Children were taught that all Christians are liars and attempts were made to introduce Sharia law in classrooms as part of an alleged ‘Trojan Horse’ takeover plot of Birmingham schools, an inquiry has found.
The inquiry commissioned by Birmingham City Council found evidence of religious extremism in 13 schools as school governors and teachers tried to promote and enforce radical Islamic values.
Schools put up posters warning children that if they didn’t pray they would “go to hell”, Christmas was cancelled and girls were taught that women who refused to have sex with their husbands would be “punished” by angels “from dusk to dawn”.
The report found that the extremism went unchecked because the council “disastrously” prioritised community cohesion over “doing what is right”.
It concluded that there was a “determined effort” by “manipulative” governors to introduce “unacceptable” practices, “undermine” head teachers and deny students a broad and balanced education.
Sir Albert Bore, Birmingham’s leader, apologised for the council’s handling of the scandal.
He said: “The actions of a few, including some within the council, have undermined the reputation of our great city.
“We have previously shied away from tackling this problem out of a misguided fear of being accused of racism.”
A separate review by Peter Clarke, the former counter-terrorism chief, found evidence of “co-ordinated, deliberate and sustained” attempts to introduce an “intolerant and aggressive Islamic ethos” in schools.
The review, which was commissioned by the Department for Education, found that the schools were trying to impose “segregationist attitudes and practices of a hardline and politicised strain Sunni Islam”.
Birmingham City Council’s report found no evidence of a “conspiracy” to promote “violent extremism or radicalisation” values, but was still highly critical.
A detailed summary of evidence suggested that there was an attempt to introduce Sharia law at the Al-Fuqan school, and when a woman was recommended for a job on individual suggested a “man with a beard” was needed.
At the Golden Hillock School a teacher allegedly told children at an assembly “not to listen to Christians as they were all liars”. The incident was referred to counter-terrorism police. One teacher at the school also reportedly told children they were “lucky to be Muslims and not ignorant like Christians and Jews.”
At Nansen School the study of French was replaced by the study of Arabic and Islamic religious assemblies were reinstated. Christmas and Diwali celebrations were councils, and children were not allowed to use a doll to represent Jesus in a nativity play. A total of 28 female teaching assistants were dismissed.
At the Oldknow academy, children were told at an assembly that they should not send Christmas cards and that Mary was not the mother of Jesus. Children were asked whether they believed in Christmas and encouraged to chant “no we don’t”.
At the Park View Academy children were taught that “if a woman said no to sex with her husband then angels would punish her from dusk till dawn”. Girls were taught that a “good” Muslim woman wears a hijab and ties up her hair.