The guidance suggests that teaching about movements such as Black Lives Matter could break the rules on teaching about “partisan political views”.
It suggests that advocating specific views on “how government resources should be used to address social issues” could be considered “partisan”.
It states on climate change, “where teaching covers the potential solutions for tackling climate change, this may constitute a political issue”.
It advises that when teaching younger students about historical figures, “it may be advisable to focus on teaching about what these figures are most renowned for and factual information about them”.
Critics of the guidance (DfE, 2022), which has been published by the Department for Education, say that rather than clarifying existing legal duties for schools, it adds “new layers of mystification and complexity” and introduces “obfuscation about what is and is not a ‘political’ issue”.
Register now, read forever
Thank you for visiting SecEd and reading some of our content for professionals in secondary education. Register now for free to get unlimited access to all content.
What's included:
-
Unlimited access to news, best practice articles and podcast
-
New content and e-bulletins delivered straight to your inbox every Monday and Thursday
Already have an account? Sign in here