Campaign to ban BNP from teaching coming to Carlisle

A national campaign to get BNP members banned from working as teachers comes to Carlisle next week

The NASUWT, the largest teachers’ union in the UK which has more than 2,000 members in Cumbria, is joining forces with Carlisle Against Racism to host an open meeting on Wednesday evening. The union’s number two deputy general secretary, Jerry Bartlett, is travelling to Carlisle to be one of two speakers.

The free event is taking place at the University of Cumbria’s Fusehill Street campus from 7pm. Wednesday’s event comes less than two months after Education Secretary Ed Balls ordered a review into the rules against racism in schools. He wants recommendations from the study to determine whether there are suitable safeguards in place “to maintain trust in the teaching profession”.

David Cornwall, national officer for NASUWT and national executive member for Cumbria, said: “It is essential that we keep race hate out of our schools and colleges. We welcome the opportunity to work with Carlisle Against Racism, an organisation that is successfully building a movement to combat racism in the city and surrounding areas.

“We hope that teachers from local schools, students from the university and anyone who opposes racism will come to our event.”

NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates said: “The NASUWT is campaigning vigorously for the teachers’ contract to be amended in line with those of the police, armed forces and prison service to prevent BNP members from working as teachers. We are equally strongly pressing for BNP members to be banned from serving on governing bodies.

“The NASUWT is appealing to all local authorities, governing bodies and the organisations that represent and support them to review their compliance with the provisions of the Race Relations Act 1976.”

The Cumberland News