School calls police on 15-year-old for looking at UKIP website
Staff at a school have called the police after a pupil looked at content from UKIP and the English Defence League.
The staff called the police, who questioned the 15-year-old on whether he was a ‘UKIP activist’, reports the BBC.
Mick Taylor said his son’s behaviour, checking the UKIP website, and watching an EDL video in class, was called ‘inappropriate’ by police.
Taylor said his son was left feeling “like a terrorist” after Wildern School staff called police.
Staff defended the measure, however, saying it was in line with their safeguarding procedures.
Schools are expected to identify children suspected of being influenced by extremist material under new counter terrorism laws.
Staff at Wildern School called 101 after the student was observed viewing the sites.
A specialist team was in contact with the school after the
“If my son had been accessing these websites on a regular basis – then maybe there would be cause for concern,” Mr Taylor told the BBC.
“But it’s a one-off incident and I don’t think it merited such an extreme section of the police coming in.”
Head teacher Marie-Louise Litton said: “I wish to make it absolutely clear that the decision to pursue the matter further was not made by the school.”
A spokesman from Hampshire Constabulary said: “The school contacted us in good faith and in complete accordance with their safeguarding procedures.
“We have a duty to respond to these concerns and we spoke to the pupil and his father informally about comments and internet usage at school.”
UKIP’s deputy leader Paul Nuttall said: “I don’t know how you can be extremists when you have 22 MEPs, a member of Parliament, three lords and 500 councillors all over the country,” he said.
“We’re certainly not extremists.”
