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Unions to ‘infiltrate’ school curriculum in Wales, say Welsh Tories

21 Oct 2022 2 minute read
A pilot programme will see trade unions influence the school curriculum in Wales, says Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies. Inset pictures: PA.

A Welsh Government pilot programme will see trade unions “infiltrate” the school curriculum, changing classrooms “into a partisan battlefield,” say Welsh Conservatives.

Welsh Tories made the claim following a written statement by Education Minister Jeremy Miles, and Deputy Minister for Social Partnership Hannah Blythyn that Unions and the World of Work was devised over the summer and will be implemented in 35 secondary schools across Wales.

In a statement headed ‘Unions infiltrate school curriculum in Labour-run Wales,’ Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies MS said: “It is concerning to see Labour ministers in Cardiff Bay use their privileged positions in government to let trade unions influence the curriculum of our children having been granted surprising access to the classroom.

“Given the turmoil some unions are inflicting upon our country – making it more difficult for pupils and teachers to get to school – I do not believe parents will appreciate this move, and doubt they have been extensively consulted about this.

“While knowledge of employment rights is important, the classroom should be a place where children are educated to be prepared for the world of work, learning the value of responsibility and accountability, rather than a lab to encourage industrial strife.

“Many unions donate money to the Labour Party and, therefore, it cannot be right to allow politically compromised officials into our classrooms, changing them from areas of education and impartial information into a partisan battlefield.”


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Cwm Rhondda
Cwm Rhondda
2 years ago

The Tories have been influencing the school curriculum for the last 100 years (and more). The National Curriculum launched in the 1980s is a good example. The teaching of Economics in schools was demoted – why? Because the Tories don’t want people to know what is going on economically and politically. They have engineered out informed debate about the running of the economy.

David Zenati-Parsons
David Zenati-Parsons
2 years ago
Reply to  Cwm Rhondda

excellent point Cwm

Paddy
Paddy
2 years ago

In O level History in the 1980s I learned about the slave trade, Peterloo massacre, Tolpuddle matyrs and the Chartists. That was under Thatcher.

Why do they want to cancel these parts of our history?

Y Tywysog Lloegr a Moscow
Y Tywysog Lloegr a Moscow
2 years ago
Reply to  Paddy

So you learned about the Merthyr rising? I only got the English stuff in my Welsh school.

Paddy
Paddy
2 years ago

“Wales and Britain in the Industrial Revolution”. WJEC curriculum mid-1980s.

Evan Aled Bayton
Evan Aled Bayton
2 years ago

It is entirely appropriate for unions to present material to older students in the GCSE and A level classes but this must be balanced with material from small Local employers and businesses to give a balance of material about being employed.

Gareth
Gareth
2 years ago

People like Davies would prefer the status quo, where Tory donors control most of the press and large amounts of our media, and where they dont, the Tory gov will place their people, hand picked, in position to implement their agenda. Offering children an Iinsight into real life, after school, is not in his or his partys interest.

Rhufawn Jones
Rhufawn Jones
2 years ago

That’s much better than unionists infiltrating the school curriculum.

Y Tywysog Lloegr a Moscow
Y Tywysog Lloegr a Moscow
2 years ago

What is the point of ARTie? Anything which doesn’t tout libertarian Tory dogma, is an “agenda” being pushed or an “infiltration” into our schools.
Honestly, the Tories and the Putinistas use the same foul tactics. Accuse your opponents of all the things you do

WilliamsG
WilliamsG
2 years ago

The leader of the ‘anti-everything party’ RT Davies is talking out of his bottom again, no surprises there then

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
2 years ago

Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies is starting to sound like conspiracy theorist & nut-job Alex Jones.

From saying Wales needed a “bit of Dom” in reference to Tory antagonist & whistleblower Dominic Cummings to supporting
both worse & shortest PMs in British political history in Boris Johnson & Liz Truss.

Oh dear. He now claims that Unions are infiltrating our school curriculum. What next? He’s Margaret Thatcher’s lovechild and he saw Elvis once working in an India take-away in Butetown? Man’s mad as a march hare. 🤪🇬🇧

Last edited 2 years ago by Y Cymro
Alan Jones
Alan Jones
2 years ago

Seems like artie is trying to resurrect the ” reds under the beds” mantra that was shouted from the roof tops by the Tories in the late 70s & throughout the 80s. Mind you, the Labour party at the time did offer themselves up as an easy target with factions such as The Militant Tendency almost succeeding in infiltrating & gaining control of the party, with concerted efforts from energetic activists such as one Derek Hatton. What we have now is the complete opposite (in ideology anyway) but still that desperate need for power & control from an uber right… Read more »

The Original Mark
The Original Mark
2 years ago
Reply to  Alan Jones

Nothing wrong with Degsy, shame a few more Labour councillors didn’t have the balls to go up against Thatcher and waste of space Kinnock.

Fi yn unig
Fi yn unig
2 years ago

Does RT mean like the book about the Queen around platty jubes time was being forced into Welsh schools to twist young Welsh minds away from their own history and focus entirely on the prescribed history of the colonial masters? He forgot about that infiltration. The people of Wales need the protection of Unions and their government against the spread of filthy Tory propaganda.

Quornby
Quornby
2 years ago

Quite so RT…… can we remove all the royalist claptrap from our classrooms while we are at it.

The original mark
The original mark
2 years ago

Amazing what these tories get upset about, God forbid the future workforce should learn about workers rights, or the benefits of joining a union, much better than allowing arms manufacturers or mod recruitment people into our education facilities

Fi yn unig
Fi yn unig
2 years ago

Words, phrases and subjects RT should stay well clear of. Infiltrate, turmoil, employment rights, donations to political parties and the big one ‘the value of responsibility and accountability’ at the very time the God he worships, his ultimate lord and master is returning from the Caribbean in an attempt to once again seize control of his morally bankrupt movement.

Barry Pandy
Barry Pandy
2 years ago

I thought the tories were against cancel culture.

Peter Cuthbert
Peter Cuthbert
2 years ago
Reply to  Barry Pandy

If you have not seen the latest ‘Led by Donkeys’ video, you should look it out. It makes clear that the UK government has been more than ‘infiltrated’ by secretive right wing think tanks pushing Market Fundamentalism. They thought that they had finally taken over with the installation of BlunderTruss. However, after all this time they had failed to realise that Market Fundamentalism does not deliver. Hopefully the latest crash and burn episode on the Tory Story Book will mark the end of their influence. Unions infiltrating the curriculum? Of course they should as most of the freedoms we enjoy… Read more »

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