Head removes Union Jack after pupils accuse school of racism
A HEAD teacher has been condemned for agreeing to take down the Union Jack outside his school after claims by pupils that it did not represent them.
Daniel Smith yesterday caved in to protesters at Pimlico Academy in central London and agreed to remove the flag pending a review.
It came after hundreds of pupils stormed out of lessons on Wednesday to demonstrate against what they called racist policies.
Graffiti appeared at the school reading ‘ run by racists’, and, bizarrely, ‘Ain’t no black in the Union Jack’ – an old chant used by the farRight National Front.
In September, a previous Union flag at the school was ripped down and set alight by pupils over claims that it was ‘unnecessarily antagonistic’.
Yesterday, Bob Blackman, Tory MP for Harrow East, said: ‘Why is it that they object to the flag of our country being flown over their school?
‘It is a direct insult to our athletes, sportsmen and women and people of all colours and creeds who are very proud British people.
‘I immediately think of Mo Farah. He is a very proud athlete who is very happy to represent the United Kingdom and wear the flag.’
Lee Anderson, Conservative MP for Ashfield, said: ‘It begs the question who is running this school, the pupils or the head teacher?
‘These are British schools paid for by the British taxpayer, so quite rightly a British flag should fly above these buildings.
‘There is a culture in this country where some people think it is great to try to forget our past, to slander our culture and heritage and to basically be ashamed of being British.
‘The good news is that the silent majority in this country are totally against this nonsense.’
Bob Seely, Conservative MP for the Isle of Wight, said: ‘This anger at our society and its values shows the depressing influence of those in our political, cultural and academic elites who seek to attack our society, our past and our values.’
Andrew Bridgen, Conservative MP for North West Leicestershire, said: ‘It’s very concerning that it appears some of the students have become indoctrinated by BLM propaganda.
‘They should remember that it was brave British sailors and marines, under the Union Jack, that ended the international slave trade.’
Pupils have also demanded the history curriculum is ‘decolonised’ because it currently focuses on ‘white kings and queens’.
Incredibly, teachers supported the pupils’ walkout, issuing a statement of ‘solidarity’ and saying they wanted an ‘anti-racist school’.
They also launched a mutiny against Mr Smith via their hardLeft union, the NEU, declaring a ‘vote of no confidence’ and threatening strike action over workplace grievances.
Yesterday, Mr Smith buckled and issued a statement saying the flag would come down. He said he would also change the school’s uniform policy, which had been branded ‘discriminatory’ against pupils with ‘Afros and hijabs’.
He said of the Union Jack: ‘ We acknowledge that this symbol is a powerful one which evokes often intense reactions. We have listened to the concerns of students, parents and the wider community about it.
‘After Easter, we will conduct a review of this and, as part of that, consult with all the academy’s stakeholders to elicit their feedback. Until that review is concluded, the Union flag will not be flown at the academy.’
Mr Smith, an Oxford graduate who has led a number of other schools, joined Pimlico last summer and quickly implemented a new stricter regime, including uniform rules.
But he said yesterday that pupils’ opposition to these had been ‘motivation for reflection’.
‘Slander our culture and heritage’