NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union has today written to Secretary of State for Education Bridget Phillipson to ask that the Department for Education provides guidance for schools on dealing with antisemitism and all forms of racism.

In a survey of Jewish teachers conducted by NASUWT, 90% of the respondents said their employers need more training on recognising and challenging antisemitism.

The survey also found that:

• 51% of Jewish teachers have experienced antisemitism in the workplace in the past year (78% of those teachers experienced abuse personally, 37% witnessed it happening to someone else, and 38% were told about it happening by someone else)
• 44% have seen swastika graffiti at their schools, and 39% have witnessed or been subject to Nazi-related comments
• 56% report that the antisemitism includes antisemitic “jokes and banter,” and 47% report insults and taunts
• 52% of respondents felt that when they reported issues, appropriate action was not taken to deal with the problem
• 79% of respondents working in non-faith schools had experienced antisemitism, compared to 29% of respondents working in faith schools.

Matt Wrack, Acting General Secretary of NASUWT, said:

“NASUWT stands firmly with any teacher suffering discrimination due to their religion or ethnicity. Schools and colleges have a legal responsibility to safeguard teachers and pupils from all forms of abuse. They urgently require more support from government in this complex area.

“Our members tell us that misinformation on social media, including dangerous rhetoric from far-right movements and stereotyping of Jewish people, is fuelling a rise in antisemitic and racist abuse in schools. Some teachers are fearful of even disclosing their religion at work. This cannot be allowed to continue.

“A third of respondents to our survey did not feel they could report antisemitism to their employers, and for those that did, more than half said appropriate action was not taken. It is clear that schools need swift, strong support in tackling antisemitism so that Jewish teachers and pupils can feel safe.

“Antisemitism does not happen in isolation. We know that many forms of racist abuse are occurring in education settings and will be looking at this closely. We are asking Bridget Phillipson to meet with us to galvanise action on these unacceptable trends. If we are going to stamp out discrimination in all its insidious forms, we need visible leadership from the government.”