The riots across the UK in recent weeks were a flashpoint of a rightward trend that the UK has been wrestling with for a long time. The result has been huge swathes of the population from minority backgrounds feeling unsafe in their own country.
This post will argue that schools can and should play a pivotal role in disrupting the spread of far-right ideas. Doing so might be our best hope of preventing British society from fracturing beyond repair.
Whilst the rioters themselves were only a loud minority, Reform UK’s 14% vote share in 2024 speaks to a worryingly high number of people who may sympathise with the sentiments of those rioting. The extent of this clear to see in the comment sections of reports relating to the riots on the Daily Mail and GB News. The likes of Andrew Tate, Nigel Farage and Tommy Robinson are seeing their hateful views spread like wildfire online. This is thanks to twitter and the efforts of ‘free speech’ demagogue Elon Musk. Algorithms on TikTok give free reign to such views too. ‘Legitimate anti-immigrant concerns’ are quickly descending into the xenophobia and racism which have fuelled the current rise in the far right.
And now our young people are increasingly being radicalised online. Unless educators step in, such radicalisation will continue unfettered for years to come. Education is the unabated antidote to extremism.
Far Right Extremism and Young People
Radicals, whether far right or Islamist, claim to offer easy answers to vulnerable young people in their questions over identity, faith and belonging[i]. Far right extremism specifically includes racism, xenophobia, nationalism and both anti-establishment and anti-democratic beliefs[ii]. Young people spend much of their time online and this is increasingly where they are being radicalised by largely unrestricted access to far-right content.
Young people are also increasingly being targeted by far-right ideas on social media[iii]. You would be hard pushed to find a student who hasn’t already been exposed to the ideas of Andrew Tate on TikTok for example. Subsequently, the age of those being referred in connection with far-right extremism is getting progressively younger[iv]. Those as young as 13 years old are being convicted on extremism charges. Under 18s now make up 15% of all terrorism arrests[v]. In 2016, 10% of all referrals to Prevent were of a far-right nature. This figure had risen to 43% by 2020, highlighting the rapid rise of far-right ideas amongst young people. Predominantly young males are being swept up in far-right echo chambers online, ending up (often unintentionally) embodying these extremist views[vi]. What results is an entrenchment of extremist attitudes that are not being sufficiently challenged.
It is here that schools are indispensable in preventing the online spread of far-right extremism[vii]. Schools can intervene at the early stages of radicalisation and prevent escalation to the extent seen across the recent riots. In this sense educators can be the bridges across the extremist divisions that can damage the very fabric of our society. Traditional methods to police extremism are hampered by the wide availability of far-right content online, and so schools must prepare students against the dangers of such content before they are indoctrinated.
The Prevent Duty and the Far-Right
The Prevent Duty needs to be taken more seriously in schools and should be adapted to counter the rising challenges from the far right.
Under the Prevent Duty, all educators in the UK have a legal duty to protect young people from extremist narratives[i]. Schools are expected to instil a strong school ethos and actively promote British values across the curriculum like democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs[ii].
Prevent arose particularly in response to the Islamist fundamentalist threat in the 2000s. As such there are concerns that it overlooks extremist threats from the far right, being ill equipped to meet the growing threat from this angle as seen in the recent riots across the UK.
The first issue with the instillment of British values is that they are not taken seriously enough. At current, you might see a poster showing these values in a school or a brief mention of them within a PSHE lesson, but this is largely it. Students are rarely engaged in discussions around these values and as such it is naïve to expect that they will come to embody them.
Ofsted requires that schools instil these British values, but this often amounts just to teachers signposting these values in the ways mentioned above to be compliant[iii]. Teachers are ill equipped to properly explore these values with students. Quite frankly their already high workload does not allow the time to do so to the extent required to challenge extremism in all its forms.
Ofsted needs to find ways to help schools embed these values through structured engagement. Without the proper support from the top down, it is wrong to expect educators to instil British values within the curriculum.
