Nigel Farage Accuses Teachers of ‘Poisoning Our Kids’ on Race Issues

Nigel Farage has asserted that teachers would go on strike shortly after a Reform UK election victory, charging that they are “harming young minds” by telling students that African-Caribbean youth are oppressed and white children oppressors.

At a gathering for a private US Christian college, Farage outlined his perspective on British schools, stating that the “Marxist left” had “taken over schooling”.

“I expect a teachers’ strike very quickly after winning the next general election,” he remarked during a Q&A session.

“They are poisoning our kids. They instruct children to feel guilt about their nation. They are telling an eight-year-old black child that he is a victim and little Oliver, who is white, who is eight that he is a perpetrator. They are dividing us, not uniting us. They promote this negative culture.”

In response to these assertions, the head of a major education union rejected the idea that the schools were under Marxist influence as “nonsense”. He pointed out that industrial action must relate to educators’ working conditions, and doubted whether Reform would attack these immediately upon entering government.

“Farage has built his political career on coded rhetoric and now, like Trump, he is lining up teachers and their unions for a fight,” the union leader said.

“I think that’s grossly irresponsible. I don’t – and nor does my union – advocate such divisive theories as he claims … If he were to lead the government he would undermine state services, particularly schooling … and he would be a disaster for students and learning.”

Reform, which tops surveys by about 10 points, has not set out much detail on its educational plans and seems not to have designated an education lead.

Nonetheless, his comments indicated the group would reform the system and the curriculum. He said: “We have got a massive job with education – absolutely herculean. And, we can’t do it in six months or a year; it requires years, a long-term effort to reform.”

He stated that gen Z was more open to critical thinking, but older youth were “completely lost”.

Paying tribute to a conservative activist, he commented: “All I want education to do to teach critical thinking – to instruct people that multiple perspectives exist and they should decide for themselves as opposed to what’s happening now where views are labeled good or bad. This is a huge undertaking in both Britain and America.”

The party has conflicted with a major educators’ organization, after the union leader labeled them “extremist and prejudiced” and described the leader as “a poundshop Donald Trump”.

Farage has accused the union head with being “an avowed radical” … someone who is absolutely determined that young minds be corrupted at school, their thinking tainted about everything to do with this country” and maintained that the organization seeks to brainwash teenagers against Reform.

Almost one million people work in schools 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 teacher pay and conditions in 2023 caused widespread disruption in educational institutions and millions of days of lost learning for children.

During the American gathering, Farage also pledged to help spread the online educational material of the Christian college in the UK. He stated such groups were “key to resistance”, adding that: “I am serious. I will help garner hundreds of thousands, if not millions of young people to these educational programs. I pledge this now and I will follow through.”

The college, a religious educational establishment, provides complimentary classes. Its website states: “A scientific, literary, theological, political, and moral education is necessary for personal happiness and to maintain the benefits of freedom. It offers these excellent programs for no charge to all who wish to learn.”