Education Secretary condemns threats to Batley teacher amid Prophet Mohammed cartoon row

From The Telegraph

The Education Secretary on Thursday night condemned the “threats and intimidation” that a teacher has faced after he was suspended for showing a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed in class.

Gavin Williamson said that the protests outside a West Yorkshire school on Thursday were “completely unacceptable”, adding that teachers are allowed to expose pupils to “challenging or controversial” issues.

His statement came after dozens of protesters gathered at the gates of Batley Grammar School on Thursday morning, forcing the school to advise students to stay at home while police officers stood guard.

The 29-year-old Religious Studies teacher is said to have shown the image to pupils during a lesson on Monday. On Thursday night, he was understood to be in hiding after police raised concerns for his safety when he was named online.

On Thursday night Mr Williamson said: “It is never acceptable to threaten or intimidate teachers. We encourage dialogue between parents and schools when issues emerge.

“However, the nature of protest we have seen, including issuing threats and in violation of coronavirus restrictions are completely unacceptable and must be brought to an end.Schools are free to include a full range of issues, ideas and materials in their curriculum, including where they are challenging or controversial, subject to their obligations to ensure political balance. . . “

The school held a meeting with a local Imam before announcing the suspension of the teacher.

A senior police source said the teacher was receiving police protection in the wake of his suspension and the row over images of the Prophet Mohammed shown to students.

On Thursday night the teacher, his partner and their young children were not at the family home and thought to have been moved to a safe location. The source said there had been a “series of meetings” inside West Yorkshire Police over the policing of the demonstration and how to handle the fall out including keeping the teacher safe.

“Officers have been especially assigned to him,” said the source. “This is obviously very sensitive. Local Muslims are up in arms and the teacher has not apologised. There is obviously significant risk around the individual now.”

The decision to suspend the teacher has been condemned by groups promoting freedom of speech.

On Wednesday evening, messages were circulated on social media, urging people to come and “defend the honour of our Prophet Mohammad” by protesting at the school. One claimed that the teacher had shown students “derogatory caricatures” and suggested they were the same ones published by Charlie Hebdo, the French magazine that was subsequently subjected to an armed terrorist attack.

In the post on Facebook, Zeeshan Mohammed wrote: “It is imperative that all of us turn up to demand the resignation of this teacher as an absolute minimum.”

The teacher was named in a statement posted online by Purpose of Life, a local charity which has worked with Batley Grammar School. Its chief executive Mohammad Sajad Hussain accused the teacher of “sadistic behaviour” adding that the charity would not work with the school again until the teacher is “permanently removed”. The teacher’s failure to apologise, he said, “speaks volumes”.

In the statement on Twitter, Mr Hussain said the actions of the teacher were tantamount to “terrorism to Islam”. He said: “It seems to me there are people out there that want to abuse the freedom of speech by insulting our beloved Prophet. “To me this is clearly showing what hatred people have for the beautiful religion of Islam and is clearly sadistic behaviour.”

One parent in Thursday’s protest insisted the teacher had shown the images before. “It’s the second time this teacher has done this so they want him to be sacked,” the parent told the local newspaper. 

But quite what was shown is unclear. A reporter working for The Telegraph on the ground must have asked 20 parents and members of the community what precisely the teacher had shown the children but was unable to establish exactly what or the context. Many of the parents had heard second-hand reports but none necessarily seemed to know exactly what had happened. 

On Facebook, Zeeshan Mohammed published a poster declaring: “Defend the honour of our Prophet Mohammed.” In capital letters it said: “URGENT” and called for protesters to gather outside the school. It named the teacher – The Telegraph has chosen not to do so – and explained: “A teacher deliberately showed derogatory caricatures (French Cartoons) of our beloved Prophet Mohammad and told the students that it was his right to show this!” I also noticed the name of the teacher this morning, and also, for those very obvious reasons didn’t publish it. It has gone from the site where I noticed it. His safety is at stake. 

The post went on: “He failed to apologise or accept any wrong doing when challenged by parents. It is imperative that *ALL OF US* turn up to demand the resignation of this teacher as an absolute minimum and fulfil our duty of defending the honour of RasoolAllah.” 

The row had begun in a classroom in Batley Grammar School on Monday but its ramifications are likely to be felt for many, many days to come.