Photo by Robin Bell via Daily Mail newspaper website

Christian teacher ’forced out’ of his job denies insulting a Muslim

A primary school teacher who claims he was forced out of his job last week denied making offensive remarks about a Muslim pupil's headscarf, reports Michael Ireland, chief correspondent, ASSIST News Service.

Britain's Daily Mail newspaper says elementary school teacher Nicholas Kafouris claims he was sacked for reprimanding pupils who made racist remarks and praised the September 11 terrorists.

Kafouris, who is suing his former school for racial discrimination, told the girl she was 'wearing a headscarf for no reason,' according to a parent.

The Daily Mail reports the parent claimed Mr Kafouris was promoting 'Christianity as better than Islam' and complained to the headteacher, an employment tribunal heard.

Kafouris denied making the comment, insisting it would make 'no sense' for him to have said it.

The teacher claimed that complaints were only made against him after he reported racist remarks made by the pupils.

The newspaper reports that Kafouris submitted several letters from former pupils to the hearing which spoke of his respect for other religions, including Islam.

One letter, from former colleague Selima Chaudhury, described him as 'professional' and an 'excellent teacher.'

In her letter, Mrs Chaudhury said: "I never heard Nicholas make any comments about children's race, color or religion. On the contrary, he respected and valued all the religions.

"As a devout Muslim myself, I know very well that Nicholas has never and would never make any adverse remarks to the children or the parents about Islam."

The newspaper says Kafouris, a Greek Cypriot, taught for 12 years at Bigland Green Primary School in Tower Hamlets, East London.

Kafouris claims he was forced to leave his £30,000GBP-a-year job ($47,000USD) because he would not put up with the 'racist' and anti-Semitic' behavior of his pupils.

The predominantly Muslim youngsters, some as young as eight, openly praised Islamic extremists in class and described the September 11 terrorists as 'heroes and martyrs.'

One pupil said: "Don't touch me, you're a Christian" when he brushed against him.

Others said: "We want to be Islamic bombers when we grow up," and "The Christians and Jews are our enemies -- you too because you're a Christian."

According to OFSTED, the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills -- which regulates and inspects UK schools to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages -- "almost all" the school's 465 pupils are from ethnic minorities and a vast proportion do not speak English as a first language.

According to the newspaper, Mr Kafouris claims racial discrimination by the school, its headmistress and her assistant head after they failed to take action about the pupils' comments.

Kafouris said there was a change in attitude of the pupils after the atrocities of September 11, 2001.

They told him: "'We hate the Christians" and "We hate the Jews," despite his attempts to stop them.

Kafouris said he filled out a Racist Incident Reporting Sheet, but claimed headmistress Jill Hankey dismissed his concerns.

Kafouris was signed off with stress by his doctor at the end of February 2007 after assistant head Margaret Coleman warned him not to challenge the pupils in class about their remarks.

Kafouris also says the lack of support from the school has made him clinically depressed and unable to work. He was fired in April last year.

The case continues.

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TAGS: United Kingdom primary school teacher offensive remarks Muslim headscarf Nicholas Kafouris persecution

[02/16/2010]

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