Furthermore, the use of explicitly ‘British’ values to counter extremism may run against intentions in the case of the far right. A central tenet to far right ideology is ultra-nationalism. Trying to push British values may simply accentuate existing far right beliefs in this sense[iv]. It can play into the ‘otherness’ of minorities that the far right posits, accentuating the idea that these communities are inferior or unable to access such British values from the offset. Explicitly British values can subsequently make immigrant students feel prejudiced and inferior to ethnically British students[v].
To counter this, the Prevent Duty should instead push for desirable universal values that are held by all regardless of their nationality. These do not have to be uniquely British. In this sense, students will immediately be able to see that anyone could access these values. There can be no illusion that to be British means having superior values to others.
Prevent is a key mechanism to tackle the extremist threat, and there is great scope for a better thought-out strategy for how this might tackle issues presented by the far right.
Training Teachers to Tackle Extremism
Many teachers fear that they lack the training to effectively challenge extremist views among pupils[i]. Students have unfettered access to far-right material online, and views can become radicalised rapidly as a result[ii]. It is therefore necessary that schools remain ahead of these issues before they escalate. Teachers feeling ill-equipped in this area is a major challenge.
This sense of a dearth of training is perhaps understandable. Anecdotally, the limited training I received as a teacher centred on a short online course on the Prevent Duty. Most teachers click through these courses as quickly as they can to tick the box and move on to tackling the rest of their workload. There are limited real opportunities to learn how to tackle extremism within their classrooms.
Teachers need training around spotting very specific signs and attitudes that might belie more worrying beliefs[iii]. They then need to know how to confront these in an appropriate way that doesn’t inadvertently escalate the issue.
Teachers also need to learn how to restrain their own views and refrain from forcing desired views onto students with whom they disagree. Not doing so can further marginalise students at risk of extremism. Equally, punishing such views might only reinforce perceptions of ‘us and them’ that are already held. It is important not to overlook lived experiences of students and an open attitude from educators is necessary in understanding why students may come to develop these views[iv]. Students not feeling understood might lead to further ostracization and for them to seek refuge in the spaces online or at home where they first encountered these ideas.
Classrooms should be safe spaces for discussion, and opportunities to deescalate problematic views through reason. Students discussing their views without fear of being shut down can promote tolerance of other ideas. Teachers can promote this through asking the right questions and stimulating critical thinking[v].
Furthermore, ignoring specific topics does not mean students won’t discuss them outside of class. Confronting extremist views whilst having a trained adult in the room can help to blunt more controversial ideas[vi]. This is currently seen as the domain largely of social sciences teachers, but this should be reinforced by all teachers around the school regardless of their subject[vii].
Teaching Empathy
At the heart of radicalised views is a near complete lack of empathy for groups considered as outsiders to an individual’s worldview. As such schools should make concerted efforts to teach students to empathise with others. This can help to bridge the divide across cultures that often underlies extremist beliefs.
Empathy is a concerned response to another person’s feelings and beliefs[i]. All students can develop greater empathy, but they do not always do so on their own[ii]. Students often learn empathy by emulating those around them. If they come from a household where empathy is not regularly modelled, it is wrong to assume these faculties will develop organically. Teachers therefore can play a vital role in instilling this value if it is otherwise absent in the young person’s environment[iii].
People tend to feel empathy towards those deemed similar to them. Strong school communities can allow students to feel empathy for everyone regardless of backgrounds or beliefs. Learning this in the controlled environment of a school can then extend to more easily empathising with others in wider society. A barrier to empathy can include feeling different or distant from others, and good school communities ensure that all students feel included to overcome this[iv].
In seeking to teach empathy, educators can follow these 4 steps[v]:
- Model Empathy: Instead of immediately reprimanding students, staff should seek to prioritise understanding them and supporting them to reflect on their emotions. Teachers could also model empathy by regularly asking for student input in class activities and actively listening to what they say.
- Teaching empathy: Students should be shown what empathy is and why it is important to display this even to those beyond their immediate friends. Students should be given examples of how to act on empathy like helping others, showing kindness and active listening.
