During an appearance on Lorraine today, the country’s strictest headteacher defended her claim that children are ‘born in original sin’.
Newly appointed Government adviser Katharine Birbalsingh, from London, now the chairwoman of the social mobility commission, was slammed for ‘whipping up division’ in a Twitter spat last week.
Today’s morning program featured the former headteacher of St Michael and All Angels Academy, Camberwell, south London. He stated that all children should be taught ‘right from wrong’.
However, she was attacked by viewers who called her a ‘patronizing’ voice. One commented: ‘Teachers ethics and values shouldn’t impact schooling!
“Keep your opinions at the home and stick to what you’re taught.”
Newly appointed Government adviser Katharine Birbalsingh, now the chairwoman of the social mobility commission, has defended her claims that children are ‘born with original sin’ during an appearance on Lorraine today
During her appearance on the programme, Katharine argued children were born with original sin, and compared it to choosing to eat a plate of cookies instead of broccoli.
She said that it was much more difficult to do right. It is difficult to get on my treadmill. However, it is easy to sit down and enjoy the television.
‘It’s more than whether we’re bad or great, it’s the fact that man is flawed. This means we’re not perfect.
‘All original sin does is – I’m not Christian, and I didn’t think that I was being provocative at any point – I thought that I was making a cultural point to tell people, “Hey, we’re not perfect.”
During her appearance on the program, viewers criticized the teacher, many calling her’very patronizing’.
She added: “Our role, as adults, is to get involved in helping children figure out how they behave.”
‘All adults – teachers and parents, everyone in the child’s environment needs to help him tell the different between right and wrong and help him choose what is right.
“Original sin” does not mean that we are all damned. It’s simply saying that we all want to eat broccoli and not cookies.
Katherine defended her reputation for being “Britain’s strictest teacher” and stated: “It’s really important that we use balance with children, but they need to understand that they’re making choices, when they’re naughty, they have to pay.”
Katherine also defended her reputation of being “Britain’s strictest headteacher” and stated that children need to know when they are being naughty, and that there is a ‘consquence’.
“At school, that might be a detention. At home, that might mean that you’re taking their video games away. Be consistent in your approach.
“You want to tell the child the difference between right or wrong so that they can choose what’s right, not what’s wrong.”
“Teachers must work in concert with parents. We want our children to be happy, successful and fulfilled. They must feel loved in order to achieve that.
“And I promise, my children feel loved when we keep our expectations really high.”
After Katharine replied to a comment on social media that read “we are all born evil”, the debate was engulfed.
The 48-year-old teacher wrote: “Exactly. Original sin. Children must be taught the difference between right and wrong, and then they should be trained to choose good over evil.
“That requires love, constant corrections, and love from all the adults in their life over years. Moral formation is a positive thing.
Katharine replied to a comment on social media that said “we are all born evil”.
Saeed Atcha who was commissioner for young people three years before his term ended yesterday, called her comments ‘unhelpful. He said that he hoped it wasn’t a sign for things to come.
He said to the Times, “When I read the comments I just thought that it was not the role of chair of the Commission to make unhelpful comments like those and whip up division.
“Social mobility is serious business. It’s complex and requires people to come together. It is a tone that the commission used throughout its three years.
Jessica Oghenegweke, another departing commissioner, said she disagreed with Birbalsingh. She said that she has always viewed children in the best possible light and that any negativity is due to lack of support.
Sammy Wright, commissioner for schools and vice-principal at Southmoor Academy in Sunderland, said she supported Birbalsingh’s point but didn’t think it was very well phrased.
She stated that Twitter spats were not beneficial for social mobility.
Boris Johnson visits Michaela Community Schools in Wembley (London) in 2015 as children participate in a history lesson.
According to Liz Truss (the women and equality minister), Birbalsingh will “level up opportunity and allow everyone the chance of succeeding” in her new role.
The former headteacher spoke at the Conservative Party conference about state education in 2010. She later resigned from St Michael and All Angels Academy in Camberwell, south London, to set up the Michaela Community School, in Wembley, northwest London.
She believes education should focus on the teacher and the “adult is the authority” in the classroom.
Teachers at her school do not accept excuses. Children must move in a single file, and silence or lateness is punishable by detention.
After the resignation of Dame Martina Milburn as chairwoman of the previous commission, it was re-established by Sandra Wallace (and Steven Cooper) jointly.