C4: 'Lessons in Hatred and Violence' controversy

Islamic school closes early over TV show

A Channel 4 Dispatches documentary due to be aired tonight is causing controversy among community groups.

A Dispatches programme ‘Lessons in Hatred and Violence’ to be shown this evening, claims to have footage of a preacher at the Darul Uloom Islamic High School in Birminghm expressing extreme views.

But officials from the Islamic school have rebutted the claims and say they  will have to close early for half term to ensure pupils' safety because of the Channel 4 programme.

The Dispatches programme claims pupils are told to distrust unbelievers and more liberal Muslims.

But the school says its policy is to promote tolerance and appreciation of other religions. And said; ‘It felt it was being targeted unfairly by surreptitious recording inside the school for a period of longer than six months".

In a statement about the documentary, a school reperesentative said; "Over that period of time they have selectively gathered a handful of quotes and comments allegedly from some teachers, which they are using to attempt to portray our school in a light completely contrary to its ethos" .

A spokesman for Dispatches, which used a hidden camera installed by a reporter at the school, said its investigation had shown footage of numerous adults, on different occasions, teaching pupils as young as 11 contempt for other religions and for wider society.

"We stand by our investigation and think the programme speaks for itself," he said.

A Daily Mail reports stated that; 'Teachers at the  in Small Heath have held meetings with police chiefs and fear that youngsters could be targeted by the far-Right.

And that a Birmingham faith leader has now backed the school's record of teaching tolerance and MP John Hemming said he believed the documentary was irresponsible and had put schoolchildren at risk. Daily mail report:

Winsome-Grace Cornish

Main picture: Mujahid Aziz of the Darul Uloom Islamic High School & College in Birmingham.