Backlash grows as former Eton pupils bombard school with letters

‘I don’t think I’ll ever be proud to be an Old Etonian again’: Backlash grows as 2,500 sign pupil petition and others bombard school with letters calling for English tutor sacked in ‘gender roles’ row to be reinstated

• English teacher Will Knowland sacked over controversial lecture, sparking a row
• Pupils joined a backlash against move and are gathering signatures for petition
• Colleague Dr Luke Martin protested with a letter complaining of ‘indoctrination’ 
• Mr Knowland’s appeal will be considered by panel, with decision due next week 
• Are you an Eton parent or Old Etonian? Contact [email protected]  

The free speech backlash over the sacking of an Eton English master grew today as a pupil petition rose to 2,500 signatures and others bombarded the school with letters protesting the move.  

English teacher Will Knowland was dismissed over a controversial lecture on gender roles intended for one of the school’s ‘Perspectives’ classes – which are delivered to older students to help them think critically about issues of public debate.

He appealed the decision, and a disciplinary panel will consider his fate on Tuesday, with one former pupil saying ‘I don’t think I’ll ever be proud to be an Old Etonian again’ unless he is reinstated.

Meanwhile, a petition from current pupils protesting the move hit nearly 2,500 signatures – up from 1,000 on Tuesday.  

It came as a colleague resigned as head of the ‘Perspectives’ programme and attacked the ‘so-called progressive ideology’ that he feels pupils are being ‘indoctrinated’ with at the elite £42,000-per-year school.

Dr Luke Martin, who is still teaches at Eton, accused Head Master Simon Henderson of presiding over an atmosphere of ‘religious fundamentalism’, where deviations can lead to mockery or ‘formal discipline’.

The disciplinary panel will reveal Mr Knowland’s fate several days after their Tuesday meeting, MailOnline understands. Eton has said Dr Henderson was not on the panel that sacked Mr Knowland so insists the move was not his decision. 

Will Knowland was sacked over a controversial lecture on gender roles intended for one of these lessons

A letter sent by an Old Etonian complaining about Mr Knowland’s sacking to Eton’s vice provost, Dr Andrew Gailey

A petition from current pupils protesting the move hit nearly 2,500 signatures – up from 1,000 on Tuesday

Simon Henderson took over his role as Eton College headmaster five years ago and was nicknamed ‘Trendy Hendy’ by pupils.

He is said to have a habit of wearing chino trousers and open-necked shirts, overseeing what has been viewed as a cultural change at the famous school.

Mr Henderson once suggested he might get rid of Eton’s traditional tailcoats and is known to be interested by modern management techniques.

In 2016, he announced plans to split Eton’s deputy head-master role into two, creating one deputy head for ‘academic’ affairs and another for ‘pastoral’ matters.

He has also created a new role of ‘director of inclusion education’ to oversee diversity at Eton, and made a woman the Lower Master, or deputy head, for the first time.

A source has told the Daily Telegraph that Mr Henderson ‘feels strongly’ about changing perceptions of Eton as an ‘old fashioned pillar of social and male elitism’.

The school has pointed out that the decision to sack Mr Knowland was taken by a disciplinary panel that the headmaster doesn’t sit on. 

Dr Martin’s letter of complaint to Eton’s vice provost, Dr Andrew Gailey, warned that pupils were being forced to adopt a ‘so-called progressive’ ideology that pretended to be ‘inclusive, tolerant and kind’ but was akin to ‘religious fundamentalism’.

Current pupils have also sent in a petition to Provost Lord Waldegrave calling for Mr Knowland to be reinstated. They are now considering what further action to take, MailOnline understands.

Mr Knowland had wanted to deliver a questionable lecture to boys in which he cited incorrect statistics about rape and approvingly quoted an article saying women wanted to be ‘overwhelmed by the sheer power of masculinity’.

The talk, called the Patriarchy Paradox, was never used in a class but was uploaded to Mr Knowland’s personal YouTube page, where there is also a video of him weightlifting.

Mr Knowland refused to take down the video and was sacked, but has since raised tens of thousands of pounds to support an employment tribunal.

Many pupils are demanding his reinstatement, including a boy who was sent home after writing to Mr Henderson demanding that the head resign.

But other figures, including Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker, who initially supported Mr Knowland, have distanced themselves after being told the actual content of his lecture.

Dr Martin, in his letter posted online by a supporter of Mr Knowland, said he was resigning from leading perspectives classes.

He said he did not agree with Mr Knowland’s remarks, but added: ‘Why should I? The point of perspectives is that boys are exposed to various perspectives, some of which they will disagree with.’

He said that Mr Knowland had expected another member of staff to give a talk offering the opposite point of view, but a female teacher had ‘declined the invitation’.

Eton headmaster Simon Henderson, who took over the role five years ago and has been nicknamed ‘Trendy Hendy’ by pupils 

Dr Martin argued that Mr Henderson was overseeing a ‘worrying trend’ at the school, which counts princes William and Harry among its old boys.

