A local child protection agency concluded the teacher’s actions could amount to a “hate crime,” the outlet reports
A teacher at a school in Britain says he was “likened to a terrorist” for showing his students several videos of US President Donald Trump, The Telegraph has reported.
According to the paper, the man was forced to resign from Henley College in Oxfordshire, after he was accused of radicalizing students and causing them “emotional harm,” which the teacher described as “dystopian” persecution.
An internal investigation against the teacher, in his 50s, who asked not to be named, was launched back in January. It reportedly followed some complaints from students, who claimed his teaching was “biased” and “off-topic” because of the Trump videos. One of the students also allegedly became so “emotionally disturbed” by the clips that they caused nightmares.
His case was eventually referred to a child protection agency, which, in turn, concluded that the teacher’s views “could be perceived as radical” and told the school to report him to the Prevent – a UK government program designed to tackle terrorist radicalization in schools and elsewhere.
“They likened me to a terrorist. It was completely jarring. It’s dystopian, like something from a George Orwell novel,” the teacher told the paper, commenting on his case. He argued that he only showed the videos as part of a discussion on the 2024 US election. He also accused the school of a “complete Left-wing bias”, adding: “They don’t tolerate anything about Donald Trump.”
The teacher launched a grievance procedure against the school and reached a negotiated settlement, according to The Telegraph. He was awarded a £2,000 ($2,700) payoff after he was essentially forced to resign from his position with a salary of £44,000 ($59,410) per year.
Relations between the US and its European allies have been tense since Trump returned to the White House in January. His administration has particularly criticized the approach of Western European nations to migration and warned they were facing “civilizational erasure” due to their current political and cultural direction.
