Labour-led councils in northern England problem steerage to colleges, cautioning that art work by major schoolchildren depicting the Prophet Mohammed or different Islamic prophets might be considered as blasphemous below Islamic regulation.
Key Steering for Lecturers
The advisory doc urges educators to train sensitivity relating to faiths and beliefs. It particularly warns: “Three-dimensional imagery of people is taken into account idolatrous by some Muslims. It is extremely essential the varsity understands this and can also be cautious to not ask its college students to breed pictures of Jesus, Mohammed or different figures thought of to be prophets in Islam.”
This measure goals to respect numerous non secular views at school actions, notably in artwork courses involving human or prophetic figures.
Conservative Response
Tory Shadow Equalities Minister Claire Coutinho criticizes the steerage, stating: “We at all times warned Labour’s proposed definition of Islamophobia risked making a back-door blasphemy regulation. And now we’re seeing the results in Labour-run councils throughout the North of England. Steering is being issued that claims major faculty kids shouldn’t draw photos that might be thought of ‘blasphemous’. We mustn’t ever have blasphemy legal guidelines in Britain. Giving particular protections to 1 group undermines our sense of shared id and can solely result in extra resentment.”
She argues that such insurance policies threaten Britain’s dedication to free expression and equality below the regulation.
