Decision to be made on Spennymoor BNP teacher

May 24 2010 by Nicola Juncar, The Journal

A NORTH East teacher could become the first in the country to be struck off for religious intolerance.

Adam Walker, an active member of the British National Party (BNP), is up before the General Teaching Council (GTC) today.

The 40-year-old from Spennymoor, County Durham, admits posting racist comments about Muslims on a website during a lesson while using a school computer.

Mr Walker, who used to teach at Houghton Kepier Sports College in Houghton-le-Spring, near Sunderland, is also alleged to have posted critical comments about asylum seekers, immigrants and gay people.

He left the school three years ago, but the GTC is still to give its verdict over whether he should be struck off due to lengthy delays in the proceedings.

Mr Walker attempted to get the case thrown out, as his legal team argued that he should not face professional misconduct charges because his comments were not linked to his work.

His team also suggested that it was wrong for the school to have reported him to the GTC, as the comments had been made under a false name.

However, in March, Mr Walker was told his appeal had failed.

In addition, a previous hearing, last September, had to be postponed due to fears over racial tensions. Police were concerned that protesters and BNP supporters would clash outside the GTC’s offices in Birmingham.

The GTC panel said teachers at the school were legally obliged to report Mr Walker’s misuse of his computer to the former Department for Children, Schools and Families and the GTC.

In a statement, the panel said: “None of the preliminary legal arguments made led the committee to conclude the case should be stayed or the allegation struck out.

“The committee considers it fair to proceed and that all the evidence is admissible.”

The hearing is expected to start today and is due to run for three days.

Mr Walker, who is now working as a campaigns coordinator for the BNP MEP Andrew Brons, has pledged to take the case to the “highest level” if found guilty. His representatives from union Solidarity, of which he is president, are also studying punishments handed out by the GTC so they can take action if any sanction he is given is more severe than usual.

Patrick Harrington, who is representing Mr Walker, said: “I understand people are opposed to the BNP, but they must realise this has implications for all teachers who wish to express views, whether they are communists, anarchists or Muslims.”