Nicky Morgan launches 'educate against hate' in latest anti-extremism drive

An "educate against hate" website was launched today as part of a renewed drive to protect children from "the spell of twisted ideologies".

Nicky Morgan, the education secretary and a Christian, announced the launch alongside a crackdown on unregistered schools.

The series of measures are designed to "protect children in and out of school", a statement from the Department of Education said, and follows concerns from Tory MPs that new measures will lead to Ofsted registering and inspecting Sunday schools.

"There will be no single knockout blow against those who seek to corrupt young people - but the action we are taking to protect children, inform parents and support teachers will put us firmly on the front foot." Reuters

"We are determined to keep children safe in and out of school," said Morgan in her speech, made from Bethnal Green Academy, which was attended by three girls who ran away to join ISIS in Syria last February. 

"Today's announcement of resources and tougher powers to protect young, impressionable minds from radical views sends a clear message to extremists: our children are firmly out of your reach."

This is "absolutely not about shutting down debate in schools," said the education secretary, or "wrapping young people in cotton wool".

She acknowledged there must be a balance between combating extremism and allowing open debate.

"That isn't easy, there's no hard and fast rule, age appropriateness matters, as do the motivations of the speakers," Morgan said.

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"It requires judgement – but just as we must be absolutely clear that we should never give those who peddle extremist ideologies entry in to our schools or colleges, so too we must guard against inadvertently hiding young people from views which we simply think are wrong and disagree with."

The announcement from the Department of Education comes the day after the Prime Minister said migrant women faced deportation if they did not learn English. The move is intended to prevent isolation in communities which, Cameron said, is a contributing factor towards extremism.

The new website was founded "following Ofsted inspections of schools in Tower Hamlets and Birmingham last year", a statement read, where 15 unregistered, illegal schools were discovered.

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