An Oldham councillor has spoken out about how the council will tackle hate in schools following accusations of racism at Saddleworth School.

Cllr Mohon Ali has said the council is committed to ‘eradicating hate’, promoting Holocaust Memorial Day, and rolling out training days to schools.

It comes after reports originating in the Manchester Evening News of two pupils being suspended and extra lessons on diversity being commissioned after reports they made monkey noises and performed Nazi salutes at black and Asian children.

Families of the victims were said to be "devastated".

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In a statement, Oldham Council's Cabinet member for Education and Skills Cllr Ali, said: “Oldham Council takes a proactive stance in tackling hate in schools, and we have a commitment to creating a safe and inclusive environment for students.

“Oldham Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) has been set up, consisting of local faith, education, and political representatives. SACRE provides advice to schools on sensitivity and awareness about faiths and beliefs and has been developed with Oldham’s faith communities and the Interfaith Forum.

“As part of this commitment, the Council offers sessions on how to challenge hate for council staff, community partners, and schools. There is an added focus on engaging school governors. This approach ensures that everyone equipped with the knowledge and skills to address hate effectively.

“We work with schools to promote Channel, which provides early support for anyone who is vulnerable to being drawn into any form of terrorism or supporting terrorist organisations, regardless of age, faith, ethnicity, or background. We provide guidance on how to refer to Channel if they have concerns, as well as training on extremist ideologies and discussing controversial issues with students.

“We are currently developing a separate hate crime awareness program in collaboration with Stop Hate UK, which is specifically tailored for educators. This program will empower teachers with the necessary tools to address hate within educational settings.

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"In 2022, the Council commissioned the Oldham Theatre Workshop to develop the immersive theatre experience, titled 'You Stand Accused’.'

"This was aimed at raising awareness of hate crime among young people in a less formal and more engaging way and giving pupils a deeper understanding of the consequences of hate crime.

"Additionally, the Council actively promotes Holocaust Memorial Day by partnering with the Oldham Interfaith Forum and secondary school pupils to deliver commemorative events. This collaboration helps educate students about the historical impact of hatred and discrimination."

He continued: "We are also committed to addressing emerging challenges, and recently received external support to deliver training on mixed unclear and unstable ideologies (MUU), incels; Gaming and Radicalisation; and Conspiracy Theories.

"These training sessions were rolled out to schools, ensuring that educators stay informed about modern issues that may impact their students.

“We want to eradicate hate in Oldham, and we will continue to support all our schools and educators with the necessary training, support and reporting channels they need to challenge hate, support pupils and provide safe spaces for our children and young people to learn, grow and thrive.”