NO
Mary Bousted, general secretary, Association of Teachers and Lecturers
Teachers should be teaching tolerance and respect so pupils can lead successful and fulfilled lives in our highly diverse society. They also have a duty of care to try to prevent young people from getting involved in illegal activities.
But teachers are not trained to deal with radicalisation. We are not spy-catchers and should not be expected to police our schools. That said, teachers will continue to have reasoned discussions with pupils about extremism, so will welcome the practical advice in the government's anti-extremism toolkit. NO
David Conway, senior research fellow, Civitas
The police and security services have the key role in stopping violent extremism, followed by the communal and religious leaders of any specific faith groups, if the violent extremism is being stirred up by radicalised versions of their faith.
At the same time everyone who works with young people and finds evidence of them being drawn into violent extremism, either via the internet or by individuals or groups with whom they have been fraternising, has a duty to notify the appropriate authorities.
YES
Anna Nayyar, helpline development officer, Muslim Youth Helpline
With the recent emphasis placed on promoting community cohesion in schools, teachers must be at the heart of ensuring young people are not engaged in violent extremism.
Teachers must be empowered to have sufficient knowledge to deal with challenging questions and should be confident of the support of the Muslim community. Educational institutions must ensure they engage with the Muslim community, through consultancy and outreach projects that add a sense of cultural credibility to their efforts to counter violent extremism.
YES
Chris Waller, professional officer, Professional Association of Citizenship Teaching
The answer is not simple: the issue is about the role of education in helping young people develop the skills to respect each others' viewpoints and consider how to be bring about change for a fairer world.
Helping young people with complex issues around extremism and violent protest requires skills and space for both young people and teachers alike. This is not just a matter for schools alone but for their community. The role of citizenship education, within the curriculum and as a key tenet of the duty to promote community cohesion, is a key to enabling this.
