piece of shit!
Well well, Pisspants pays us a vist.
Sid just comes here to talk crap
"The damn reds are stifiling our freedom"
Not like you'd stifle anyones freedom.
As a nationalist, I can honestly say that I would defend the teachers, even if they went on extreme left-wing sites. It is wrong that people can be punished for accessing political material that the authorities don't agree with, whether it is left or right. People should be free to go on whatever websites they want.
I often read porn sites from home.
What would you do, come to my house and try and beat me up?
You people are horrible. If you ever come to Saltdean I would give you all a piece of my mind.
'I often read porn sites from home.'
Er, okay.
'What would you do, come to my house and try and beat me up?'
No, we don't do that.
'You people are horrible. If you ever come to Saltdean I would give you all a piece of my mind.'
I wouldn't if I were you - you haven't got enough to spare.
I tell you, mate, if you had a couch big enough for me to sleep on I'd certainly ruin it
By pissing yourself when drunk....
Tosspot!!!
How many units of alcohol do you drink a week, Sid?
How cowardly is El Sid, showing the only dissent against Nick Griffin's leadership by wetting pub seats with urine at a BNP social.
This guy kissed Griffo's arse until the conman dumped him for insulting Irish people as a lame PR exercise.
I think that there are civil liberty issues involved here. If rules against using the Internet during working time are in place they should be applied consistently. If you apply rules against people inconsistently and on political grounds that is unjust. It wouldn't matter to me if someone was looking at a BNP or a Communist site (I look at both).
We should adopt a 'content neutral' viewpoint here as the ACLU do. Once you establish a precedent it can be used against anyone after all.
I find it odd that Unions are siding with the employer and calling for him to be sacked. No wonder they have formed their own Union!
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