- Practice empathy: Teachers can direct role plays so students have a chance to practice being empathetic in different situations they may encounter.
- Set clear school wide expectations and culture around empathy: Students should be empathetic to their entire school community. This should be promoted and rewarded regularly, not just listed on a poster.
Teaching Critical Thinking
Misinformation is central to the spread of far-right ideas online. The damaging effects of this were clear to see after idealogues like Andrew Tate and Tommy Robinson spread false claims over the identity of the Southport attacker, which ultimately led to the recent riots.
A greater focus on developing critical thinking skills can play a key role in helping young people to overcome misinformation. With such skills, they would be better equipped to not believe everything they see online that fits their agenda. Students should be well versed in checking multiple sources for reliability of information before reaching conclusions. They should also be taught to question the possible hidden intentions of those who spread contentious information.
Teachers can regularly encourage discussions around controversial current events. Questions can be posed that get students to think critically about these issues that might be missed if the young person is only receiving information from one source. Take for example the channel crossings: teachers should be encouraging students to think critically about the issue. Why are people getting into these boats in the first place? Where are they fleeing and why? Why are some people against this? Why might the answers of far-right leaders be problematic? Too often educators skirt around controversial topics for fear of causing offence. Doing so only creates a vacuum that is all too easily filled by hateful rhetoric and easy answers.
The UK education secretary Bridget Phillipson recently announced that more critical thinking would form part of the ongoing curriculum review to counter extremist narratives[i]. Students could be taught how to analyse news reports for validity, and to be aware of misinformation and conspiracy theories.
Teaching and Celebrating British and International Culture
Schools can play a key role in creating the communities that we aspire to have on a societal level. The multiculturalism of Britain must be embraced. But the level of division across and introspection within communities seen today is a major barrier to being a truly multicultural society.
Schools should seek to promote and celebrate cultures from around the world, as well as promoting a positive British culture to enable children to better integrate into and understand the nation which they call home.
The school I formerly taught at held a set of days every year targeted at allowing all students and staff to celebrate their culture. These days would see everyone wearing traditional clothing, leading different dance classes, playing music and cooking ethnic food. I never felt prouder to be part of my school community than on those days. If every school was obliged to hold such days, there would undoubtedly be a greater appreciation of the diverse cultures that form the fabric of British society. Cultural diversity should be celebrated and shared. From here the fear of the ‘unknown other’ that underpins extremist ideologies would be greatly diminished.
Equally, the far right seeks to claim British culture as their own and something that cannot be shared. Schools should make a concerted effort to teach British culture in a positive light that removes the exclusionary nationalistic narratives that far right extremist’s push. English culture for example should be far more than simply drinking beer, waving a St George’s flag and singing Sweet Caroline that we see at far-right demonstrations. There should be a national discussion about the positive elements of British culture that can allow immigrant populations to better participate. Britain has a lot to be proud about. It is up to educators to ensure that young people can clearly see British culture as a positive force for good and not allow the far right to hijack this.
An Honest Reflection of Britain’s Colonial Past
Linking to the point on British culture is the need for a frank reflection about British history – warts and all. For too long the history curriculum has taught a largely positive narrative of British history, failing to recognise the negative impacts that Britain has had around the world. This level of ignorance over our past only plays into far-right narratives that British culture is somehow superior to others.
More effective teaching of the British Empire and its consequences is necessary. Whilst the British Empire is taught to some degree, this is nowhere near sufficient, and many students can go through their whole education whilst barely touching on the topic. There is a near complete ignorance of the role that Britain has played in contributing to the war-torn regions of the world. As such we see a failure to understand the duty Britain has in accepting immigrants from around the world. The grand buildings of central London are built on the wealth extracted over centuries from former colonies. The complete lack of sympathy for immigrants seeking to come from the subsequently destabilised nations is something we cannot allow to continue.
Yes, we ought to be proud of our efforts in both World Wars for example, but we can no longer fail to connect our often-problematic past with present-day Britain. For too long the far right has been allowed to claim a heroic past built on those wars, completely ignoring any blots on our record. It is those blots we need to bring to the forefront if we are to create a society comfortable in its own skin.
