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

The political figure stated that educators would initiate walkouts shortly after a success at the polls for his party, accusing them of “harming young minds” by telling children that black pupils are victims and white children oppressors.

At a gathering for a private US Christian college, the politician expressed his viewpoint on the UK education system, stating that the “Marxist left” had “now in control of our education system”.

“I’m anticipating a walkout by educators very quickly after securing a victory,” he remarked in response to questions.

“They are poisoning our kids. They instruct children to be ashamed of their country. They inform little Johnny, who’s eight, who is black that he is a victim and little Oliver, who is white, who is eight that he is an oppressor. They are dividing us, not uniting us. They promote this negative culture.”

Reacting to Farage’s claims, Daniel Kebede dismissed the notion that the education system was controlled by Marxists as “absurd”. He pointed out that industrial action must relate to teachers’ terms and conditions, and doubted whether the party would target these right after taking office.

“Farage has built his public life on dog-whistle politics and currently, similar to other figures, he is targeting educators and their unions for a conflict,” Kebede stated.

“I think that’s grossly irresponsible. I don’t – and nor does my 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 education and children.”

The party, which tops surveys by a significant margin, has not set out much detail on its educational plans and seems not to have designated an education lead.

Nonetheless, his comments suggested the group would reform the system and the curriculum. Farage declared: “We have got a massive job with schooling – absolutely herculean. Moreover, 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 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 there are two points of view and they should decide for themselves rather than what’s happening now where one is virtuous and one is evil. This is a huge undertaking in both Britain and America.”

The party has conflicted with the UK’s largest teaching union, after Kebede called the party “far right and racist” and dismissed Farage as “a poundshop Donald Trump”.

The politician has charged Kebede of being “a self-declared Marxist” … someone who is absolutely determined that our children should be poisoned through education, their minds should be poisoned regarding national issues” and has argued that the union is trying to indoctrinate youth opposed to his party.

Roughly a million individuals are employed in education in the UK, about half of whom are teachers and the remainder being assistants and administrative personnel. The major education union has hundreds of thousands of members.

National strikes over educators’ salaries and work environment in 2023 led to significant interruptions in schools and extensive missed instruction for children.

At the US event, the Reform leader also pledged to help spread the digital courses of the institution in the UK. He stated such groups were “part of the fightback”, noting: “I mean this. I’ll assist attract vast numbers of young people to these educational programs. I pledge this tonight and I’ll do that.”

The college, a small private Christian college, offers free courses. According to its online description: “Comprehensive learning is vital for well-being and to perpetuate the blessings of civil and religious liberty. The college furnishes these excellent programs for free to every interested learner.”