Education Secretary says children 'are not snowflakes' and should be allowed to read books featuring racial slurs

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi has insisted children are not 'snowflakes' and should be allowed to read books featuring racial slurs. He warned against creating 'false filters' for pupils, arguing that 'those in a position of responsibility should be teaching young minds how to think, not what to think'.

It comes after the government released guidance earlier this year aimed at helping teachers avoid 'promoting contested theories as fact' in England. Speaking to Chopper's Politics podcast from The Telegraph, the Education Secretary said it was important to remember the resilience shown by children during the pandemic.

"These kids are resilient. They’ve come through the Covid pandemic, the mistaken closure of schools. They’re not snowflakes at all. They are really resilient, and I think it’s important to remember that," he said.

He added: "Those in a position of responsibility should be teaching young minds how to think, not what to think. Children… if you teach them to be curious, if you teach them to understand how to filter and rely on quality journalism and understand both sides of the argument, then you’ll be doing something truly great. Don’t take your own fears and prejudices into the classroom would be my mantra."

Asked if children should be able to to read racial slurs such as those contained in Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, he said: "Totally. I think it's really important that children are allowed to be able to be curious… to understand where this stuff comes from, rather than (where you) create these sort of false filters for them."

The government guidance on political impartiality in schools, published in February, suggested teaching of the British empire should be presented in 'a balanced manner'.