A politics lecturer at a sixth form college in Oxfordshire has been forced out of his job and referred to the government's counter-terrorism programme after showing videos of Donald Trump to his A-level students.
The Allegations and College Investigation
The incident, reported by The Telegraph, centres on a teacher in his 50s at Henley College in Henley-on-Thames. In January 2025, the college, which has over 2,000 students, launched an investigation following two complaints from pupils in his US politics class. The students alleged his teaching was 'biased' and 'off topic'.
The teacher, who wishes to remain anonymous, stated he showed campaign videos related to Donald Trump, who had just won the US election, as part of the curriculum. One video was the former president's inauguration. Another was a music video titled 'Daddy's Home' by comedian Roseanne Barr and Canadian 'Maga Rapper' Tom MacDonald, which a student had requested.
Despite the teacher's claim that he also showed videos of Kamala Harris for balance, the college escalated the matter. It first reported him to the local child safeguarding authority, the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).
Referral to the Prevent Counter-Terrorism Scheme
The LADO's report concluded the teacher's views 'could be perceived as radical' and recommended the college refer him to Prevent as a 'priority'. The report suggested his behaviour could cause harm to a child and might amount to a criminal 'hate crime'. It also raised the possibility that promoting his views could be considered 'radicalisation'.
'They likened me to a terrorist. It was completely jarring,' the teacher told The Telegraph. 'It's dystopian, like something from a George Orwell novel.'
In April, he received a formal misconduct letter accusing him of causing students 'emotional harm' by showing 'inappropriate content' and presenting 'potentially extremist views' with a 'lack of balance'. One student claimed to have felt 'quite uncomfortable' and to have had nightmares.
Career Fallout and Free Speech Defence
The teacher, a practising Catholic and self-described Republican supporter who insists his views are mainstream, launched a grievance procedure against Henley College. However, he was effectively compelled to resign from his £44,000-a-year post, accepting a £2,000 payoff.
The case has been taken up by the Free Speech Union (FSU), which argues child safety protocols are 'being weaponised to silence someone for political reasons'. The FSU stated he was a victim of 'bullying and harassment' and defended his use of educational materials.
The teacher, now working part-time as a supply teacher, said the ordeal severely impacted his mental and physical health. 'I felt completely insulted at the suggestion I was a danger to children,' he said.
Henley College declined to comment on the specific case but stated it is 'committed to safeguarding the wellbeing of all our students and staff' and follows statutory procedures.
