NASUWT Scotland president warns schools becoming battleground

Incoming NASUWT Scotland president David Anderson has warned that some schools are becoming “battlegrounds of blame and violence” due to the influence of far-right and populist movements on children and young people.

Speaking at the union’s Scotland annual conference last month, Anderson said “abusive rhetoric” from politicians is encouraging “hateful speech” and driving a rise in bias-motivated harassment, threats and violence.

He stressed that education remains “the best tool” to counter racist narratives and called for collective action to ensure that schools remain safe and inclusive environments for staff and pupils alike.