Agenda item - Member Involvement

To consider the following matters raised by Councillors:

(a)     Petitions: to receive any petitions notified by the due date of 21^st February 2022.

(b)     Written Questions: to consider any written questions;

(c)     Letters: to consider any letters;

(d)     Notices of Motion: to consider any Notices of Motion submitted directly to the committee.

69a     Petitions

69.1    There were none.

69b     Written Questions

69.2    The Chair noted the submission of Written Questions by Councillor McNair who was invited to present these to the Committee.

69.3    Councillor McNair asked the following Questions

According to the Daily Mail on 6th February 2022, “The Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi has sent officials to investigate Brighton and Hove Council over reports that 'concerning' race theories are being taught in schools run by the Green-led local authority.”  The Education Secretary has subsequently provided guidance to schools on how to approach the topic of racism.

1.    Have Education officials started investigating the Council?

2.    What kind of investigation is it?

3.    Where does it sit in the legislative framework?

4.    What feedback has been provided, or do you expect to be provided, to the council by the Department for Education?

5.    How will the new guidance to schools on teaching racism affect the current teacher training material?

6.    Is the Council concerned that its material might be breaking the Equalities Act?

7.    Will the Local Authority be suspending its teacher training material while the Department for Education investigates its teacher training resources?

69.4    The Chair thanked Councillor McNair for his questions and responded as follows:

1.    There was no formal investigation of the council by the DfE, just an informal discussion following the media interest and no further action is proposed. The media reports were incorrect in that the council is offering training to staff, not pupils.

2.    There is no investigation

3.    There is nothing in the training being offered to school staff which sits outside relevant legalisation or guidance.  

4.    The DfE have thanked us for discussing Brighton and Hove’s anti-racism strategy with them and for explaining how the racial literacy training for school staff is being used.

5.    It does not impact on the training being offered. This guidance does not include any new statutory requirements and is based on legal duties on political impartiality that have been in place for many years.

6.    No – neither the training for staff, nor any other material being produced is breaking the Equality Act.

7.    No – there is no investigation, the DFE are not taking any action, and the teacher training will continue.

69.5    The Chair asked Councillor McNair if he wished to ask a supplementary question.

69.6    Councillor McNair asked the following question:

            Surely training for teachers is usually so it can be passed on to children.  If this is not the case, why are teachers being trained?

69.7    The Chair responded as follows:

Teachers are being given support to talk about race and the issues surrounding race in their classrooms.  The material that has been provided to councillors by email is clearly for staff.  There is of course direct work being done with pupils, some of which is discussed in the report to this Committee today on which young people have given very positive feedback.  It’s not the case to say that we’re offering scary, nefarious training to staff.  Nor is it, as was reported, that the education secretary has sent his officials in.  I would ask that you take your view on what’s happening in our schools on the basis of what we’re reporting to you today, and on the feedback we’re receiving from pupils and families.  Teachers are professionals and they attend training as part of their professional development to inform their teaching.  This does not mean that every training we offer teachers is taught in the classroom.  I would just like to end by adding my concern that Councillor McNair has got his news from the Daily Mail.  This is a paper that has repeatedly continued a steady stream of divisive headlines which have done nothing but stoke division. For example, they claimed there were no-go areas for white people in some British towns.  They claimed that one in every five killers is an immigrant in 2009.  And they have made headlines such as “Half of New Homes Built in Britain Go to Migrants”. 

69c     Letters

            There were none.

69d     Notices of Motion

            There were none.