UK school reinstates teacher suspended over Prophet Muhammad cartoon

LONDON (AA) – A teacher in England who was suspended for showing pupils a controversial cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad this March has been reinstated, according to a statement from his school.

A spokesperson for the Batley Multi Academy Trust in West Yorkshire said the school accepted recommendations from an external investigation, which found the teacher had shown the controversial cartoon on more than one occasion without intending any offence.

“The findings are clear, that the teaching staff involved did not use the resource with the intention of causing offence, and that the topics covered by the lesson could have been effectively addressed in other ways,” the spokesperson said late Wednesday.

“In the light of those conclusions, the suspensions put in place while the investigation was under way will now be lifted.

“The trust deeply regrets the distress caused by the use of this resource, and we would like to thank all of the trust’s stakeholders for their contributions and support during what has been a difficult period,” the spokesperson added.

For days after the incident, parents and relatives of Muslim pupils had protested the insulting action in front of the Batley Grammar School.

Following the backlash, the school had issued an apology.

Head teacher Gary Kibble apologized “unequivocally” for the incident, adding that the teacher also apologized.

“We have immediately withdrawn teaching on this part of the course and we are reviewing how we go forward with the support of all the communities represented in our school,” he said.

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