Headteachers on Teesside are being warned about a leaflet campaign by the British National Party targeting schools.

Cleveland Police has branded the content of the BNP leaflets as "provocative and detrimental to good community relations". The force has consulted with the Crown Prosecution Service regarding any potential offences and is awaiting their advice.

Teachers on Teesside are being called on to be vigilant about any possible BNP political activity seeking to engage young people.

The "Together we'll beat 'em!" leaflet "focuses on dangers faced by young people from organised gangs of paedophiles," say the BNP. The pink flyer, branded with a YBNP (formerly the Young BNP) logo, shows three girls, arms raised in a boxing stance.

Addressing "Dear Head Teacher/ Head of the Year", a covering letter from Adam Walker of the BNP, a former teacher himself, warns: "This problem is very real and the consequences in terms of social development for people targeted by the gangs is disastrous."

The letter goes on: "Whilst the British National Party fully recognises that paedophiles come from all walks of life, we are particularly concerned that in recent years, authorities up-and-down our country have attempted to cover up crimes where the perpetrators include groups of Muslim men."

Mr Walker, from Spennymoor, told the Gazette the leaflet drive was part of a national awareness campaign and, while he had only written to schools in County Durham, it was possible the BNP could contact schools "throughout the North-east". He added: "If schools aren't doing their job properly then we must do it for them."

Wendy Shepherd, children's services manager for Barnardo's, alerted Cleveland Police and local authorities after being emailed the BNP letter from an alarmed colleague. "I was very concerned on two levels," she said. "On one level they have made it so child and young person friendly that young people would think this is something to look at."

Wendy said it was "despicable" the way the leaflet encouraged the reader "to look at the Muslim community as all paedophiles and groomers".

Evening Gazette, 7 December 2012

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Diversity in the classroom is getting bigger in society all over the globe; however, there has been a growing issue of "Islamophobia." This term is defined by UNESCO as a word to "demote fear, hatred, or prejudice against Islam and Muslims." In response, UNESCO published a set of guidelines to address this issue and what schools can do to prevent racism among students.

"Through education, we can teach children not to hate from the very young age. Through education, we can raise tolerant leaders. Through education, we may establish a lasting culture of peace," said UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova.

The issue of Islamophobia is a real problem that starts from the community and is spreading globally. A growing number of Muslims have expressed feelings that they are discriminated against by society. And they might not be far off in their assumptions. In Britain, a survey revealed that only 25% of people feel positive about Muslims living in their communities. While in France, a widely known magazine insulted the Muslim community on the front cover, igniting a large controversy. With Islam largely associated with terrorism and extremism in the media, Islamophobia seems only to be getting bigger.

Such global issues motivated UNESCO and its partners to write up Guidelines for Educators on Countering Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims.It aims to promote that "mutual understanding and respect for diversity, along with countering all forms of intolerance and discrimination, must today, more than ever, be absolute priorities for international community, in order to maintain peace and stability at both the global and regional levels."

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe are set to meet to discuss these guidelines. They are centered on the issues of Islamophobia in education. From countering intolerance against Muslims to promoting mutual understanding in multicultural education settings, it hopes to uproot stereotypes and misconceptions. The meeting is set to take place starting this month.

Open Equal Free, 9 November 2012

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A website dedicated to following the New York City Police Department published a document Monday detailing Islamic schools, NGOs, mosques, student associations, and persons of interest that were monitored by the NYPD in 2006 as part of its secret and legally questionable program to spy on Muslims.

The program was first exposed in an Pulitzer Prize-winning series by the Associated Press last year.

Leonard Levitt, a former Newsday police reporter who runs NYPD Confidential, writes Monday that the NYPD's own Intelligence Division document from 2006 refute claims that the police force is innocent.

According to the new document, NYPD's undercover officers or informants infiltrated places as varied as the Westchester Muslim Center mosque, an Islamic student association at Brooklyn College, and the Council on American-Islamic Affairs (CAIR).

"It doesn't suprise me at all," said Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for CAIR, the nation's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. "It seems every organization, leader, mosque, and cab driver was on their list... But what we're concerned about is the individual Muslims who were targeted for this spy campaign without a warrant or any evidence of wrongdoing on anyone's part."

US News & World Report‎, 4 June 2012

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Nearly 88,000 racist incidents were recorded in Britain's schools between 2007 and 2011, the BBC has found.

Data from 90 areas shows 87,915 cases of racist bullying, which can include name calling and physical abuse. Birmingham recorded the highest number of incidents at 5,752, followed by Leeds with 4,690.

In response to the local authority figures, obtained under a Freedom of Information request, the Department for Education said racism needed to be "rooted out".

Sarah Soyei, of the anti-racism educational charity, Show Racism the Red Card (SRRC), said:

"Unfortunately, the numbers of recorded racist incidents are just the tip of the iceberg. Racism is a very real issue in many classrooms around the country, but cases of racist bullying are notoriously underreported. Often teachers may not be aware of racism in their classrooms because victims are scared of reporting them out of fear of making the situation worse."

"We are seeing a real increase in racism in some areas which is down to factors like a growth of Islamaphobia in society which is filtering into classrooms," said Ms Soyei.

BBC News, 23 May 2012

See also, "Daily torment of racism in the classroom", BBC News, 23 May 2012

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