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IDS just exposed the Tories’ steaming Batley School hypocrisy

Steve Topple by Steve Topple
26 March 2021
in Editorial, UK
Reading Time: 3 mins read
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Iain Duncan Smith (IDS) has waded into the Batley grammar school story. And his views have exposed the hypocrisy at the heart of the Tory Party. Moreover, IDS has again shown the creep of authoritarian intolerance in the UK establishment.

Batley grammar school

BBC News has reported on the situation at Batley grammar school in West Yorkshire. It involves a teacher who used an image of the Prophet Muhammad in a lesson. The cartoon was reportedly by French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. But as BBC News pointed out, this goes against the Qur’an. Batley school has a large Muslim cohort, so some parents are angry. The school has suspended the teacher in question. But as BBC News wrote:

Demonstrators gathered outside the school for a second day on Thursday morning, but had moved on by mid-afternoon.

The school… was understood to have switched to a day of remote learning and the gates remained locked.

So, enter IDS to make matters worse.

Enter the Tories

On Friday 26 March, Julia Hartley-Brewer spoke to him on talkRADIO. She asked his opinion on the story. IDS said:

I’m with teachers who have to teach… There’s plenty of things that we don’t like to see and plenty of things that we disagree with. … If we ban everything and stop everything that different groups don’t like, then it’s going to be very difficult for teachers to teach.

After a teacher was suspended for showing an image of the Prophet Mohammed to pupils, Sir Iain Duncan Smith says: "If we ban everything that different groups don't like it's going to be very difficult for teachers to teach."@JuliaHB1 | @MPIainDS pic.twitter.com/6uFMU4QQOC

— Talk (@TalkTV) March 26, 2021

IDS’s comments were similar to that of minister Robert Jenrick. He said that teachers should be allowed to “appropriately show images of the prophet”. Also, he added that:

In a free society we want religions to be taught to children and for children to be able to question and query them

Do as we say

But as the Guardian reported, the Tories have set rules as to what teachers can teach in school. It wrote that:

Department for Education (DfE) guidance… [on[ the relationship, sex and health curriculum categorised anti-capitalism as an “extreme political stance” and equated it with opposition to freedom of speech, antisemitism and endorsement of illegal activity.

So, it seems that teachers have a free reign to teach. But as long as it’s things the Tories believe in.

In the case of Batley, this is a clear anti-Islam narrative, where people are not respecting Muslim’s views. You can imagine that if teachers were pushing work that was disrespectful to Christianity, the Tory response would probably be very different. But just as importantly, let’s not forget we also have a massive bigot sitting in 10 Downing Street.

Creeping authoritarianism

The Tory Party readily uses liberal arguments around ‘free speech’ when it suits them. But in reality, the party is creeping further to the authoritarian right. Its failure to properly defend the Muslim children in Batley grammar school has let the party’s mask slip. The hypocrisy is staggering. But it’s also another warning sign of the UK’s descent into what I previously explained is corporate fascism. This path should worry us all.

Featured image via BBC Newsnight – YouTube 

Tags: Conservative PartyeducationIslamophobiareligion
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Comments 4

  1. Lee Wilson says:
    5 years ago

    If the consequences weren’t so real and repugnant Tories these days would look like pantomime villains. They cannot really believe the implications of a lot of what they say and do – as with his stance on China this week he’s playing the character suggested is required by the ‘success’ of Brexit culture.

    I’ve seen this kind of thing myself in dialogue with my local MP Adam Holloway. I’ve received two letters from him where he seems to want to convey two contradictory stances – I can imagine his secretary looking up from the computer as if to say, “Erm…” but the apparent cognitive dissonance of his pose prevails. The fissure in the text of the Conservative self is sutured by another election win and the momentum of Brexit. These people are just about young enough that they don’t even believe bigoted things in good faith but are walking to the edge of the stage twirling a glued on moustache because it’s going to spin some more money for some time yet.

    I would think that behind the scenes it has been the same at this school – have the teacher thinking he’s being all brave and bold digging the crap cartoons out and then feed him to the lions to tidy the situation up, all this rather than navigate the ethics to an adult conclusion that is not a pose.

