Teacher suspended for telling Muslim pupils Britain is a Christian country

A London primary school teacher was banned from working with children after telling a Muslim pupil that Britain is still a Christian state.

The incident prompted a referral to the local safeguarding board and the involvement of a senior Metropolitan Police detective, who examined whether a hate crime had been committed.

The controversy began after the teacher allegedly admonished a group of boys for washing their feet in sinks in the school toilets.

A pupil later claimed the teacher told them the school was not a religious institution and suggested that an Islamic school located a mile away might be more suitable if they wanted a faith-based environment.

He also referenced the King’s role as head of the Church of England.

Following the exchange, the school suspended the teacher in March last year and subsequently terminated his employment.

In April, he was informed that his conduct had been formally referred to the local safeguarding partnership—an action normally reserved for concerns about child welfare or potential risk.

Police were also notified, and an investigation was launched into a potential hate-motivated offence.

No charges were brought, and the Metropolitan Police later dropped the case.

According to the teacher’s legal team, the school was not a designated faith school and had previously discouraged prayer in the playground, a context they say is relevant to understanding the dispute.

Despite the dropped police action, the teacher faced a professional ban from working with children. He challenged the decision and ultimately succeeded in having the prohibition overturned.

The teacher is now suing the local authority responsible for his dismissal, with backing from the Free Speech Union.

He has since secured part-time work at another school outside London.

Toby Young, director of the Free Speech Union, criticised the handling of the case, arguing that the teacher faced potentially career-ending consequences for making a “factually accurate” statement about England’s established religion.

He noted that Anglicanism remains the national faith and questioned whether the outcome would have been the same had the teacher made an incorrect statement that did not risk causing offence.

The case has reignited debate about the limits of acceptable speech in classrooms, how schools navigate religious diversity, and the threshold for triggering safeguarding procedures against teachers.