Teachers’ leaders have warned of a rising tide of Islamaphobia in schools in the wake of last year’s bomb attacks on London.
Delegates at the National Union of Teachers’ conference in Torquay said that many Muslims felt under increasing pressure from racial intolerance. They also warned that groups such as the British National Party and the National Front had been exploiting the tensions and spreading a message of racial hatred. “We note that such fascist and racist organisations have announced their intention to stand in seats across the country in order to profit from such an atmosphere,” the union said.
Steve Sinnott, the general secretary of the NUT, said the union had had increased incidents of name-calling against Muslim students reported to it. “There have been other instances of a more extreme nature where people have been attacked or spat at because they may appear to be Muslim,” he added. The union has issued guidelines to all members insisting they should tackle racial incidents in schools and make it clear that there is no excuse for racist behaviour.
See also Islam Online, 17 April 2006