The Department for Education categorises anti-capitalist ideas as an ‘extreme political stance’ equating to endorsing illegal activity
The government has ordered schools throughout England to not use resources from organisations with anti-capitalist ideas that have expressed a desire to bring an end to capitalism.
Guidance from the Department for Education (DfE) that was issued on Thursday for school heads and teachers that are involved in setting the relationship, sex and health curriculum, had categorised anti-capitalism as an “extreme political stance” equating it with opposition to freedom of speech, as well as antisemitism and the endorsement of illegal activity.
The guidance, which are part of a lengthy set of guidelines for implementing the statutory curriculum, has said: “Schools should not under any circumstances use resources produced by organisations that take extreme political stances on matters. This is the case even if the material itself is not extreme, as the use of it could imply endorsement or support of the organisation.”
This comes after, in the UK, face masks and other face coverings have become mandatory for bar staff, shop workers and waiters, as well as taxi drivers in an effort to fight the increase in cases of the coronavirus throughout England, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced.
John McDonnell, the former shadow chancellor said that the measures were effectively outlawing references within schools to key events in British history, saying that it symbolised the growth of “authoritarianism” within the governing Conservative party.
It had listed examples of what the set of guidance described as “extreme political stances”, which includes “a publicly stated desire to abolish or overthrow democracy, capitalism, or to end free and fair elections”; the opposition of freedom of speech; the use of racist language, including antisemitism; the endorsement of illegal activity; as well as a failure to condemn illegal activities that were enacted in support of their cause.
McDonnell said: “On this basis it will be illegal to refer to large tracts of British history and politics including the history of British socialism, the Labour Party and trade unionism, all of which have at different times advocated the abolition of capitalism.”
“This is another step in the culture war and this drift towards extreme Conservative authoritarianism is gaining pace and should worry anyone who believes that democracy requires freedom of speech and an educated populace.”
This comes after Donald Trump, a self-proclaimed billionaire, had reportedly paid only $750 in federal income taxes in the year that he was elected the president of the United States, according to a New York Times investigation that could potentially shake up the US presidential election.
Economist and former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis said the guidance showed “how easy it is to lose a country, to slip surreptitiously into totalitarianism”.
He added: “Imagine an educational system that banned schools from enlisting into their curricula teaching resources dedicated to the writings of British writers like William Morris, Iris Murdoch, Thomas Paine even. Well, you don’t have to. Boris Johnson’s government has just instructed schools to do exactly that.”