Final Thoughts
Education can play a key role in reducing the tensions which have led to the recent riots across the UK and to limit the spread of extremist ideas. I have outlined only a few means towards this end and there are countless other possible roles that schools can play that would stretch beyond the remit of this already bloated post.
- The Prevent Duty must be reformed to promote a less narrow version of British values, and these should be actively discussed across the curriculum.
- Teachers need more training and space to tackle extremist ideas in whatever form they may rear their head. The speed at which extremism can spread online is testament to the size of the challenge schools face, and teachers are currently underequipped to meet this need.
- The teaching of critical thinking and empathy needs to be prioritised across schools in order to create a society able to sympathise with other communities whilst being resilient to the spread of extremist ideas and misinformation.
- Cultures from across the world that are present across Britian need to be taught about and celebrated. There also needs to be a national conversation about what British culture is, to ensure that it is accessible to all members of British society, whilst not being claimed as the sole remit of the far right.
- Finally, the way that British History is taught needs to be reviewed to reflect the outsized impact that the British Empire has on the society of today, and this needs to be frank about its many negative elements.
If our education system was to grapple with the issues presented in this blog post, we would be one step closer to a thriving, cohesive and multicultural society. Extremism should hold no place in Britain and education is an effective remedy to this blight on our society.
[i] https://www.theguardian.com/education/article/2024/aug/10/uk-children-to-be-taught-how-to-spot-extremist-content-and-misinformation-online
[i] https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/resources-for-educators/how-build-empathy-strengthen-school-community
[ii] https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/resources-for-educators/how-build-empathy-strengthen-school-community
[iii] https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/resources-for-educators/how-build-empathy-strengthen-school-community
[iv] https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/resources-for-educators/how-build-empathy-strengthen-school-community
[v] https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/resources-for-educators/how-build-empathy-strengthen-school-community
[i] https://www.theguardian.com/education/2022/aug/04/teachers-fear-missing-signs-far-right-radicalisation-pupils-england
[ii] https://www.theguardian.com/education/2022/aug/04/teachers-fear-missing-signs-far-right-radicalisation-pupils-england
[iii] https://www.theguardian.com/education/2022/aug/04/teachers-fear-missing-signs-far-right-radicalisation-pupils-england
[iv] https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2019-08/ran_edu_academy_far-right_extremism_in_classroom_berlin_13-14_062019_en.pdf
[v] https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2019-08/ran_edu_academy_far-right_extremism_in_classroom_berlin_13-14_062019_en.pdf
[vi] https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2019-08/ran_edu_academy_far-right_extremism_in_classroom_berlin_13-14_062019_en.pdf
[vii] https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2019-08/ran_edu_academy_far-right_extremism_in_classroom_berlin_13-14_062019_en.pdf
[i] https://www.educateagainsthate.com/why-is-extremism-relevant-to-my-school/
[ii] https://www.educateagainsthate.com/why-is-extremism-relevant-to-my-school/
[iii] https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17539153.2022.2031135#abstract
[iv] https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17539153.2022.2031135#abstract
[v] https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17539153.2022.2031135#abstract
[i] https://www.educateagainsthate.com/why-is-extremism-relevant-to-my-school/
[ii] https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2019-08/ran_edu_academy_far-right_extremism_in_classroom_berlin_13-14_062019_en.pdf
[iii] https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/aug/03/revealed-uk-children-ensnared-far-right-ecosystem-online
[iv] https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/aug/03/revealed-uk-children-ensnared-far-right-ecosystem-online
[v] https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/aug/03/revealed-uk-children-ensnared-far-right-ecosystem-online
[vi] https://www.theguardian.com/education/2022/aug/04/teachers-fear-missing-signs-far-right-radicalisation-pupils-england
[vii] https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2019-08/ran_edu_academy_far-right_extremism_in_classroom_berlin_13-14_062019_en.pdf
