It’s a viral meme that’s been infuriating teachers across Britain for months, as children say the words ‘six-seven’ while moving their hands as if they are juggling.
But Sir Keir Starmer made the situation even worse yesterday by sending pupils into hysterics when he performed the gesture during a visit to a Peterborough school.
The Prime Minister ended up having to give an awkward apology to the headteacher of Welland Academy after being told children got into trouble for doing the meme.
Sir Keir had meeting Year 2 pupils at the primary school with Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson to help promote the expansion of the free school meals scheme.
While he was reading a book with a young girl, she pointed out they were on page ‘six-seven’ – and the Prime Minister made the hand gesture accompanying the meme.
As Sir Keir looked around the room at some of the other children who began to join in, he said: ‘Six-seven, everybody, six-seven, are you doing page six-seven?’
The class then descended into chaos with all the other pupils copying the hand gesture, although Ms Phillipson sat in her chair smiling but refusing to join in.
A teacher told Sir Keir: ‘We are not over that yet, we are not over that, it’s still very much a thing.’ As he walked out, Sir Keir added: ‘See you later. That was a bit wild.’
Sir Keir Starmer performed the ‘six-seven’ meme at Welland Academy in Peterborough
The Prime Minister led children in saying ‘six-seven’ while performing the hand gesture
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson sat in her chair smiling but did not join in with the meme
Headteacher Jo Anderson (left) told off Sir Keir as he was leaving the classroom yesterday
Headteacher Jo Anderson then told him: ‘Thanks Prime Minister for that lovely six-seven. You know children get into trouble for saying that in our school?’
An embarrassed Sir Keir replied: ‘Oh do they?’ He then added: ‘Sorry about that.’ Ms Anderson said: ‘No, no, it’s absolutely fine.’ And Sir Keir joked: ‘I didn’t start it, Miss.’
The Prime Minister later uploaded a video of the chaos to his Instagram page, with the caption: ‘I think I just got myself put in detention…’
The phrase ‘six-seven’ and its accompanying hand gesture have become an internet sensation this year – much to the frustration of teachers trying to control pupils.
The wording is thought to have originated from a song called Doot Doot (67) by US rapper Skrilla released last year.
It then went viral on TikTok when it began being used describe the height of basketball players including 6ft 7in Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball.
In March, teenager Maverick Trevillian became known as the ‘6-7 Kid’ after a viral video showed him shouting the phrase at a game while performing the hand gesture.
Sir Keir apologised for the chaos as he was ushered out by the Welland Academy headteacher
Sir Keir said: ‘Sorry about that’ and headteacher Jo Anderson said: ‘No, no, it’s absolutely fine’
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer with pupils at Welland Academy in Peterborough yesterday
According to Dictionary.com, which made the phrase its ‘word of the year’, it could mean ‘so-so,’ or ‘maybe this, maybe that’ when combined with the juggling hands.
There is also no inappropriate backstory to the phrase, described by Merriam-Webster as a ‘a nonsensical expression used especially by teens and tweens.’
It has also been trending at basketball games when a team nears 67 points – but the phrase is effectively an inside joke with an unclear meaning, driven by social media.
Parents and teachers have created their own videos trying to explain the sensation, with some offering tips on how to stop their kids from repeating it all day long.
