Pupils ordered to chant 'we don't believe in Christmas'

Written by Linda Digby 13 Nov 2015
Pupils ordered to chant 'we don't believe in Christmas'

Asif Khan, a teacher at Oldknow Academy (implicated in the Trojan Horse scandal), allegedly led anti-Christian chants of ‘We don’t believe in Christmas, do we?’ ‘and 'Jesus wasn't born in Bethlehem, was he?' at assemblies. He is also accused of talking to pupils about 'hellfire' and 'prostitutes'. Some teachers, disgusted by Khan’s actions, walked out of school assemblies. A tribunal hearing into his behaviour is listed to run until 18 November. Khan and former deputy head Jahangir Akbar stand accused of unacceptable professional behaviour and / or conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute. Khan denies the claims. Bhupinder Kondal was head teacher there for twelve years before she left in January last year, claiming a group of teachers were trying to impose a strict Muslim ethos. Lessons were segregated, with the girls sitting at the back of the room, and pupils could not sing, use musical instruments or draw trees or eyes.

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