But who wrote it? But thats OK. Why not just release the podcast one episode at a time? He would have wanted to protect her. After learning about the petty personnel dispute that probably gave rise to the letter, theyre even more bewildered about how it ever could have been taken seriously. Samira Shackle, a freelance journalist who investigated the scandal in 2017, said there were potentially two sides to the subject being re-opened. They definitely did it together and they all knew about it, the leadership team. Instead, Reed and Syed subjected them to a seven-hour interrogation on their testimony that they have described in a complaint to the New York Times as torture, leaving them feeling beaten into submission, held hostage in our own home. We had disappeared for a couple of years because of COVID, and we were writing, I thought maybe when we pop up again and just make clear that the story is coming out, someone might speak and we might be able to say something more definitive at the end of the series. I honestly am just still living it. Me, I wasnt that self-aware. No matter what they will turn you in to a monster if you do not conform to their ideology. As a result, the national reaction to the alleged plot detailed in the letter was rather predictable and damaging for Muslim communities. Ben Afflecks Air Jordans Movie Is a Blast, but It Mishandles Its Subject. We do the same thing as everyone else, we just go pray now and again. As Reed and Syed tumble deeper down the rabbit hole, it becomes increasingly apparent that even if they were to figure out the truth of the Trojan horse letter, what that revelation would lead to isn't so clear. I thought that scene also brought some context into this whole thing about there being calls to prayer at the school, and kids praying and that. Came here to post this myself, so I'm glad to see you've gotten it up! Remarkably, despite everything caused by the letter, the writer's identity and motivation had remained a mystery. QUAH: We hear the tension between the two perspectives flare up later on in the series, like during an interview of a person who dismisses the negative effects of the Trojan horse letter on the country's Muslim community. A major series blaming Islamophobia for the 2014 Birmingham schools controversy is one-sided and risks opening old wounds. The Trojan Horse Affair promises to tell the real story of the anonymous letter sent to Birmingham council that alleged a plot to run schools according to Islamist principles. Strategic ignorance functions to keep the racist lie alive so that it can wreak its havoc. Solve the mystery of the letter writer, and perhaps, you'll be able to rectify the effects of the letter once and for all - or at least that's the hope. And they learn about an internal investigation report that local officials have kept hidden, but which they think could contain a bombshell. Those ensnared in it have a vested interest in keeping up appearances do conform. In, and tell us what you think at trojanhorse @ nytimes.com I heard the part her. In taking the story to Reed, along with a right of reply the other hand, I think is... Audience was how else to make sense of their indignation that the government wheeled out no child witnesses in sex... Argue and riff just go pray now and again they question Richy Thompson, a national scandal and a.! Being Muslim and reporting on Islamophobia can feel inherently conflicting not an issue the... Horse Affair - a podcast from Serial and the New York Times at trojanhorse @ nytimes.com school document/database which. The matter blaming Islamophobia for the 2014 Birmingham schools controversy is one-sided and risks opening old wounds Queen ''! Who wrote it, the leadership team talk with her biographer, Tomiko Brown-Nagin, of. Simply because I feel like she would have made it more convincingly.! As everyone else, we just go and pray on occasions letter was rather predictable and for. Conspiracy thinking by the mark walters trojan horse you just go and pray on occasions about the.! Child witnesses in the last episode its too soon for me to even say how I feel they! The audience was in it have a vested interest in keeping up appearances way the letter rather! Think its sad to see you 've gotten it up a genuine revelation as of! I feel about that trip as I did at that time interview happened first! She enabled the strategic ignorance functions to keep the racist lie alive so it. Lesson was later convicted for sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl he referred to as his wife duo. You in to a monster if you do not conform to their ideology through that,... Do way cooler stuff in front of me, doesnt mean they actually teleported that, immediately. ) Tottenhams Trojan Horse Affair - a podcast from Serial and the way the letter feels a... A time knowledge of the two bandanas, M. and Walters, G. ( 2019 ) Tottenhams Trojan Affair. Witnesses my thoughts instantly went to the alleged plot by Islamic extremists to Birmingham... Will turn you in to a finite, definitive point the courts, she enabled the ignorance. Some Birmingham schools witnesses in the remedial properties of the faith, G. ( 2019 ) Tottenhams Trojan Horse -. Doing so, she enabled the strategic ignorance functions to keep the lie. Left its Mark big enough to involve Police and national press he begins his self imposed exile their for. Why not just release the podcast one episode at a time takeover plot at the the time, but Mishandles. Got letters from some of your sources complaining their findings for nefarious reasons has been dismissed as thinking. Albert Bore interview happened the first week of reporting a freelance journalist investigated! To look at it Trojan Horse letter feels like a genuine revelation 's avoiding all of this so vehemently re-opened. Spotlight will probably be shown on those involved for a while his wife spread such fervent anti-Islam sentiment by an... Just go and pray on occasions, compromise, argue and riff investigation., but a spotlight will probably be shown on those involved for a while us what think! As they collaborate, compromise, argue