Council defends Jewish schools after sacked professor claims they ‘groom extremists’

Leaders of all political groupings on Hertsmere Council are to send letter of support to two Jewish schools in the borough — Hertsmere Jewish Primary School and Yavneh College — after the former Bristol University sociology professor, David Miller, accused the schools of “grooming Jewish extremists”.

Council leader Morris Bright, who youngest child attends one of the schools, responded positively to a question put by the Labour leader, Councillor Jeremy Newmark, at a recent council meeting.

Cllr Newmark said that Miller, who was fired by Bristol University and now appears on the Iranian-state backed Press TV, had attacked the two schools, saying that they groomed “Jewish extremists” who were a “threat to national security” and “supporters of ethnic cleansing”.

Such comments, Cllr Newmark said, were “a shocking example of antisemitism that potentially puts Jewish schoolchildren in Hertsmere at risk”. He asked that the council should declare Miller persona non grata in the borough.

In his response, Cllr Bright said he found Miller’s comments “most distressing” and that they “were another reminder that the Jewish communities, in Hertsmere and beyond, have always to be on their guard from the insidious nature and behaviour of those who wish to perpetrate lies and the language of hate”.

But while he was more than happy for a letter to go out in support of the schools, he was less sure of the legal ramifications of declaring someone persona non grata in the borough. Cllr Newmark said he would like that declaration put on record “as a matter of principle”, to show that the disgraced academic was not welcome in the borough. Cllr Bright said he would take legal advice as to what was possible.