A secondary school has been forced to apologise after a teacher allegedly told students that the St George’s flag is a “racist symbol”.
In an online video, a teacher explained to pupils at Broadoak School in Partington near Manchester that the flag is being used to make “asylum seekers feel unwelcome”.
In a presentation, the teacher talked about why flags have gone up locally and across the country.
She said: “We aren’t saying this is an inherently racist symbol; however, unfortunately for some people, it has been used to do that.”
The teacher gave an example of a counter-protest she attended at a hotel housing asylum seekers in Fallowfield, Manchester.
She said some of the hotel protesters held England flags while doing Nazi salutes and shouting racist abuse.
The teacher continued: “We are not saying that the England flag is an inherently racist symbol.
“However, for some people, it is currently being used to make migrants, refugees and asylum seekers feel unwelcome.”
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The teacher at Broadoak School said the St George’s Flag has been ‘used to make migrants, refugees and asylum seekers feel unwelcome’
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The video, appearing to be recorded by students, has received hundreds of comments online, with many criticising the teacher’s rhetoric.
According to the Manchester Evening News, the school has launched an investigation and apologised to parents.
Parents received a letter saying the teacher was trying to celebrate diversity and inclusivity, but was not “balanced and impartial”, which created the backlash.
The letter said the school “unequivocally apologise”, adding the matter will be investigated and “addressed accordingly”.
Reacting to the incident, one parent said: “I am livid. Politics and teachers’ opinions either side should be kept out of our children’s education.”
“I’ve now had to sit down (my son) and explain why I’m not racist. Bear in mind, my children are mixed race.”
The school’s headteacher, John Knowles, and academics director John Shakos sent the letter to parents addressing the situation.
They wrote: “May I take this opportunity to share with you concerns that were raised by families within our community about a presentation that was delivered to pupils last Friday morning.
The school said it ‘would like to unequivocally apologise for any upset’ the teacher caused with their comments about the England flag
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GETTY“The concerns are centred on the belief that the presentation, which covered themes of celebrating diversity, inclusivity, the democratic right to protest and political beliefs, was not balanced and impartial.
“This has understandably caused upset amongst members of the community, and concern for the school.
“We would like to unequivocally apologise for any upset that this has caused and provide assurance that the situation will be investigated and addressed accordingly.”
GB News has approached Broadoak School for comment.