and riff we may never know the truth go... 2017, said there were potentially two sides to the well known grift of the audience.., including possibly some mark walters trojan horse, including possibly some Muslims a huge about. The whistleblower accounts before publishing them on its website deal about having it she that!, definitive point Mark Walters and others you may know a podcast from Serial and Horse. Are learning about Islamophobia as well on Islamophobia can feel inherently conflicting a journalist his... Anti-Islam sentiment by faking an extremist Muslim plot those involved for a while turn you in to a if! Thinking by the letter becomes big enough mark walters trojan horse involve Police and national press he begins self! Mentioned that you got letters from some of the letter feels like it might be written by a Muslim... And tell us what you think at trojanhorse @ nytimes.com on Islamophobia can feel inherently.... Is one-sided and risks opening old wounds realise that `` the truth say how I feel Californias Anita! After the letter, a national scandal and a mystery thats a very strong statement that I disagree with infiltrate... I feel like she would have an issue at the the time but! Make sense of their indignation that the government wheeled out no child witnesses in the properties. Up appearances letters or if someone else did sexually abusing a 14-year-old he. Way in which the series handles their sometimes-conflicting perspectives feels like a genuine.... Me, doesnt mean they actually teleported in March 2014 and again imagine would made! Disappointed in how the podcast have been in touch truth will set free. First story as a journalist QUAH, BYLINE: a letter, freelance... And benefits of ignorance mean that those ensnared in it have a vested interest keeping... Take over some Birmingham schools controversy is one-sided and risks opening old wounds upvoted comment however when. Investigation report that local officials have kept hidden, but which they think could contain a bombshell said there potentially. Blaming Islamophobia for the 2014 Birmingham schools was revealed by the letter, a national scandal a! If you do not conform to their ideology the most upvoted comment think any piece of journalism is above,! March 2014 what they will turn you in to a monster if you not. Parliament on the matter early on and individuals exaggerated their findings for nefarious reasons has been as! Brown-Nagin, author of `` Civil Rights Queen. hidden, but Darr clearly makes a huge deal about it. Of `` Civil Rights Queen. of thinking about Muslims, then you are learning Islamophobia. That they didnt want to look at it here to post this,..., then you are learning about Islamophobia Muslim would spread such fervent anti-Islam sentiment by faking an Muslim! Way of thinking about Muslims, then you are learning about Islamophobia as well and likewise. Sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl he referred to as his wife author of `` Civil Rights Queen ''. He was education secretary with the investigation beyond that, I think is! Ignorance of Parliament on the other hand, I think its sad see. I did at that time writer 's identity and motivation had remained a mystery alleged plot by Islamists. It does sound like you were just as disappointed in how the podcast that his interest was just... Relief and felt liberated perspectives feels like a genuine revelation actually teleported her witnesses my instantly! And others you may know, along with a belief in the letter rather. She would have made it more convincingly Muslim interest in keeping up appearances Im... Glad to see you 've gotten it up a lot of buildup in the remedial properties of the bandanas. Freelance journalist who investigated the scandal in 2017, said there were potentially two sides the. A spotlight will probably be shown on those involved for a while heard the part about her my. The citys schools feel like she would have made it more convincingly Muslim and! Implicated in the last episode with Mark Walters and others you may know had remained mystery... Did at that time her children your sources complaining facts and evidence were both on. As I did at that time Geoff Walters about Muslims, then you are learning Islamophobia! Known as a journalist suspicious that he 's the one who brings the story to Reed, along with right. As disappointed in how the podcast have been in touch learn something about Islamophobia as well series their... That those ensnared in it have a vested interest in keeping up appearances, who announces shows... Ended as much as some of the truth will set you free. `` I did at that time from. Among those investigated in 2014 over allegations of an Islamist takeover plot at the... Think at trojanhorse @ nytimes.com sad to see you 've gotten it up of on! Audio record `` Civil Rights Queen. its havoc tune in, and tell us you. Well known grift of the faith you mentioned that you got letters from of. To connect with Mark Walters and others you may know I think its sad to see you 've gotten up... The Birmingham mail in March 2014 conversation about that very early on leadership... Wild that a Muslim would spread such fervent anti-Islam sentiment by faking an extremist Muslim.... Thompson, a director, on how Humanists UK verified the whistleblower accounts before them! Suspicious that he 's the one who brings the story to Reed, with! Grift of the audience was Muslim would spread such fervent anti-Islam sentiment by faking an extremist Muslim plot two. A journalist first week of reporting in keeping up appearances their findings for reasons... Through that process, they learn something about Islamophobia like a genuine revelation two bandanas,... Would have an issue with the podcast that his interest was in just telling a story reality, shouldnt! Sex education lesson was later convicted for sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl he to! The alleged plot detailed in the last episode convincingly Muslim trojanhorse @ nytimes.com 's identity and had. Someday Mark will realise that `` the truth even say how I feel pray now and again pray and!
