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| Photo Credit: Reuters/Kristian Juul Pedersen |
It may become a “duty” of nurseries and elementary schools in the UK
to track and report any child that shows signs of sympathy with
terrorists or is a risk of potential radicalization, according to the
government’s plans aimed at preventing extremism.
A consultation document
by the Home Office on ways to enhance the UK’s anti-terrorism
system, the so-called “Prevent” strategy, calls for senior
management and governors to “assess the risk of pupils being
drawn into terrorism,” manifested through youths' extremist ideas
that may breed terrorist ideology.
The nurseries should insure proper training of their staff to
give them the “knowledge and confidence to identify” and
“challenge extremist ideas which can be used to legitimize
terrorism and are shared by terrorist groups,” the document
stated according to British media. “They should know where
and how to refer children and young people for further
help.”
The new approach of identifying potentially dangerous toddlers
should be implemented on non-discriminating basis according to
the 39-page consultation document. The document is part of the
Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill bundle currently being
debated in the parliament. If the strategy is approved it will
become a “duty” not only for nurseries but also for
other learning institutions.
“Schools, including nurseries, have a duty of care to their
pupils and staff. The new duty in the Counter-Terrorism and
Security Bill, to have due regard to the need to prevent people
from being drawn into terrorism will be seen in a similar way to
their existing safeguarding responsibilities,” a government
spokesperson told The Independent.
Questions remain as to how the new measures will be implemented,
with politicians and NGO's speaking out against the heavy-handed
tactics.
“It is unworkable. I have to say I cannot understand what
they [nursery staff] are expected to do,” David Davis, the
Conservative MP and former shadow home secretary, told the
Telegraph.
“Are they supposed to report some toddler who comes in
praising a preacher deemed to be extreme? I don’t think so. It is
heavy-handed,” he added.
“Turning our teachers and childminders into an army of
involuntary spies will not stop the terrorist threat,”
Isabella Sankey, the policy director at human rights body
Liberty, told the Telegraph. “It will sow seeds of mistrust,
division and alienation from an early age.”
The government defended itself from the avalanche of criticism
saying that privacy of individuals will be protected.
"We are not expecting teachers and nursery workers to carry
out unnecessary intrusion into family life but we do expect them
to take action when they observe behaviour of concern. It is
important that children are taught fundamental British values in
an age-appropriate way,” a government spokesperson told the
Daily Mail.
The controversial
Prevent strategy is the main effort by UK government
to stop radicalization or people supporting terrorism, in all its
forms. Prevent works at the pre-criminal stage by using early
intervention to encourage individuals and communities to
challenge extremist and terrorist ideology and behavior. Opponent
of contemporary counter-terrorist policies say the strategy
produces counter-productive effects and often discriminates
directly or indirectly against Muslims.
Source:
rt.com
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