Allegations that a British National Party activist posted racist comments online while working as a teacher in County Durham have been dismissed
The General Teaching Council (GTC) had heard Adam Walker used a school laptop to post descriptions of some immigrants as "savage animals" and "filth". Mr Walker, from Spennymoor, said he had been singled out because of his views.
The GTC found him guilty of a single charge of misconduct after he admitted using a laptop during lessons. Mr Walker was the first teacher to appear before the GTC accused of racial intolerance. It was alleged the views expressed in the postings constituted unacceptable professional conduct.
He resigned from Houghton Kepier Sports College, in Houghton-le-Spring, in 2007 after his head teacher asked IT staff to investigate his use of the internet.
The GTC panel said it was "troubled" by some of the postings made by Mr Walker, who also claimed Britain was becoming a "dumping ground for the filth of the Third World". But the three-member committee said it was not satisfied that the "intemperate" views expressed by Mr Walker during his time at the school were suggestive of intolerance.
The hearing was told that in one posting, it was alleged Mr Walker claimed the BNP had risen in popularity because "they are the only party who are making a stand and are prepared to protect the rights of citizens against the savage animals New Labour and Bliar (sic) are filling our communities with".
The teacher's trade union representative, Patrick Harrington, said Mr Walker accepted he was wrong to use a computer to access the online forum during school time. However, he argued that none of the terms used by Mr Walker had demonstrated racial or religious intolerance.
BBC
Showing posts with label religious intolerance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label religious intolerance. Show all posts
May 25, 2010
May 24, 2010
BNP teacher 'described immigrants as filth'
A teacher posted comments on the internet describing some immigrants as "savage animals" and "filth", a disciplinary panel heard
Adam Walker, a British National Party member, used a school laptop to access an online forum in which he claimed parts of Britain were a "dumping ground" for the Third World, the General Teaching Council was told on Monday.
Mr Walker is the first teacher to appear before the GTC accused of racial intolerance. He resigned from Houghton Kepier Sports College in Houghton-le-Spring, near Sunderland, in 2007.
Opening the case against the former soldier, Bradley Albuery, GTC presenting officer, alleged that the postings demonstrated views suggestive of both racial and religious intolerance. In one posting, Mr Walker claimed the BNP had risen in popularity because "they are the only party who are making a stand and are prepared to protect the rights of citizens against the savage animals New Labour and Bliar (sic) are filling our communities with".
In another posting on the same day, Mr Walker wrote: "By following recent media coverage of illegal animals and how they are allowed to stay here despite committing heinous crimes, I am, to say the very least, disgusted."
Another posting claimed that some immigrants hated people who were white and had western values.
Under existing legislation, BNP members are not banned from being teachers. But the GTC has the power to ban teachers from the classroom and issue suspensions or formal reprimands for bringing the profession into disrepute.
Concluding his opening statement, Mr Albuery said: "This case is not about the BNP or whether teachers should be members of that lawful party. This case is about the actions and behaviour of a registered teacher, using a school property on school premises in school time."
Mr Walker, from Spennymoor, County Durham, is alleged to have spent more than eight hours using the laptop for purposes not connected to his school duties. The teacher, who worked at Houghton Kepier for more than six years, resigned after his head teacher asked IT staff to investigate his use of the internet.
In a statement read to the hearing, Mr Walker said that he had not communicated his political thoughts and beliefs to staff or pupils at the school.
"I have always sought to bring out the best in my pupils,” he said. "I have certainly never discriminated against an individual on grounds of race, faith or sexuality. Part of why I became a teacher is to help people overcome social disadvantage and reach their full potential."
Commenting on the content of his postings, Mr Walker said he had been influenced by media coverage of a female PC shot dead by two illegal immigrants and the murder of British hostage Ken Bigley in Iraq.
"Looking back now I feel that I was unduly influenced by the hostile climate the media created," he said. "This led me to express intemperate views which lacked complexity and balance. I should have taken more time to think about the possible offence my words might have caused and I think I could have expressed myself more carefully and positively. I have never condemned all immigrants or asylum seekers. My comments relate to those I perceive as coming to our country and committing criminal offences or otherwise behaving badly. In many cases, I cut and pasted views from a variety of sources in order to provoke debate and these were not attributed.”