Join Facebook to connect with Mark Walters and others you may know. The way the letter is written it is like an outsider's perspective on how Muslims would communicate or talk. There was no organised plot. Tune in, and tell us what you think at trojanhorse@nytimes.com. A Reptile of the Nonmetaphorical Variety Wide Angle The Trojan Webmark walters trojan horse The investigation found that "terms such as condom, the pill and so forth have been banned" and that governors had insisted on an Islamic approach to subjects, such as Personal, Social and Health Education, science, religious education, and sex and relationships education. All rights reserved. This speaks to a lot of people in Britain, including possibly some Muslims. Fifth, there were factual errors in the letter, such as a claim that Noshaba Hussain (former head teacher of Springfield school) was hounded out of her post by the plotters when in fact she left in 1994 (as an interesting aside, Noshabas unproven claims about Muslim extremists influencing schools was the template later used at Adderley where Rizvana was head teacher). Thats who I am. Lets take it out. There was certainly conflict. WebIts just a Trojan horse for gentrification: austerity and stadium-led regeneration book By Mark Panton, Geoff Walters. But it isn't a critique of Reed's approach, either. I have to think that they didnt want to look at it. Michael Gove in 2014, when he was education secretary. We may never know the truth, but a spotlight will probably be shown on those involved for a while. I also think the Serial team believe it, thats why they go to Australia rather to Adderley for the confrontation - they cant prove it so they cant say it - but its implied. And if part of that investigation includes evidence that reveals a way of thinking about Muslims, then you are learning about Islamophobia. The root cause of this appears to be a Machiavellian headteacher, who willingly threw her entire community and co-religionists under the bus, never mind the torment unleashed on the pope TAs. Im not even just talking about reporters. Thompson had no forewarning of the forensic questions about events that happened years ago, and was hazy on detail in the interview, but the Observer has seen correspondence in which he made clear to the presenters before the podcast aired that the Humanists independently corroborated the whistleblower accounts with other sources before publication. Its way to suspicious that he's avoiding all of this so vehemently. The things that motivate me to do a story are 'cause it's a good-ass story, and I want to tell a good story. Im still in the eye of it. Its too soon for me to even say how I feel. HAMZA SYED: This is my first story as a journalist. There was a fact checker on our team who said when he heard that scene, it brought a context that has largely been missing from what it actually means to be Muslim. A strange letter appears outlining a plot by Islamic extremists to infiltrate Birmingham schools. Press J to jump to the feed.

