Education Secretary Gillian Keegan says white privilege is not a 'fact' trends now

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan says white privilege is not a 'fact' trends now
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan says white privilege is not a 'fact' trends now

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan says white privilege is not a 'fact' trends now

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has said she does not believe white privilege is 'a fact' as she argued it should not be taught as such in schools.

The Cabinet minister said she did not believe 'there is a privilege to being white on its own' as she was grilled on the radio this morning.

White privilege is the premise - originating with US academics - that racism shapes Western life and white people enjoy advantages because of their skin colour.

Asked about the issue this morning on LBC radio, Ms Keegan said teachers had been told to hold balanced debates about such issues. 

'There is a lot of debate in the country, we should be able to have those debates. We should be able to have those open discussions, but you shouldn't be teaching things as fact that are debates,' she said.

Asked whether she believed white privilege was a fact or not, Ms Keegan replied: 'I mean I don't think it's a fact.

'I don't, for me, think that there is a privilege to being white on its own, no.'

The Cabinet minister said the topic had been part of a debate about what youngsters should be taught in school.

The Cabinet minister said the topic had been part of a debate about what youngsters should be taught in school.

Asked about the issue this morning on LBC radio, Ms Keegan said teachers had been told to hold balanced debates about such issues.

Asked about the issue this morning on LBC radio, Ms Keegan said teachers had been told to hold balanced debates about such issues.

The Education Secretary was also asked whether some teachers are too 'woke'.

She said: 'Not necessarily. I mean, I don't have that view.

'I mean, all the teachers I speak to are hugely dedicated, hugely innovative, as well, and very pastoral as well in their care for our children.'

She said there had been discussion at the Education Select Committee hearing on Wednesday about teaching critical race theory, religious, health and sex education, as well as 'some aspects of transgender, whether that was age appropriate'.

'So there was a discussion around that which is why we are actually putting out some guidance which will be coming out in the new year around transgender and how to treat that very difficult, tricky subject and how to support teachers to teach that,' she added.

The Education Secretary yesterday called for a 'big dose of transparency' when teaching contested political issues in schools.

Ms Keegan said 'common sense'

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