School calls police because pupil visited UKIP website on class computer

[Valin]

The Independent UK:

The school says it was acting in line with extremism guidelines

Siobhan Fenton

Saturday 27 February 2016

 

A school in Hampshire called in police after a pupil viewed the UKIP website on a class computer, it has been reported.

 

15-year-old Joe Taylor says he viewed the political party’s website following a classroom discussion on immigration. He says he was subsequently reported to the police by teaching staff who raised concerns that he was viewing “politically incorrect websites”, indicating “extremist views”.

 

The incident allegedly happened at Wildern School in Hedge End, Southampton. The boy’s father, Mick, has told The Daily Express that his son was taken out of class and interviewed by Hampshire police.

 

Mr Taylor said: “On Monday I received a phone call and they said he’s been looking at some politically incorrect material at school. My first reaction was to ask them if it was porn, but they said no- it was the UKIP website. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

 

“We went into reception with the police officer and their first question to my son was ‘why are you a political activist for UKIP’? I asked 'why are you worried about the UKIP website' and they said, ‘well, we don’t think it’s right’.

 

(Snip)