School pleased with BNP-link teacher (From The Northern Echo)

Excellent, common sense prevails! Well done to Teesdale School and Mr Walker, keep up your good work in educating our children.

If he is a good teacher then there shouldn't be a problem. If he was a left wing extremist nothing would be said. The N.U.T have plenty of communists among its leadership.

Interesting that those that supposedly oppose facism seem to act in a facist manner to those that dont share the same views as them

Bishop Auckland Labour MP Helen Goodman said: "Teesdale School has a good record in anti-racism and multicultural education. I am therefore surprised that the governing body has appointed someone who was a candidate for the BNP."

Would Helen Goodman be as "surpised" if the school had appointed someone who had been a candidate for, or supported, the Socialist Workers Party? Or who was a member of the Labour front organisation, laughingly known as "Unite Against Fascism", which was involved in violent disorder and other criminality in Derbyshire last weekend, which resulted in 35 of their supporters being arrested?

Interestingly, I notice that according to theyworkforyou.com Ms Goodman has managed to benefit (quite legally, I hasten to add) from £148,847 of parliamentary allowances in the year 2006/7 - I wonder how many teachers that would actually pay for?

As for Roberta Woods, theyworkyou.com reveals that she has claimed £260,687 in parliamentary allowances (once again, quite legally) for 2005/7. So between these 2 ladies, their joint allowances of over £400,000, I suspect, would pay for quite a few teachers in the North-East - members of the BNP or not!

I don't see why a persons political opinions should even be considered.
I know Adam and his brother very well.
Both men are pleasant individuals and are true gentlemen.
In addition to being a master of his subject, Adam knows discipline which he has learnt from his time in the armed forces and the martial arts which he studies.

All of these rare qualities are desperately needed in the classroom if we are not to fail our childrens educations.

County Durhams Ultra Left Wing MPs would do well to realise this. Cease their **** and celebrate the diversity of political opinion which enriches our society.

So, Roberta Blackman Woods, Labour MP for Durham City, said: "..all schools have to have an anti-racism policy." Why? Presumably because local native British children are not happy at sitting in a class room with foreign and alien classmates - don't blame them for that. Labour MP Helen Goodman said: "Teesdale School has a good record in anti-racism and multicultural education" - which means what, precisely? "Multicultural education"
is a poisonous mixture of enforced diversity and brainwashing, designed to rob future adults of any resistance to the gradual erosion of their traditional British culture and identity. It's tantamount to a very sinister and cruel form of child abuse.

after reading this article id like to commend the governors of the school for standing by mr walker, all to often now we hear of people being percecuted for political beliefs even when they are doing a good job, well done school and good luck for the future mr walker.

The tables are turning, the good people of GB seem to have had enough of left wing fascists and can see who the BNP really are-normal people! I applaud Teesdale school, you will be the first of many.

Our Union is keen to take test cases to Tribunals (and further if need be) to defend basic rights of freedom of expression and association. If any employer wishes to give us the opportunity to engage with them on this issue all they have to do is to discriminate against one of our members on grounds of belief. We are a Union which is 100 per cent in favour of freedom of expression. Our members, drawn from all racial and faith backgrounds, utterly reject the New McCarthyism of the NuLab establishment.

Those who support the political vetting of teachers are wrong. Teachers have the same rights under law as anyone else. To deny employment on political grounds is both wrong and unsustainable. Our country has signed Treaties which underpin basic human rights. Our members work alongside people from all political backgrounds and none. We would defend the rights of Communists, Socialists and yes even Tories, to work without political victimisation. Well done to the School and Governers for judging behaviour rather than acting on prejudice. Well done (for a change) to County Durham which has stated that it would be wrong to discriminate.

We still live in a democracy and some of us believe in basic liberal values. Shame on you NuLab!

Pat Harrington

I would like the opportunity to comment on some aspects of the above article and I would like to give an insight as to who I am.

I am a hard working man and I have worked since I was twelve years old. I have spent time in the armed forces where I lived in Germany, Cyprus, Egypt and Israel. I was prepared to fight and die for my country should I have been expected to do so. I have traveled to many different countries since I was sixteen years old and have seen some wonderful things and have experienced many different cultures. For six years I lived and worked as a teacher in Japan where I studied karate. (I eventually ended up teaching karate to the Japanese in their own language). I learned about their unique culture and way of life, often spending time at Buddhist retreats. I also married a Japanese woman. As a result of my travels to countries such as Japan I value the beauty and diversity of many different cultures. It is from the in-depth, secure and confident knowledge of my own culture that I am able to see both the underlying unity as well as the differences that make our world so fascinating (and sometimes challenging).

I run a well respected martial arts club in Spennymoor in my spare time and I have many children who attend my club who's lives have changed for the better as a result of the way that classes are taught. Many of them currently hold both English and British titles in our unique style of full contact karate. I still maintain contact with the friends I made in Japan whilst studying my art. I am also a member of our local residents association and I spend a lot of time in the community where I live helping to make it a better place.

I began working in Teesdale School earlier this year and since I started there I have been very impressed with the professional way the head teacher, other teachers and staff carry out their duties. It is a school with a very positive, inclusive ethos and a great team. We tolerate no form of discrimination or bullying. Everyone is valued. It is a pleasure to be able to work in a school where I too have been accepted as an individual and for the work I do. I don't preach politics in my workplace.

I believe there is room in teaching for people of all political affiliations. Diversity of opinion is something that makes us a democracy. Teachers have the same rights to freedom of expression and association as any other member of the community. The McCarthy style witch-hunt being waged now would establish dangerous precedents if implemented. My Union, Solidarity, will fight tooth and nail to preserve these rights in the workplace and wider community.

As your article mentions, in May this year I was 129 votes short of winning a seat on the new Unitary Council.I believe that many of the more intolerant views expressed in your article by Labour MPs are motivated by fear of competition from the BNP. County Durham is not their fiefdom and attempts to persecute and harass individuals who challenge them simply show why they need to be replaced in the first place!

As a school leaver, I can say that students are not stupid we know when a tutor is trying to bring his politics into the class room.
Anyway how can you teach anti racist karate?