UK teacher barred from profession after calling Islam ‘Satanic’
Patrick Lawler, 62, who previously taught in the Northumberland region and the city of Bristol, was banned from teaching following a disciplinary hearing by the Teaching Regulation Agency, according to a report by the BBC.
The agency found in a hearing held in December that Lawler was guilty of professional misconduct and had brought the teaching profession into disrepute. The decision to prohibit him from teaching was taken on the grounds of “student safety and welfare,” the BBC said.
In addition to his comments about Islam, Lawler was also accused of making inappropriate remarks to students, including stating that “cocaine used to be purer in the past.”
Speaking to BBC Wales after the ruling, Lawler did not offer an assessment of the decision taken against him. However, he made further controversial remarks, telling the reporter that not all foreigners had the right to be in the UK and claiming that if people refused to leave, “the only way to get rid of them would be to kill them all,” adding that this would require “hearts of steel.”
The BBC reported that Lawler did not mount a defense of his actions during the process and showed no remorse for his statements.
