Batley Grammar School protest report 'deeply disturbing' - MP

Protesters gathered outside Batley Grammar School in March 2021

A report criticising the handling of protests at a school "makes for deeply disturbing reading", an MP has said.

A religious studies teacher at Batley Grammar School was forced into hiding in 2021 after showing a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad during a class.

A review published on Monday found he was "let down" by the council, police and the trust running the school.

Kim Leadbeater, Labour MP for Batley and Spen, said the protest and the teacher's treatment was "unacceptable".

The independent review, led by government adviser Dame Sara Khan, examined threats to social cohesion and democratic resilience in the UK.

It highlighted the protests at the school in March 2021 as a "harrowing example" and called the teacher a "victim of freedom-restricting harassment".

What sparked the protests in Batley?

Protesters in March 2021 said the school had failed its duty of safeguarding

Shortly after secondary schools had fully returned to classrooms after Covid-enforced home learning, the cartoon at the centre of the row was displayed in a religious studies lesson on 22 March 2021.

Parts of the Koran are taken to mean that neither Allah nor Muhammad can be captured in an image by human hand and any attempt to do so is seen as an insult.

Crowds of protesters gathered outside the school grounds, with the situation snowballing and gaining national press attention.

Concerns were raised about threats and intimidation towards school staff during the protest.

Speaking at the time, former Conservative Party chairwoman Baroness Warsi of Dewsbury said the debate had been hijacked by "extremists on both sides" to fuel a "culture war".

Demonstrators attended again the following morning, but had dispersed by mid-afternoon.

What has the Khan review found?

Dame Sara Khan was appointed to lead the review into social cohesion in 2021

Dame Sara Khan's report, published on Monday, says:

• The teacher involved faced an online and offline "campaign of intimidation and abuse", leaving him feeling "incredibly distressed, suicidal and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder"

• Despite being cleared of any malicious intent by an independent investigation, he was "not considered a victim of crime" and missed out on access to support under the Victims' Code

• The agencies involved failed to relay any clear condemnation of those creating "an intimidatory and threatening climate"

• It found a disproportionate concern for not causing offence "to the religious sensibilities of those who, unaware of the facts, chose to engage in intimidation"

• It highlighted a "poor understanding of cohesion" where protesters were appeased to secure an end to the protests

• The report warned of a wider cultural problem of "self-appointed community faith leaders aggressively interfering in teaching" at some Batley schools

Source: The Khan Review

How has the area's MP reacted to the review?

Kim Leadbeater MP says she welcomes Dame Sara Khan's "thorough and detailed report"

Kim Leadbeater MP, who did not represent the Batley & Spen constituency when the protests took place, has said she she fully supports the recommendations of the Khan review - including a move to restrict protests outside schools.

What the report said about the protests at Batley Grammar School "makes for deeply disturbing reading", according to Ms Leadbeater.

"I have made it very clear that the demonstrations outside the school and the teacher having been forced into hiding is completely unacceptable," she said.

"There can be absolutely no excuse for the intimidation and threats against him."

Ms Leadbeater added that she had contacted the teacher involved to offer help and support, with his wellbeing her "absolute priority".

What have people in Batley said about the review?

Some Batley residents say they would support an order banning protests directly outside schools

Employment lawyer Yunus Lunat, who represented some of the parents whose children attended the lesson, said the report was right to highlight a lack of leadership.

"There was no information or communication about the lesson or what the contents of the lesson were and what the context of it was," he said.

"We speak in hindsight now, but it seems that the protests were wholly based on rumour and gossip."

Abdul Ravat, a parent of a former pupil at the school, said: "There was a lot of misinformation and fiction about what had really happened and probably unearthed other issues arising from that snapshot of what happened at the school.

"Unfortunately it highlighted some weaknesses within that school structure. The governing body must have a diversity of skills, thoughts and opinions that govern the school environment from the community it operates with."

The parent added the "school's reputation as a teaching establishment is not in question" and said it remained popular in the area.

Dozens of people gathered outside Batley Grammar School on Thursday morning

Meanwhile, recalling the protests three years ago, a 70-year-old Batley resident, who did not want to be identified, said: "I remember coming home from working in Morley and my bus comes down past the grammar school.

"I remember it was a nightmare - traffic was horrendous. I think there are other ways of doing it.

"Why couldn't they have sorted it out behind closed doors instead of bringing it on to everyone else?"

Her husband, 73, said he supported the review's call to create an exclusion zone for protesting outside schools.

"I don't think they should happen outside schools. It doesn't set a good example for the children does it?" he said.

A 24-year-old Batley man, who also did not wish to be identified, said: "It's a pain for parents when they come and get their kids and you've got a load of people outside shouting."

"Pupils and teachers shouldn't have to be dealing with that along with what's going on in school," he added.

How have those criticised in the review responded?

West Yorkshire Police has said: "Threatening behaviour is taken seriously and measures were put in place to manage this incident and the repercussions which resulted from it.

"[We] work hard to engage with all communities within its policing area, investing in Neighbourhood Policing Teams and specialist investigators to investigate offences and reduce tensions which may arise as swiftly as possible."

Batley Multi Academy Trust, which runs the school, said: "We remain clear that we delivered on our responsibilities and that we followed due process.

"We are therefore disappointed by the report. We do not recognise much of what is in it, its description of the events, nor the characterisation of our school and community.

"However, our school and community is in a very positive place and we know this report will not upset that."

Kirklees Council has said: "We will look carefully at the recommendations and any lessons to be learned by the government, councils and partner organisations.

"Local people and groups in Batley work across communities every day to promote understanding and tolerance, often in the face of challenges such as deprivation and economic inequalities.

"We will continue to amplify those constructive voices in our communities and challenge those who seek to divide us."