Nigel Farage has asserted that educators would initiate walkouts within weeks a Reform UK election victory, accusing them of “poisoning our kids” by instructing students that black pupils are victims and white children oppressors.
At a gathering for a private US Christian college, Farage outlined his perspective on the UK education system, stating that the “radical left-wing” had “now in control of our education system”.
“I expect a walkout by educators soon after winning the next general election,” Farage commented during a Q&A session.
“They are poisoning our kids. They instruct children to feel guilt about their nation. They are telling little Johnny, who’s eight, who is black that he is oppressed and little Oliver, who is white, who is eight that he is an oppressor. They create division, instead of fostering unity. They are feeding this harmful mindset.”
In response to these assertions, the head of a major education union rejected the notion that the schools were under Marxist influence as “absurd”. Kebede noted that industrial action must relate to educators’ working conditions, and questioned whether Reform would attack these right after taking office.
“Farage has built his political career on dog-whistle politics and currently, like Trump, he is targeting educators and their organizations for a conflict,” the union leader said.
“This is highly reckless. Neither I nor our union – push critical race theory as he’s suggesting … If he were to lead the government he would undermine state services, including education … and the outcome would be catastrophic for students and learning.”
The party, which tops surveys by about 10 points, has not set out much detail on a proposed education policy and does not appear to have designated an education lead.
Nonetheless, Farage’s remarks indicated the group would reform the system and the curriculum. Farage declared: “We have got a massive job with schooling – truly monumental. And, we can’t do it in six months or a year; it will take us years, a long-term effort to reform.”
He stated that gen Z was more open to analytical thought, but older youth were “completely lost”.
Paying tribute to Charlie Kirk, he commented: “My goal for schooling is to foster independent thought – to educate individuals that multiple perspectives exist and they should decide for themselves as opposed to current practices where views are labeled good or bad. This is a huge undertaking in both Britain and America.”
Reform has previously clashed with a major educators’ organization, after the union leader labeled them “extremist and prejudiced” and dismissed Farage as “a poundshop Donald Trump”.
The politician has charged the union head with being “a self-declared Marxist” … an individual intent that our children should be poisoned through education, their minds should be poisoned about everything to do with this country” and maintained that the organization seeks to brainwash youth opposed to his party.
Almost one million people are employed in education in the UK, about half of whom are teachers and the remainder being assistants and administrative personnel. The leading teachers’ organization has about 450,000 members.
Countrywide walkouts over educators’ salaries and work environment in 2023 caused widespread disruption in educational institutions and extensive missed instruction for students.
At the US event, Farage also pledged to help spread the online educational material of the Christian college in the UK. He said such groups were “part of the fightback”, noting: “I mean this. I’ll assist garner hundreds of thousands, if not millions of youth to these educational programs. I pledge this now and I will follow through.”
The college, a small private Christian college, provides complimentary classes. Its website states: “Comprehensive learning is necessary for personal happiness and to maintain the benefits of civil and religious liberty. It offers these excellent programs for free to every interested learner.”
