Tory education minister doesn't think that there is a 'privilege' to being white

The education secretary has said white privilege is not a "fact" so shouldn't be taught in schools.

Speaking to LBC's Nick Ferrari, Gillian Keegan raised eyebrows when she made the claim, arguing it is a "debate".

"We should have balance and debate... but you shouldn't be teaching things as fact that are debates," she said.

Pressed on whether she thought white privilege was a fact, she added: "I don't think it's a fact, I don't for me think there's a privilege to being white on its own, no."

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Keegan was also asked whether some teachers are too “woke”.

She said: “Not necessarily. I mean, I don’t have that view.

“I mean, all the teachers I speak to are hugely dedicated, hugely innovative, as well, and very pastoral as well in their care for our children."

She added there had been discussion at the Education Select Committee hearing on Wednesday about teaching critical race theory, religious, health and sex education, as well as “some aspects of transgender, whether that was age appropriate”.

“So there was a discussion around that which is why we are actually putting out some guidance which will be coming out in the new year around transgender and how to treat that very difficult, tricky subject and how to support teachers to teach that,” she added.

Keegan is no stranger to gaffes. She recently dismissed the idea of nurses using food banks and she once got confused about Omicron figures.

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