‘I’m scared to be speaking about my normal right-wing views’ in school year 11 student tells LBC
5 April 2023, 12:07
Year 11 pupil Nick call long version
A 16-year-old schoolboy has told Nick Ferrari of the ‘chaos’ that ensued when he expressed his opinion on the migrant crisis in an essay.
After being awarded two marks out of 15 and receiving a phone call home, a year 11 student has told Nick Ferrari at Breakfast on LBC how he is unable to speak openly about his “normal” right-wing political views.
This call followed a statement made by the president of the leading education union, the National Education Union (NEU), saying that the teachers’ strike is not about pay but about controlling a “brutally racist state.”
The NEU's newly elected chief Daniel Kebede said dispute was about ‘taking back control’ and ‘reorganising society’
The caller began, “I’m in year 11 right now, I’m doing my GCSE’s.” He added, “I’m 16.”
“I do politics at school,” he said, “my teacher is left-wing she talks about her political views and how she’s feminist, and whenever we try and contrast anything about it she says ‘let's remain civil and ensure everyone is happy and we live in a nice society’.”
He recalled the time: “We were talking about Brexit and people started calling Nigel Farage quite rude words, you know and the teacher just let it go on.
“Now I’m too scared to be speaking about my normal right-wing views.”
Read More: What are teachers pay demands and what's their average salary?
Read More: Activist says trans people are human beings not just a collection of body parts
The student felt that his views had been discriminated against: “I wrote about illegal migration in my essay and guess what… I got given two marks out of 15 and got a phone call home.
“Apparently talking about illegal immigration is quite extremist and rude to ethnic families.”
The student, from Streatham, assured Nick: “I have friends from all different countries.”
Following the news that teachers are going to go back on strike, having rejected an offer including a £1,000 one-off payment, a 4.3% pay rise next year, and a starting salary increase to £30,000 from September.
The young caller hoping to pursue a career in politics, referring to his teacher, said: “She’s earning well over 35,000 pounds and striking.
“My parents barely earn over 29,000 pounds and are surviving in London.
“Teacher strikes are a joke” he concluded.
Read More: Schools 'let children change gender without telling parents', in 'mass breach' of safeguarding
