Fair Unbiased Sensitive Schools. Political FUSS?
1 March 2022
Political impartiality in schools, DfE guidance 17th February 2022.
Political impartiality in schools is DFE ‘Guidance’ unlike their ‘Statutory guidance’ for RSE. Nonetheless, the existing legal duties of LAs, schools, governors and academy trustees are described in some detail. Reference is made to the Education Act 1996, Human Rights Act 1998, Education and Skills Act 2008 and Equalities Act 2010. Prevent duty ‘Statutory guidance’ and Teacher’s standards ‘Guidance’ are also mentioned.
There is some help in the interpretation of terminology, ‘one-sided’ being the best synonym for ‘partisan.’ ‘Political views’ are those being expressed for ‘political purpose.’ There are also some helpful scenarios. For example, a ‘Thank you NHS’ poster is approved. One demanding NHS reform or changes to funding risks being politically impartial. Teaching facts and evidence for climate change is appropriate, but political solutions to tackling climate change may not be.
A primary school in Nottinghamshire became news recently when pupils wrote letters that called on the prime minister to resign. Schools must demonstrate balance but do not need to present misinformation. Should we vaccinate against covid? Care needs to be taken when providing balance so that teachers, “do not undermine fundamental British values or take extreme political positions.” The 5 fundamental British values are listed.
As ever, schools find themselves in grey areas and are required to make their best professional judgments with terms like ‘reasonable’ and ‘proportionate’ again at the fore. Teachers must also make judgments about, ‘age-appropriate teaching.’ As with RSE, where faith issues should be considered, there are often simultaneous sensitivities to care about.
Faith schools, such as Church of England schools, can access helpful external advice for RSE teaching. External agencies can be helpful. “Schools designated with a religious character are free to teach according to the tenets of their faith. We do not consider principles or views in line with these tenets to be covered by statutory requirements on political impartiality.” However, “Particular care should be taken to ensure that the external agencies used, as well as any materials and communication with pupils, are appropriate and in line with schools’ legal duties on political impartiality.”
There are multiple intelligences. In my view teachers have always needed to ensure that the curriculum sensitively provides opportunities to value learning that may be more difficult to measure objectively; including teamwork, emotional intelligence, equality, faith, and empathy.
Emotional Intelligence, Equality Values, and Empathy are key when reading and applying this DfE guidance.
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