Schools must teach pupils that censorship and “no platforming” are “harmful” and “damaging”, and warn against “cancel culture”, the government has said.
In new teacher training materials designed to support the statutory relationships and sex education (RSE) guidance, the Department for Education (DfE) states that teachers must also explain the “importance of freedom of speech” and “freedom of association to a tolerant and free society”.
The DfE’s comments feature in the “respectful relationships teacher training module”, which is part of a series of resources intended to help schools prepare teachers to deliver their RSE curriculum.
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According to the DfE, the module “contains key knowledge and facts to help teachers understand what they must teach”.
“These slides should be adapted to suit individual school context,” the department adds.
“This can include adding your own videos and resources to make your teaching training sessions more visual and interactive.”
In the section relating to secondary schools, the DfE states: “Building on the primary curriculum, reinforce that everyone needs to show the same respect to others regardless of how different they are to them.
“Explain the harm caused by ‘cancel culture’ and the importance of freedom of speech and freedom of association to a tolerant and free society.
“Teach that censorship and ‘no platforming’ are harmful and damaging.
“Explain that seeking to get people ‘cancelled’ (e.g. having them removed from their position of authority or job) simply because you disagree with them, is a form of bullying and is not acceptable.”
The department lists this advice alongside a section of the statutory guidance, which states: “Know the importance of respecting others, even when they are very different from them (for example physically, in character, personality or background), or make different choices or have different preferences or beliefs.”
