Katharine Birbalsingh, the founder of the strict, high-performing Michaela Community School in Wembley, blamed what she called “woke ideology” for comments by the Oxford Union’s president-elect that appeared to celebrate the shooting of American conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
George Abaraonye, 20, whose election as president of the independent Oxford Union was announced earlier this year, posted messages that were later deleted after they were revealed on Friday. The posts, reported to have appeared on WhatsApp and Instagram, included the lines “Charlie Kirk got shot, let's f***ing go” and “Charlie Kirk got shot loool.” Abaraonye later described the comments as “impulsive” and said they did not reflect his values.
The Oxford Union said it “unequivocally condemned” the remarks and that complaints had been forwarded for disciplinary proceedings. The university said it “deplored” the comments. James Price, honorary secretary of the Oxford Literary Debating & Union Trust — the charity that owns the buildings used by the Union — resigned in protest at the posts.
Birbalsingh, who has built a public reputation for strict discipline and high academic results at a school serving disadvantaged pupils, wrote on X that the posts were “a product” of schools promoting left-wing ideologies and that “wokeness teaches young people that leftist views on race, sexuality and religion are what morality is, and must be defended… by any means necessary.” She said the comments showed a lack of understanding of the “sanctity of life” and called them a consequence of “moral degeneracy.”
She also criticised Abaraonye’s appearance, posting a photograph of his May debate with Kirk in which he wore tracksuit bottoms and contrasting that with the attire she said she chose for her own university debating appearances. "Teaching children to wear a uniform with pride matters," she wrote.
University College, where Abaraonye is a student, said its master, Labour peer Baroness Amos, had concluded that while the comments were “abhorrent” they did not contravene the college's policies and that no further college action would be taken. The Union said it had forwarded complaints it received for disciplinary consideration.
Abaraonye has been described by student peers in university publications as a prominent figure on campus. He founded a hip-hop society and served as events officer of the university’s Arab Society. He attended Chelsea Academy, a state Church of England school, where he qualified for free school meals and achieved ABB grades before beginning a Politics, Philosophy and Economics degree at Oxford. There has been no official finding that his former school promotes extreme ideology; the school has been contacted for comment.
The episode has prompted debate within the university community about the boundaries of acceptable speech and the responsibilities of student leaders. The Oxford Union, an independent debating society with a long history of hosting controversial figures, said it was taking the matter seriously and would consider complaints through its procedures. The outcome of any disciplinary review has not been announced.