03 November 2017

Birmingham Council insists Trojan Horse did happen and promises to challenge those who deny it

Birmingham City Council has insisted there WAS a serious problem in city schools during the Trojan Horse affair.

And it promised to "challenge" people who try to deny what happened.

Inquiries in 2014 found there was a "co-ordinated, deliberate and sustained" attempt by a group of people to take control of some Birmingham schools and "introduce an intolerant and aggressive Islamic ethos".

But the authority issued a statement after pressure group MEND organised a debate in a city community centre to discuss whether Trojan Horse really did happen as it has been described.

MEND publicity material advertising the event said: “Has a hoax letter, a media scrum, a forceful education secretary and political motivations in education regulation lead to the stigmatisation of a community, discrimination against outstanding teachers/school leaders and exam failure for a generation of children?”

The city council highlighted two inquiries, one led by former police officer Peter Clarke for the Department for Education and one by education expert Ian Kershaw for the council, which both confirmed the claims.

The council said in a statement: "We are concerned to ensure that there are no misleading messages given about what really happened during Trojan Horse, and to make it clear that the city council in no way endorses the planned event. [Birmingham Mail] Read more