• Islamist attack Samuel Paty, the professor beheaded in France for teaching Muhammad cartoons in class

A British teacher has received death threats for showing

Charlie Hebdo

cartoons of Muhammad in religion class

.

The teacher has been suspended by the management of the Batley Grammar School, which had to partially close its facilities on Friday due to

protests

from 50 Muslims.

The Secretary of Education, Gavin Williamson, however came out in defense of the teacher, who is

under police protection

after being identified on social networks.

"It is unacceptable to intimidate or threaten teachers," Williamson said.

"We

promote dialogue

between parents and teachers when issues like this arise."

"Schools must be free to include a wide spectrum of ideas and materials in their curriculum, including some that can be controversial," added the Secretary of Education.

"In any case, a balance must be found in the need to promote

tolerance and respect

among people who profess different religions."

In October 2020, a French high school teacher, Samuel Paty, was killed and beheaded days after showing a cartoon of Muhammad in class.

In 2015, twelve people were killed in the terrorist attack on the offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris.

The incident of the British professor has had a

great impact

on the town of Batley, near Bradford, one of the British cities with the highest proportion of Islamic population.

The local imam,

Mohamed Amin Pandor

, was among the first to call for the teacher to be suspended after showing the cartoon of Muhammad to his students:

"What has happened is totally unacceptable,

and we made it known to the management."

The local NGO Purpose of Life called for protests at the school and

disclosed

the teacher's identity

on social media

.

"The community is deeply hurt," its founder, Mohamed Sajad Hussain, who condemned "the sadistic behavior" of the teacher, told The Times.

"Even liberal democracies must have a

limit to freedom of expression;

we cannot use it to offend."

The headmaster of the school apologizes

The Muslim Association of Great Britain has also joined the protests with a statement condemning

"the rise of Islamophobic rhetoric

and the use of images of the Prophet Muhammad that are offensive to Muslims."

The association asked the school to investigate the events and 'take appropriate action.'

The school's principal, Gary Kibble, has "unequivocally apologized for the use of

totally inappropriate material"

in religious education class.

Several parents have nevertheless made common cause with a petition drawn up by dozens of students who have demanded the reinstatement of the "fantastic" teacher, a former amateur rugby player who had recently confessed his intention to devote his life to teaching.

The Secretary for Communities and Local Government, Robert Jenrick, for his part condemned the protests at the school this Friday:

"We should not allow teachers to feel intimidated

.

"

Batley Labor MP Tracy Brabin also accused the protesters of "stirring the flames and provoking hatred and division."

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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