Eton College apologises after ‘girls on visit from state school were taunted with racial slurs’

Eton College has apologised after allegations that girls visiting from a nearby state school were booed and taunted with racial slurs.

Several pupils have been ‘sanctioned’ according to the school after an investigation into an incident during a speech by former Ukip leader Nigel Farage.

The school said it apologised ‘unreservedly’ for the ‘totally unacceptable’ behaviour, according to the BBC.

A person who says they were a parent of one of the girls who attended the speech claimed anonymously on social media that the state school pupils also faced sexist comments. Mr Farage said the atmosphere at the school was ‘riotous’.

Eton, in Berkshire, England, is one of the most prestigious schools in England. The school charges more than £40,000 a year and boasts a large number of notable past pupils including former prime ministers Boris Johnson and David Cameron as well as Prince William. 

The school has educated 20 British prime ministers in total, as well as royals from across the world, world leaders, Nobel laureates as well as Oscar-winning actors.

In the past, Eton has faced several controversies relating to teachers’ behaviour. In 2020, popular English teacher Will Knowland was sacked after posting a lecture on YouTube attacking ‘radical feminist orthodoxy’.

He was removed from his role after repeatedly refusing requests to take down the video which was viewed more than 100,000 times.

In 2020, popular English teacher Will Knowland (pictured) was sacked after posting a lecture on YouTube attacking ‘radical feminist orthodoxy’ 

In the clip, initially meant to be an official school lecture, Mr Knowland appears to argue that biological differences between men and women determine gender roles.

Mr Knowland previously told Times Radio that ‘controversy is essential’ in education.

Separately, the college’s head of economics Mo Tanweer left after a breach of security in the ‘pre-U’ exams in 2017. 

A third teacher Sarah Forsyth was found to have been dismissed unfairly from her position after she claimed she did some of Prince Harry’s coursework for his A-level art exam and recorded chats between her and the prince.