Islamophobe Allowed to Head College

As reported on this website earlier this month, serious allegations were made against the Principal of Joseph Camberlain College and her conduct towards a local Imam, Shaykh Yasin. She is alleged by the Shaykh, to have asked to interview him in order to ascertain if he was a ‘terrorist’. She also sought to judge if he was capable or not of giving the ‘correct teachings’ of Islam, based on her ability to ‘judge character’ and interview skills.

Understandably these allegations have caused outrage and anger amongst the Muslim community in Birmingham, but nowhere more than amongst the Muslim students in the college itself. Where they have staged a series of peaceful. but vociferous protests to demand clarity surrounding the allegations and an end to the wall of silence erected by management. A student on condition of anonymity said: ‘’ We are protesting here today due to, allegedly, the head teacher calling a Shaykh a terrorist during a conversation. He was made to feel as if he was guilty, before being proven innocent. Elly refused to come on the radio to defend herself, instead producing a statement through her lawyers, we just want the other side of the story.’’

The first of the protests took place earlier this month and in a manner befitting a Middle Eastern dictatorship, the college responded by calling in the police to break up the peaceful protest. The management refused to release a statement. after promising to do so, citing an internal investigation. The Student went onto say: “We know there is an investigation going on and we do not want to jeopardise the investigation. It’s been in the media, but we haven’t had anything official from the college.’’

A second protest was held and attracted up to 150 students, who were shocked and dismayed at the continued refusal of management to engage with the students in a meaningful manner. Once again the static protest was peaceful and lively, attracting students from all backgrounds. Thes tudent went on to say : “The aim of the first protest was for the college to release a statement and a statement wasn’t released, so quite a few students came out to protest again, as the students believed they were promised a statement, but the senior management interpreted it as a hope only. So the following Monday there was a big protest where about 150 pupils came out to protest against Islamophobia and JCC.’’

The ‘pro-democracy’ protesters then gave the college until Friday to reconsider their obstinate stance. In the absence of a response, they once again took to the route of peaceful protest, holding banners, placards and signs, the most prominent of which said ”JCC against Islamophobia”. The protest was well attended and loud and once again passed without any incident. The numbers were in their hundreds, spirits were high and the message loud and clear: ‘From the students we want a response and from the management to break the wall of silence.’

The student added : ‘”Today we are protesting because we are still waiting for the college’s side of the story. A little reassurance from the college, in the form of a statement could prevent all this protesting ; no one person has organised this it, we wanted to do something, but we didn’t know what to do, it has been more of a group effort. We are law abiding students and we have not done anything outside the law, even though the college has tried to break up this protest. College is one big family and we respect each other’s religions.’’

There are other rumours in the community about the alleged Islamophobia in the college, including restrictions placed upon the Islamic Society from holding events in conjunction with Islam Awareness Week. When asked, the student hinted that other incidents may have taken place in college. He said : ” There are other rumours … I wouldn’t want to mention them and we are not here today for that.”

The actions of the students are commendable in organising and holding the college to account for its refusal to engage with them, regarding the alleged Islamophobic remarks made by the Principal. A Principal who, incidentally, is in charge of a college with an 80% intake of Muslims and is paid from the public purse, which of course includes the Muslim taxpayer. This is a matter that concerns the entire law abiding Muslim community and we should not leave it in the hands of a few active and passionate students, as the implication of Elly Tobins alleged statement is that Muslims are ‘guilty before proven innocent’, and all our Imams are potential ‘terrorists’, unless they can prove otherwise, ripping up the centuries old traditions of the Magna Carta and Haebus Corpus.

You can contact the governors of Joseph Chamberlain College via : info@jcc.ac.uk

You can contact Birmingham City Council : equalities@birmingham.gov.uk.

If you are a student or member of staff at Joseph Chamberlain College, you can email us anonymously at info@mpacuk.org and to find more information on this story and many others affecting Muslims, visit our webpage at mpacuk.org or our Facebook page.

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