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Thousands Protest For Teacher Suspended For Showing Picture Of Prophet Muhammad

Thousands Protest For Teacher Suspended For Showing Picture Of Prophet Muhammad

Nearly 70,000 people have signed a petition to get the educator reinstated in their job.

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

Nearly 70,000 people have signed a petition for a British school to reinstate a teacher suspended for a controversial religious studies lesson.

The unnamed teacher at the Batley Grammar School showed students a picture of the Prophet Muhammad.

The Evening Standard reported the picture was a cartoon taken from French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and was presented during a RE class.

The school launched an investigation and suspended the teacher while that probe was being carried out.

However, a person claiming to be a student from Batley Grammar has launched an online petition to get the educator back in their job.

Change.org

They wrote: "The RS Teacher was trying to educate students about racism and blasphemy.

"He warned the students before showing the images and he had the intent to educate them. He does not deserve such large repercussions. He is not racist and did not support the Islamophobic cartoons in any manner.

"This has got out of hand and due to this, students have missed out on lessons because of 'peaceful' protestors."

At the time of writing, there have been more than 67,000 people sign the campaign.

But there has been a counter movement to the online petition, with dozens of people gathering outside the school to criticise them for allowing the lesson to go ahead.

In an attempt to quell the uprising on both sides, Batley Grammar School's headteacher Gary Kibble has issued a statement on the matter.

PA

"The school unequivocally apologises for using a totally inappropriate image in a recent religious studies lesson," he said. "It should not have been used.

"The member of the staff has also relayed their most sincere apologies," Kibble said. "We have immediately withdrawn teaching on this part of the course, and we're reviewing how we go forward with the support of all our communities represented in our school.

"It's important for children to learn about faiths and beliefs but this must be done in a respectful and sensitive way."

The Department of Education has hit back at protestors who are criticising the teacher, adding that it's 'never acceptable to threaten or intimidate teachers'.

It released a statement to the BBC saying: "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."

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: religion, UK News, News