UK Teacher Suspended For Showing Inappropriate Cartoon Of Prophet Muhammad

A teacher in the UK has been suspended after fueling a protest by showing pupils an "inappropriate" cartoon featuring the Prophet Muhammad.

BBC reports that the image depicting the founder of Islam was used in a lesson at Batley Grammar School on Monday, and online videos showed many people standing outside the school on Thursday, demanding that the teacher be sacked.

Gary Kibble, the Head Teacher of the school, tendered an apology, saying that the member of staff had also "given their most sincere apologies" and had been suspended pending an investigation.

He said, "We have immediately withdrawn teaching on this part of the course and we are reviewing how we go forward with the support of all the communities represented in our school.

"It is important for our children to learn about faiths and beliefs, but this must be done in a sensitive way."

The Head Teacher, Gary Kibble

A spokesperson for the Department of Education said, "It is never acceptable to threaten or intimidate teachers. However, the nature of the protest we have seen, including issuing threats and in violation of coronavirus restrictions, are completely unacceptable and must be brought to an end.

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"Schools are free to include a free range of issues, ideas and materials in their curriculum, including where they are challenging or controversial, subject to their obligations to ensure political balance.

"They must balance this with the need to promote respect and tolerance between people of different faiths and beliefs, including in deciding which materials to use in the classroom."

One of the protesters named Abdullah stated that the cartoon offended "the whole Muslim community." Speaking to the BBC, he said he was not a parent but had relatives at the school, adding that up to 100 people had taken part in the protest.

"This is a time when we can't stay quiet. We need to stand up and let them know; the headteacher, the school, and the governing body, that this is not something light. There's a line you can't cross."

A parent outside the school who also spoke to the BBC Radio Leeds mentioned that she had been upset about the cartoon that was shown, but did not agree with the protest, saying it was "quite scary and intimidating."