Commenting on the Khan review into
social cohesion and resilience in England, Geoff Barton, General
Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said:
“As this report finds, there are significant challenges that
impact upon social cohesion and the wellbeing of our democracy.
Schools and colleges play a pivotal role in dealing with these
challenges and promoting community cohesion. They do an amazing
job of managing sensitive and complex situations in an age of
polarised views fanned by the flames of social media. They are
the glue that holds communities together and deserve a great deal
of credit for this work.
“We agree with the principle that protests should not take place
immediately outside schools because schools should be protected
as safe spaces for children to learn. We are aware that local
authorities already have powers to restrict protests outside
schools and we are also conscious that the right to protest is
protected under the European Convention on Human Rights. More
detail would therefore be needed on this proposal to understand
how it would operate in practice and how it would be enforced.
“The idea of a cohesion and conflict unit to provide schools with
guidance, training materials and resources, along with support
and care for schools and teachers who find themselves threatened
and harassed, sounds helpful. However, this would again require
further thought about how this would complement and work
alongside existing advice and support systems.”
