The Education Secretary has said “change will come” on antisemitism in schools and colleges in England as she accepted all of the recommendations in Sir David Bell’s review.
Lucy Powell told the Commons that all children and teachers should be able to go to school or college “free from fear”, as she said tackling antisemitism is a “generational challenge”.
Addressing MPs on Wednesday, the Education Secretary warned that antisemitism is “normalised and amplified” on social media and “old tropes” have found a “new life” online.
She promised to “update and strengthen” Holocaust education in schools.
The Government has accepted all 27 recommendations in Sir David’s review – which include encouraging all schools and colleges to mark Holocaust Memorial Day, as well as strengthening guidance on political impartiality to help teachers navigate contemporary and “sensitive” geopolitical topics.
But the report did not call for a ban on teachers and pupils wearing political symbols or flags – like pro-Palestine badges – in schools and colleges.
Shadow education secretary Laura Trott has argued the review’s recommendations on education unions were “not strong enough”.
Meanwhile, the National Education Union (NEU), the largest education union in the country, has said calling on schools to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism is the “wrong approach” and it “risks deepening the problem”.
The Government-commissioned review found that three in five Jewish pupils said they had experienced or witnessed antisemitism.
Around half of respondents who witnessed or experienced antisemitism said that incidents were not reported, the review found.
Speaking to MPs on Wednesday, Ms Powell said the “seminal” review into antisemitism in schools and colleges in England had exposed the “shocking scale” of the issue in British society.
The Education Secretary said the voices of Jewish students and teachers “will be heard” as she said “change will come”.
Ms Powell vowed to write to schools and colleges to call on them to adopt the IHRA’s working definition of antisemitism.
The Government will take forward a series of measures, including dedicated antisemitism training and resources for teachers and improved reporting of antisemitic incidents.
Ms Powell promised to strengthen safeguarding guidance to make clear that antisemitism is “a distinct risk” that requires a distinct safeguarding response.
In a statement to the Commons, the Education Secretary said: “All children and teachers should be able to go to school or college free from fear.”
Schools and colleges will be given more support on how to ensure “controversial and sensitive” issues and geopolitical events can be discussed in an informed and impartial way.
Sir David, who led the independent review, said pupils should be able to have open discussions on the conflict between Israel and Hamas without experiencing “prejudice or hatred”.
Speaking to the Press Association, he said it was “not good enough” that some teachers and pupils felt conversations on the topic were “too difficult to touch” when they arose in classrooms.
Sir David said he had decided against recommending an outright ban on teachers and pupils wearing political symbols or flags because he believed it was “unworkable” and “untested legally”.
But he told PA it was “entirely reasonable” for individual schools and colleges to use existing mechanisms – such as codes of conduct for staff and pupils – to set out what should be worn.
Ms Powell, who has accepted Sir David’s recommendation, said: “But as Education Secretary, I am clear I would not expect to see teachers coming to school or college wearing or displaying any political material.”
Shadow education secretary Laura Trott has argued that the review’s recommendations on education unions were “not strong enough”.
The report acknowledged that some Jewish staff feel “excluded or insufficiently supported” by education unions due to activity and messaging relating to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
But it did not conclude that education unions are “inherently antisemitic”, and instead it called on unions to “strengthen efforts” to address antisemitism.
Ms Trott said: “Asking them to examine their own actions is allowing them to mark their own homework, and we already know that this doesn’t work.”
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said: “Recommending the IHRA definition risks tightening the chilling grip already stifling classroom discussion of the Gaza genocide.
“Schools need practical support to confront antisemitism, not a contested framework that risks shutting down legitimate discussion.
“The very real risk is that children who cannot critically explore issues through classroom discussion will instead seek their answers in online and unsafe groups.”
He added: “This report will not tackle antisemitism.
“It wrongly calls into question the professionalism of teachers.
“The existing rules on impartiality in the classroom are very clear and teachers take that responsibility very seriously.”
Students, parents and teachers were urged to share their experiences for the Government-commissioned review between April and July.
Karen Newman, vice-president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said: “The evidence gathered by Sir David Bell showing the scale of the challenges is sobering, and makes clear the need for a determined and consistent approach.
“Treating antisemitism in schools as a safeguarding issue will have the benefit of creating an explicit duty on all schools to address this as they would any other threat to children’s safety, and will strengthen accountability.”
She added: “We remain concerned about undue external influence on schools driven by narrow political agendas, and tendentious materials seeping into schools and increasing disharmony, and we will continue to press for vigilance against this.”
Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: “Unfortunately, there are differing views on what may or may not constitute antisemitism and what is a legitimate expression of views over the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
“Schools and colleges are often caught in the middle of divisive issues and find themselves having to navigate between strongly held opinions on either side of an argument.
“It is important that teachers are able to facilitate important conversations as this is key to the understanding of complex issues. They must be able to do this with confidence.
“Clear guidance and support are therefore essential and welcome.”
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