After admitting anti-Muslim postings, he faces historic charge of religious intolerance
A BNP supporter could become the first teacher to be struck off for religious intolerance next Monday. Adam Walker will appear before a General Teaching Council (GTC) panel on Monday, charged with making anti-Muslim comments on a website while using a school laptop.
Mr Walker, who used to teach at Houghton Kepier Sports College at Houghton-le-Spring, near Sunderland, quit the school in 2007. He admits writing the comments - made under a pseudonym - but claims they had no link to his work as a design and technology teacher.
Legal wrangles have been going on for over a year, and his team has succeeded in removing former NUT president Judy Moorhouse from the disciplinary panel, arguing that her union's policies mean she would be biased against him. Fears of clashes between the BNP, protesters and police led to the case being postponed at the beginning of last year. But his lawyers were unsuccessful in their claim that website administrators were wrong to reveal his identity and his posts should not be used in evidence.
Mr Walker, now working as campaigns co-ordinator for BNP MEP Andrew Brons, has vowed to take the case to the "highest level" if found guilty.
Teaching union the NASUWT has accused the GTC of allowing the BNP to use the case to attract publicity.
Mr Walker's brother Mark, who taught at Sunnydale Community College in Shildon, County Durham, lost his employment tribunal case for unfair dismissal last month. He claimed he had been fired for his political views and involvement with the BNP. But the panel said the school had been justified in its actions on account of his sickness record.
TES
May 21, 2010
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3 comments:
As a former teacher his conduct is completely unacceptable and he deserves to be thrown out of teaching.
He is not fit to be anywhere near involving himself with the education of children and young people.
I suspect he will do everything to make himself look a martyr to his dwindling band of racist, fascist, thugs and assembled fruit and nutcase supporters who are daft enough to associate themselves with this hopeless headbanger.
Walker said:" has vowed to take the case to the "highest level" if found guilty."
Would that include the European Court of Human Rights?
The same European court that we would have bugger all to do with if they were elected?
Prize Nob
Speaking as someone who was actually taught by him, this isn't what I'd call him on.
In a year of tech teaching, I think I learnt more BNP policy than I did product design. That's what he should be called on, not online comments. Because you know what? Maybe he's telling the truth. Maybe he did nothing wrong online. But I'd just like to hear him claim that racist rants in the middle of a GCSE lesson is nothing wrong, either.
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