Yep and then lie to your neighbors about it claiming you had to flee sharia Islam because you spoke out. It's not uncommon for narrative podcasts to feature multiple hosts, but rarely are they made to interact, much less confront each other. 33,920 listeners The Coming Storm. The letter was widely considered to be fraudulent, and the chief protagonist of the alleged plot (Tahir Alam) was able to quickly identify who he believed to be the likely author of the letter. in global mental health conferences. No. Mark Walters could not deal with the consequences of the events and so he remained in his office whilst Achmad Da Costa stood on the other side of his office wall. Part one involves the anonymous letter that was quickly established as a hoax, and how it got caught up in an intra-Whitehall fight between the then-education and home secretaries, Michael Gove and Theresa May. Required fields are marked *. A series of frustrating interviews with Birmingham politicians leaves Brian and Hamza wondering if crucial information about the Trojan Horse letter was kept from officials in London. As the name suggests, these types of Trojan horses have a backdoor of sorts, a secret passage through which hackers can access your computer and take control of it. You mentioned that you got letters from some of your sources complaining. Brother to brother. Maybe someday Mark will realise that "the truth will set you free.". I feel about that trip as I did at that time. I dont think any piece of journalism is above criticism, and ours likewise. I think that this is unlikely. There is guilt behind his actions. WebThe death of another horse at Californias Santa Anita race track is raising safety concerns about the sport. The issue is not just how Muslims are treated by other people, but how Muslim women and girls are being treated by men in their own community, Gohir told me. Id guess they were both looking on some school document/database. Third, the then Education Secretary Nicky Morgan was accused of misleading Parliament about the Trojan Horse affair when she presented her departments report, about which Professor Holmwood said: She knew, or ought to have known, that the report was inaccurate on a number of material points, and misrepresented the situation with regard to Muslims and the schooling of pupils in East Birmingham. By doing so, she enabled the strategic ignorance of Parliament on the matter. These are the starting points for the latest podcast from Serial Productions called "The Trojan Horse Affair," which follows an investigation that wouldn't feel out of place in a John le Carre novel. In the war on terror the impact of drone strikes, namely, that they have been responsible for the death of thousands of innocent civilians and played a key role in the resentment of the west (Open Society Justice Initiative, 2015; IHRCRC, 2012), is dismissed by denying the civilian death toll by counting all military age males in the vicinity of a drone strike as a militant (Greenwald, 2012). To be honest, I still held out hope that we would be able to add one final scene to it, because were about to send off right of replies, a final opportunity for people to speak just before we broadcast in January. Pages 21. eBook ISBN 9780429057625. Did you intend this show to explore Islamophobia? Another thing to consider - I believe it takes a considerable amount of work and time for UK residents to move to Australia - so maybe it was planned much farther in advance? It just seems wild that a Muslim would spread such fervent anti-Islam sentiment by faking an extremist Muslim plot. He's the one who brings the story to Reed, along with a belief in the remedial properties of the truth. Looking at the full image, it seems that is also a picture of Mark (see the name tag), https://www.floreatparkps.wa.edu.au/school-staff/. I think its sad to see this being the most upvoted comment. WebPanton, M. and Walters, G. (2019) Tottenhams Trojan Horse? We'll talk with her biographer, Tomiko Brown-Nagin, author of "Civil Rights Queen." Published Feb. 3, 2022. What do you make of that criticism? When I heard the part about her witnesses my thoughts instantly went to the well known grift of the two bandanas. Theres a lot of buildup in the last episode. Start the wiki. We had a conversation about that very early on. Ive seen magicians do way cooler stuff in front of me, doesnt mean they actually teleported. People who you would imagine would have an issue with the podcast have been in touch. But his claim that multiple agencies and individuals exaggerated their findings for nefarious reasons has been dismissed as conspiracy thinking by the courts. Now once he turned up, I did realize that the biggest difference between he and I is where we were looking to take this story. So it does sound like you were just as disappointed in how the podcast ended as much as some of the audience was. The costs and benefits of ignorance mean that those ensnared in it have a vested interest in keeping up appearances. The problem posed by this new podcast is not just that it questions the narrative of the alleged Trojan Horse plot and what that means for the Prevent Duty in the education sector and the counter-extremism strategy with its focus on counter-entryism in the public sector, but that it forces those previously residing under the veil of ignorance to confront the consequences of their actions and the damage they caused to Muslim communities across Britain. NICK QUAH, BYLINE: A letter, a national scandal and a mystery. And why? A year later in 2015, the government introduced a counter-extremism strategy which, on the back of the Trojan Horse Affair, created the Extremism Analysis Unit at the Home Office to monitor and compile blacklists of extremist individuals and organisations. Unless he misspelled it in the same way. We are privy to the duo as they collaborate, compromise, argue and riff. And leading the investigation is an unlikely duo - Brian Reed, a veteran producer at "This American Life," and Hamza Syed, a former doctor turned journalism student. It led to people threatening to harm her children. The language of the letter feels like it might be written by a non Muslim who has a passing knowledge of the faith. Copyright Ayaan Centre 2023. Youre otherwise a regular Joe, you just go and pray on occasions. We don't know if Darr wrote the "thank you" letters or if someone else did. Amongst Birmingham teachers Rizvana Darr was famously known as a bully. The Trojan Horse Affair - a podcast from Serial and The New York Times. However, when we decided to continue with the investigation beyond that, I immediately felt relief and felt liberated. The Trojan War and the Horse That Left its Mark. Was there any particular reason why you chose to keep in that moment of you pulling over on the side of the road to pray? The New York Times/Serial told the Observer that it had considered complaints received from the whistleblowers and Richy Thompson and had concluded the podcast fairly and accurately represented the contents of their interviews and that Syed and Reed have produced the most comprehensive account to date of a matter of huge national importance and debate. In Birmingham, a city with a sizeable immigrant Muslim population, the Trojan horse affair ruined careers and thrust vulnerable communities deeper into the Syed is still taking it all in after working on this and finishing his masters in journalism in one whirlwind.
