French far-left MP Danièle Obono defended a teachers’ union which banned white people from an anti-racism workshop saying that a lack of inclusion is normal in other movements like those for LGBT or feminist issues.
Ms. Obono, who serves as an MP in the far-left France Insoumise (FI) party led by former presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon, claimed she saw nothing wrong with the teachers’ union Sud-Education 93 excluding white French people, broadcaster Sud Radio reports.
“For example, victims of gender-based violence may feel the need to talk to trusted people who share the same issues,” Obono said.
The opinion of Ms. Obono is not shared by French education minister Jean-Michel Blanquer who announced earlier this week that he would be filing a formal complaint against Sud-Education 93 saying the move to not include white people was “unconstitutional”.
Referencing the complaint of Blanquer, Ms. Obono said: “Perhaps the minister should inquire a little more. In the history of social movements, these forms of action exist.”
Blanquer was not the only French political figure to express outrage toward the teachers’ union. Populist leader of the Front National Marine Le Pen took to Twitter to write: “The reaction of the minister is beneficial, but must be accompanied by exemplary sanctions against offending teachers.”
Sud-Education 93 also released a statement reading: “The issues addressed by the internship are critical issues in teaching today. There is no point in denying questions that teachers experience day-to-day. The fight against racism is at the heart of the multicultural society but also at the heart of school programmes.”
Last week, Breitbart London reported on an advertisement for an internship with the BBC that excluded white candidates. The registered charity which posted the advertisement, Creative Access, has specifically excluded white applicants from other advertised positions in the past as well.