2,210 people called on MPs to get the “Prevent” duty out of our classrooms
Many thanks to the thousands of you who took action calling on MPs to get the “Prevent” duty out of our classrooms. Your response has been incredible.
What’s been happening?
The UK government's "Prevent" duty is not keeping children safe. It is keeping them under surveillance. That's why we called on MPs to get it out of our classrooms.
Right now, hundreds of children as young as 9 are being swept into the UK government’s flawed “Prevent” duty, with lasting and harmful consequences.
Our report, This Is The Thought Police: The Prevent duty and its chilling effect on human rights, illustrates that Prevent is a dangerously broken system.
How does the "Prevent" duty work in classrooms?
Under this policy, teachers are asked to report students to counter-terror police for signs of “radicalisation”, often relying on vague or subjective judgements.
The result?
- Disproportionate harm to Muslim and neurodiverse children
- Erosion of trust between students and teachers
- Unnecessary trauma for families
What you need to know:
- 11–15-year-olds are the most reported group under the "Prevent" duty
- Hundreds of children under 10 are being referred every year
- 93% of referrals lead nowhere — but the damage is already done.
“Prevent doesn’t help with safeguarding, it makes it worse. Many children are already suffering with anxiety and other issues. Prevent breaks trust.”
- Fatima*, teacher. *Name annonymised
As a parent, you deserve to know your child is safe at school - not being surveilled.
As a student, you deserve to ask questions, grow, and learn - not be treated like a suspect.
As a teacher, you deserve to teach with trust - not fear.
It’s time to replace the "Prevent" duty with evidence-based safeguarding that supports young people, instead of stigmatising them.