More than a dozen uniformed police officers were on duty outside the GTC's offices in central Birmingham, where demonstrators had gathered during the hearing on Monday.
The hearing continues.
Telegraph
Adam Walker, a British National Party member, used a school laptop to access an online forum in which he claimed parts of Britain were a "dumping ground" for the Third World, the General Teaching Council was told on Monday.
Mr Walker is the first teacher to appear before the GTC accused of racial intolerance. He resigned from Houghton Kepier Sports College in Houghton-le-Spring, near Sunderland, in 2007.
Opening the case against the former soldier, Bradley Albuery, GTC presenting officer, alleged that the postings demonstrated views suggestive of both racial and religious intolerance. In one posting, Mr Walker claimed the BNP had risen in popularity because "they are the only party who are making a stand and are prepared to protect the rights of citizens against the savage animals New Labour and Bliar (sic) are filling our communities with".
In another posting on the same day, Mr Walker wrote: "By following recent media coverage of illegal animals and how they are allowed to stay here despite committing heinous crimes, I am, to say the very least, disgusted."
Another posting claimed that some immigrants hated people who were white and had western values.
Under existing legislation, BNP members are not banned from being teachers. But the GTC has the power to ban teachers from the classroom and issue suspensions or formal reprimands for bringing the profession into disrepute.
Concluding his opening statement, Mr Albuery said: "This case is not about the BNP or whether teachers should be members of that lawful party. This case is about the actions and behaviour of a registered teacher, using a school property on school premises in school time."
Mr Walker, from Spennymoor, County Durham, is alleged to have spent more than eight hours using the laptop for purposes not connected to his school duties. The teacher, who worked at Houghton Kepier for more than six years, resigned after his head teacher asked IT staff to investigate his use of the internet.
In a statement read to the hearing, Mr Walker said that he had not communicated his political thoughts and beliefs to staff or pupils at the school.
"I have always sought to bring out the best in my pupils,” he said. "I have certainly never discriminated against an individual on grounds of race, faith or sexuality. Part of why I became a teacher is to help people overcome social disadvantage and reach their full potential."
Commenting on the content of his postings, Mr Walker said he had been influenced by media coverage of a female PC shot dead by two illegal immigrants and the murder of British hostage Ken Bigley in Iraq.
"Looking back now I feel that I was unduly influenced by the hostile climate the media created," he said. "This led me to express intemperate views which lacked complexity and balance. I should have taken more time to think about the possible offence my words might have caused and I think I could have expressed myself more carefully and positively. I have never condemned all immigrants or asylum seekers. My comments relate to those I perceive as coming to our country and committing criminal offences or otherwise behaving badly. In many cases, I cut and pasted views from a variety of sources in order to provoke debate and these were not attributed.”
More than a dozen uniformed police officers were on duty outside the GTC's offices in central Birmingham, where demonstrators had gathered during the hearing on Monday.
The hearing continues.
Telegraph
May 25, 2007
Rise in racism in the playground
A threefold increase in reports of racist incidents in Derby's schools over seven years has been put down to better reporting. Children are now not so afraid to tell others, and a mentoring scheme also helps them, officials say.
Figures revealed by Channel 4 News showed that 151 reports of playground racism in 2000/1 rose to 451 last year.
Graham Falgate from the city council said there was now a much better awareness of how to report incidents. He said typical racist incidents included name-calling, ridicule, religious intolerance and other forms of bullying.
Alan Vaughan, a teacher at Derby Moor Community Sports College in Littleover, said they had operated a mentoring scheme for the past four years, which had proved successful.
"The children work with each other to solve the problems," he said. "There is always going to be an element of racism," he said. "We accept it exists and work together to conquer it."
BBC
Figures revealed by Channel 4 News showed that 151 reports of playground racism in 2000/1 rose to 451 last year.
Graham Falgate from the city council said there was now a much better awareness of how to report incidents. He said typical racist incidents included name-calling, ridicule, religious intolerance and other forms of bullying.
Alan Vaughan, a teacher at Derby Moor Community Sports College in Littleover, said they had operated a mentoring scheme for the past four years, which had proved successful.
"The children work with each other to solve the problems," he said. "There is always going to be an element of racism," he said. "We accept it exists and work together to conquer it."
BBC
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