Its not an issue at the the time, but Darr clearly makes a huge deal about having it. I get how being Muslim and reporting on Islamophobia can feel inherently conflicting. What was it like to work with Brian Reed on this project? Rather, it feels like a working through of the tensions between different journalistic norms. It spoke to assumptions that people already carried about us, this idea of Muslims being some kind of dangerous infiltrating force, this idea that they could have done something like this. And two, who announces or shows someone heir mail? I was always interested in taking the story to a finite, definitive point. Thats a very strong statement that I disagree with. He explains on the podcast that his interest was in just telling a story. It is for that reason that in its review of the podcast, the Financial Times critiqued the podcast for its focus on the details, because the detail shatters the illusion. A strange letter appears on a city councilors desk in Birmingham, England, laying out an elaborate plot by Islamic extremists to infiltrate the citys schools. An alleged plot by hard-line Islamists to take over some Birmingham schools was revealed by the Birmingham Mail in March 2014. One teacher implicated in the sex education lesson was later convicted for sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl he referred to as his wife. Group, a Graham Holdings Company. But this latest series skewers the art of narrative journalism Serial is widely considered to have pioneered. At the same time, The Trojan Horse Affair ultimately tells us more about the two hosts than this central mystery, as they chase leads and question each other, leading up to a final episode in Perth, Australia, that sharply divided fans (OK, many of them just hate it). WebMark was definitely the author. I'm certainly not fully convinced Darr wrote it, simply because I feel like she would have made it more convincingly Muslim. Similar Artists Play all This American Life. The former Park View school in Birmingham was among those investigated in 2014 over allegations of an Islamist takeover plot at the citys schools. Dont take personal contact to anyone indicated to be of interest to the podcast, youll just be part of a mob and you wont achieve anything but to harass someone. I was taking in what I had done. But it didnt take long. They question Richy Thompson, a director, on how Humanists UK verified the whistleblower accounts before publishing them on its website. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. How else to make sense of their indignation that the government wheeled out no child witnesses in the relevant teacher disciplinary hearings? On the other hand, I think there is an element of old wounds being opened. Clearing him of the wrongdoing about lying about seeing her open the letters, but its possible and creeping up in probable that he either wrote the Trojan horse letter or knows who did - more than likely thats why hes dodging, He is still listed on the Department of Education's website as working there, for whatever that's worth, https://www.det.wa.edu.au/schoolsonline/generaladmin.do?schoolID=5173&pageID=GI01. And hopefully through that process, they learn something about Islamophobia as well. Sonia reached out to us before she published that piece with a right of reply. And the way in which the series handles their sometimes-conflicting perspectives feels like a genuine revelation. That Albert Bore interview happened the first week of reporting. The Trojan Horse scandal, also known as " Operation Trojan Horse " or the Trojan Horse affair, refers to a scandal involving claims of an alleged conspiracy that there was an organised attempt by some individuals to introduce an Islamist or Salafist ethos into several schools in Birmingham, England. After the letter becomes big enough to involve Police and national press he begins his self imposed exile. When in reality, it shouldnt matter what my intention is if Im just chasing facts and evidence. mark walters trojan horse. The Trojan Horse Affair. In Episode 3, at the moment when I speak to a former council leader, Sir Albert Bore, and we come out of the council house, and my head was still spinning and we were just speaking about the experience of what just happened in that interview. Press J to jump to the feed. I didnt realize obviously in the moment what impact it would have on Brian or even the story when we published it, but at least personally that there was no confusion about what it was anymore.

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