Teachers ‘fear Muslims are stigmatised by terror scheme’

TEACHERS have “widespread discomfort” about a government anti-radicalisation initiative promoting values such as tolerance as “British”, a study has found.

There are also concerns that the Prevent strategy risks stigmatising Muslim students, according to the study.

The Prevent initiative, introduced two years ago, requires authorities such as schools, prisons and health professionals to refer any concerns they have about individuals as part of attempts to stop people being radicalised and drawn into terrorism.

The study by the universities of Coventry, Durham and Huddersfield, and based on interviews with education workers, found no widespread opposition to Prevent.

But it found “widespread discomfort and uncertainty” about the requirement

‘Approaching Prevent as part of safeguarding appears largely to have been accepted by schools’

to emphasise values such as tolerance and democracy as “British”.

Dr Joel Busher, the lead researcher from Coventry University, said: “Approaching Prevent as part of safeguarding appears largely to have been accepted by schools and colleges, and has helped to foster fairly widespread confidence about the duty.

“However, linking the duty to the promotion of ‘fundamental British values’ and in particular the pressure on schools and colleges to emphasise the ‘Britishness’ of these values, is often seen as more problematic.”

Meanwhile, a separate report found nearly two thirds of schools are failing to comply with the Government’s strategy for countering extremism among children. According to a survey of technologists employed at schools across the country, 64 per cent believe their employer is not meeting the recommendations set out in Prevent.

Of the 207 people polled, 26 per cent said that they weren’t aware of the duty or its guidance, which schools are obliged to follow. Published this week by the global security firm Barracuda, the survey compiled the views of employees tasked with monitoring and implementing technology in schools.

But just 12 per cent said they had “complete confidence” that their school was meeting government guidance, with the majority raising concerns that children’s use of technology to access extremist content is not being monitored effectively.