He added: ‘There is a growing promotion of a so-called ‘progressive’ ideology, that claims to be inclusive, tolerant, and kind.

‘But what has dawned on me over the last few years is that it is remarkably similar, in a particular respect, to the forms of religious fundamentalism that I’m familiar with. If you disagree with it, you’re excluded; if you think differently, you’re not tolerated; and if you raise objections, you’re mocked or face formal discipline.

‘I’ve become increasingly concerned that some schools, including Eton, are moving towards a point where it will be accurate to say that they are trying to indoctrinate their students into this worldview’.

Dr Martin went on to call for Mr Knowland’s reinstatement.

In an open letter, Mr Knowland said: ‘I made a stand for my freedom to express information but also, and more importantly, for the boys’ freedom to receive it.’

Eton firmly denies that the case is an attack on free speech, but relates more directly to discipline among employees and preserving the reputation of the school.

An Eton spokesman said Dr Martin’s letter had been received by the vice-provost.

Dr Martin could not be reached for comment.

Eton College, pictured, has been accused of ‘religious fundamentalism’ after a teacher was sacked for planning to deliver a ‘questionable lecture’ to pupils

Highlights from theology teacher’s letter protesting his colleague’s sacking 

‘In the past few years at Eton I’ve become aware of a worrying trend. There is a growing promotion of a so-called ‘progressive’ ideology, that claims to be tolerant, inclusive and kind. This ideology is, of course, present in other institutions. 

‘But what has dawned on me over the last few years is that it is remarkably similar, in a particular respect, to the forms of religious fundamentalism that I’m familiar with: if you disagree with it, you’re excluded; if you think differently, you’re not tolerated; if you raise objections, you’re mocked or face formal discipline.

‘I’ve become increasingly concerned that some schools, including Eton, are moving towards a point where it will be accurate to say that they are trying to indoctrinate their students into this worldview. 

‘As I said above, I am wholly opposed to the indoctrination of minors due to the damaging effects it can have. Over the last year or so I have taken some action, which culminated in me writing to the Head Master and Lower Master last June to relay my concerns.

‘In WSK’s [English teacher Will Knowland] video he offers a perspective on the topic of masculinity. I don’t agree with all the views expressed in the video, but then why should I? The Point of Perspectives is that boys are exposed to various perspectives, some of which they disagree with.

‘Since WSK was suspended, and then dismissed, my concerns about the prospect of indoctrination have returned. There are some who argue that school students shouldn’t be exposed to the contentious opinions of any of their teachers (or outside speakers). 

‘I disagree, but even if we are to grant this, it must then also apply to the many talks offered to boys in the name of ‘inclusion’. As a general point, I think it is patronising towards the boys to think they’re unable to handle controversial views.’ 

Video lesson about death of ‘chivalry and honour’ that got English teacher sacked and sparked freedom of speech row

A video of the lecture made by an Eton College teacher at the centre of a freedom of speech row has been posted on Youtube.

Will Knowland, an English teacher, had wanted to deliver a questionable lecture to boys in which he cited incorrect statistics about rape and approvingly quoted an article saying women wanted to be ‘overwhelmed by the sheer power of masculinity’. 

In the lecture, named ‘The Patriarchy Paradox’, he claimed the male role as a ‘protector’ benefits society as a whole – including women.

And he warned that ‘shaping men and women to be more similar actually exaggerates their differences’ – which he described as the Patriarchy Paradox.

He says that a world without men would be ‘awful’ for women and complains that chivalry and honour – which he labelled as good male qualities – are being driven down by terms such as ‘toxic masculinity’.

The virtual lecture, which was never actually shown to students at the £42,500-a-year- school in Berkshire, resulted in Mr Knowland being sacked from his job. 

Mr Knowland’s lecture The Patriarchy Paradox explores the conflict between the concepts of sex and gender.

He argues that the ‘shaping of men and women to be more similar actually exaggerates their differences’.

Mr Knowland argues that the idea of patriarchy – a social system in which men hold primary power and predominate in roles of political leadership – could be equally grounded in biology, rather than something that is constructed socially.

And he says some women may actually chose the traditional gender roles because it benefits them.

Mr Knowland points out that male roles in the animal kingdom, including those of the lion, are primarily to provide protection.

Will Knowland, an English teacher, had wanted to deliver a questionable lecture to boys in which he cited incorrect statistics about rape and approvingly quoted an article saying women wanted to be ‘overwhelmed by the sheer power of masculinity’ 

As a result, he says men have traditionally been the sex to fight wars – pointing to the difference in the development of male and female bodies in adolescence.

He points to a cage-fighting match-up involving transgender fighter Fallon Fox, who broke the skull of female opponent Tamika Brent when the pair fought in the Octagon.

He says: ‘If it is not fair to pit men and women in sports, then it is not fair to pit men against women on the battlefield.’

He says men’s lives are also more expendable because women are the ones who are able to give birth. However he says that a world without men would be ‘awful’ for women.

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