Bristol teachers tell pupils not to vote for BNP
The leaflet being given to pupils at the City Academy in Lawrence Hill is published by a national campaign group called the Unite Against Fascism coalition.
But the anti-immigration party, which is fielding eight candidates in tomorrow's city council elections – including local wards Lawrence Hill, St George West and St George East – has accused the school of "indoctrinating" its pupils and says it should leave children out of politics.
Pupils aged 12 and 13 are being shown the leaflet so they can analyse and discuss what the BNP stands for.
It is part of a project on the European Union which has been timed to coincide with the Euro elections, also being held tomorrow.
Principal Dr Ray Priest said: "We have a responsibility to teach young people about tolerance, caring for each other and respecting each other.
"The policies of parties such as the BNP do not represent any of these things and therefore, in my view, should have no place in our society."
Dr Priest said pupils were not being told in lessons, 'Don't vote for the BNP' but he said schools had a responsibility to take a proactive position in society.
He said: "We can explain that policies which are extreme or which result in harm to others are wrong."
The BNP lists among its objectives "restoring, by legal changes, negotiation and consent, the overwhelmingly white makeup of the British population that existed in Britain prior to 1948".
The City Academy, which was the first of its type to open in Bristol six years ago, has more than 1,300 pupils – nearly three-quarters of whom are from ethnic backgrounds other than white British.
Academies are state-funded but run independently of local authorities, giving them more freedom over the content of lessons.
Christine Townsend, head of citizenship classes at the academy, said pupils were looking at various posters and discussing issues such as why the BNP seems to be more prominent in these elections.
She said: "We are helping pupils to develop analytical skills so they are equipped to make up their own minds."
Paulette North, a teacher at the academy and Bristol assistant divisional secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: "This is about taking pupils into the political arena and showing them the views that exist in our society."
She said the use of the leaflet was discussed and backed by other unions and the academy's management before being introduced to pupils. After school finished at 3.15pm, teachers were handing out the leaflets to pupils as they left the campus in Russell Town Avenue.
Ms North said the union had set aside money for a "Stop the BNP" advertising campaign, which included helping to meet the cost of producing the leaflet.
She said teachers and non-teaching staff from all unions had been handing out the leaflets to pupils after school and urging them to tell their parents not to vote for the BNP.
Supporters of the main political groups fear a low turnout at the elections could benefit the BNP.
Science teacher Vanessa Pinnington said: "What we do as teachers would be completely obliterated if we did anything that supported the BNP."
The academy's head boy, Zack Henry, 17, said: "There should be restrictions in place so parties like the BNP can't stand because their policies are wildly wrong."
Peter Mullins, South West regional organiser for the BNP, said he was saddened to hear that the leaflets were being given to children.
He said: "This is absolutely awful – beyond the pale. It is a step too far, as far as politics is concerned.
"Children should be allowed to enjoy their childhood. They should not be being indoctrinated with one-way political beliefs.
"We would never do that. We would never try to brainwash young people."
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