Teachers’ extremist fears over boy, 10, after he complains about lack of prayer room

From The Telegraph

A primary school reported a ten-year-old Muslim boy to police on suspicion of extremism after he complained about not having a prayer room.

The boy, a pupil at Parkfield Community School in Birmingham, was on a residential trip when he came to the teachers’ attention. He also told female Muslim pupils they needed to cover their faces with a head scarf. Over the last 12 months, the school – which caters for 741 pupils aged five to 11 – has reported three pupils to the counter-terrorism unit. All three children were referred after staff were concerned they were displaying signs of extremism.

Speaking on the Radio 4 Today programme, head teacher Hazel Pulley defended reporting the boy to police, saying his views “raised concerns”. 

“The children, were for example, on a residential trip. One child, particularly was emphatic about having to have a prayer room, yet we don’t have one in school.

“We respect our community wholeheartedly but the fact is this was a change from the practices we have in school. It came with other behaviours at that time. It was as if in a different environment I can do different things, which was concerning.

“The child was also encouraging girls who may have removed their headscarf just for an activity, or may not have worn one for the residential trip, to wear scarves. We don’t have that at school so why would we when they are removed from school? The pupil was referred for a number of incidents which, put together, formed concerning behaviour.

“As well as demanding a prayer room and his comments about scarves he also expressed a view to a teacher about the Charlie Hebdo attack…”

Mrs Pulley refused to say whether or not the boy was still a pupil at the school.