A British politics instructor at Henley College in Oxfordshire was reported to the UK’s counter-terrorism authorities and effectively forced to resign after showing students videos of President Trump — including his 2025 inauguration — during a lesson on propaganda.
Henley College, a sixth-form institution serving students around ages 16-18, began investigating the teacher in January after two complaints from students who said they felt “uncomfortable” and described his content as “biased” and “off-topic.” Documents reviewed by The Telegraph indicated local child-protection officials suggested the videos could amount to a “hate crime” and recommended referring the teacher to the government’s Prevent program — Britain’s counter-extremism initiative.
In official communications, the college alleged the lecturer showed videos of Donald Trump, his campaign, and related “propaganda,” which they claimed were unrelated to the curriculum and had allegedly caused emotional distress. Critics of the school’s actions say the move shows free-speech protocols being misused to target educators for presenting politically controversial material.
The teacher himself defended his lesson plan, noting that he was teaching about propaganda and had also shown videos of Vice President Kamala Harris and other figures. He said he was “likened to a terrorist” by authorities, a characterization he called “dystopian” and compared to a George Orwell novel.
After intervention by the Free Speech Union, the instructor received a written warning and eventually accepted a £2,000 settlement package, effectively ending his tenure at the college. The teacher reported the ordeal negatively affected his mental and physical health and required counseling.
Henley College declined detailed comment on the case, affirming only its commitment to student wellbeing and safeguarding procedures under UK education guidelines. The institution also highlights its zero-tolerance stance on bullying and discrimination.
This case highlights ongoing debates in Western democracies over academic freedom, political bias in education, and the proper scope of counter-extremism policies when applied to mainstream political discourse.