    Reply
  2. royjenkins284 says:
    5 years ago

    IDS just exposed the Tories’ steaming Batley School hypocrisy

    Iain Duncan Smith the very man that help designed and started
    The Scam-U-Credit benefits that screw all benefits claimants now.
    What trust should we public have in Mr I.D.S. Words now (NONE)
    ///
    So, enter IDS to make matters worse.
    Enter the Tories
    On Friday 26 March, Julia Hartley-Brewer spoke to him on talk RADIO.
    She asked his opinion on the story. IDS said, I’m with teachers who have
    to teach There’s plenty of things that we don’t like to see and plenty of
    things that we disagree with. If we ban everything and stop everything
    that different groups don’t like, then it’s going to be very’ difficult for
    teachers to teach.
    ///
    I would like to ask I.D.S. with the new laws on policing in place now
    the protesters outside this school trying to protect their kids for being
    possibly? brainwashed by this teacher involved are all braking the new
    rules I.D.S. you voted on in parliament are they not plus L-Down rules???
    IDS’s comments were ‘similar’ to that of minister Robert Jenrick. He said that teachers
    should be allowed to appropriately show images of the prophet, Also, he added that
    In a free society we want religions to be taught to children and for children to be able to question and query them.
    //
    My personal point plus concerns will this foam of Migrant teaching with their religious
    Personal beleave to our kids in School lead to our kids going to other country to fight
    For that religious cult, the teaching in the classroom is telling them about. I.D.S Govt have
    proof of kids being turned against this country plus our religion in the mosques Prayer
    places up and down the country other religious people use to indoctrinate the kids in their prayer places -So I ask Mr Iain Duncan Smith is this right is this allowed to go on in our British school (unchecked by Tory Govt) all over the U.K. areas yes or no?
    //
    I wonder if this will be loud to get out of hand now just so Tory Govt can collect the votes of the teacher doing this unjust foam of teaching in our school in May 2021 election or any G.E. held the Tory Govt party members will and could turn a blind eye to this form of teaching now?
    We know we cannot trust the Tory party members on any matter now resident of U.K
    So, I politely say to all parent + voters ask your Tory M.P. if they indented to debate this matter in H.O. Commons live on T.V. and ‘possibly’ change any laws to protect our vulnerable kids for indoctrination by migrant teacher from other countries.
    (from outside the U.K area) from teacher that are set on by Cllr that have just come
    from th E.U area to work in U.K. Schools what vetting is done on all teacher from
    outside plus within the U.K. now I.D.S.?

    Reply
  3. Gnu says:
    5 years ago

    Naturally, had this teacher shown offensive articles denying the WW2 Holocaust, the Tories would be lining up to defend “Freedom of Speech and the Right to Teach”. Right?

    Why not?

    Is it because anti-Islam prejudice is fine in 21st century Britain (England)?

    Curious the meedja hasn’t wheeled out Baroness Warsi for her take. You would think AS a Conservative Party Muslim, HER views would be much sought after.

    Or perhaps the meedja is concerned she might not be “on message”.

    So what IS that message?

    Reply
  4. Radioh3d says:
    5 years ago

    This the same Iain Duncan Smith who cheered in sick delight while shouting “yesss!!! … fantastic!!!” as he punched the air repeatedly with both fists in reaction to a budget announcement about the new, at the time, £7.20 an hour tory minimum wage slave labour initiative? That Iain Duncan Smith? Whose hands are stained with blood after causing the premature deaths of thousands of disabled and mentally ill people with his grotesque welfare regime? Who unintentionally (or indifferently) exposed the greed and cruelty of hundreds of UK businesses with his obscenely exploitative workfare scheme?

    He shouldn’t be allowed to air an opinion about anything, not even on the repugnant Brewer radio show. He should be behind bars for his crimes against humanity along with the rest of the incompetent, deathmongering, public funds robbing, Brexit creating, UK destroying, crooked tory cabal.

    Doing articles on the soulless automaton is a bit tasteless too, as it gives it oxygen it would rightly be starved of if there was any justice in this country. Wanna know what concentrated evil in living form looks like? See the expression on the face in the above picture.

    Reply

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