After adult blasphemy definition, now it's our kids turn for Sharia compliance
Labour council guidance now warns that that kids drawings, music and dance could be viewed as blasphemous or idolatrous under Islamic law.
Labour led councils in Northern England including Kirklees, which oversees Batley Grammar School, have issued guidance to schools warning them that certain classroom activities specifically drawing, music, and dance, could be perceived as blasphemous or idolatrous under Islamic law.
The advice encourages teachers to be flexible and sensitive to religious differences to avoid causing offence to Muslim pupils and their parents. But honestly, kids doing drawings? Music? Dancing? Really? Of course we don’t want to offend anyone but this is getting completely out of hand.
Sharia compliance
The core of the guidance focuses on the concept of sharia compliant sensitivities. It warns that images created by pupils in art lessons could be viewed as idolatrous. This advice stems from the belief that certain depictions of living beings or religious figures may be seen as blasphemous by some Muslim parents and students.
The sensitivity training does not stop at the art room. The documents also suggests;
Music and Dance These classes may be seen as contrary to the teachings of some faiths.
Classroom Flexibility Schools are encouraged to be “flexible in catering for religious difference” to ensure a “great source of strength” through diversity.
Broad Curriculum Impact The advice extends to subjects like PE, Religious Education, and RSHE (Relationships, Sex, and Health Education).
This move follows high-profile incidents, such as the protests at Batley Grammar School, where a teacher was suspended for showing a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad. The new guidance aims to provide a framework for teachers to navigate these sensitive or controversial topics without causing distress or community friction.
While the councils maintain that this is about fostering an inclusive environment, the reports highlight a growing trend of “self-censorship” in British schools, with many educators feeling the need to adapt their lessons to avoid the risk of causing religious offence.
British values are being replaced
We’ve reached a point where the simple act of a child picking up a crayon is now considered a potential offence against the state. According to the latest guidance being funnelled into our schools by these Labour led councils, the traditional British classroom is becoming a minefield of blasphemy and needs to be addressed.
It’s no longer just about high profile cartoons, even the basic depiction of people or animals in a child’s sketchbook is being flagged as potentially problematic. We are told we must be “sensitive” to the fact that some interpretations of religious law find these images offensive. But at what point does “sensitivity” become a total surrender of our educational standards? What about small children now being told they are bad children for drawing a picture with a crayon?
The kids education is suffering, as are the teachers
This isn’t happening in a vacuum. It is the direct result of the Batley Effect. Since the teacher was abandoned by the system and forced into hiding for the crime of teaching religious studies, the message to educators has been loud and clear - keep your head down or lose your career. The numbers are staggering. Recent data shows that 55% of teachers and nearly two thirds of art teachers are now self censoring. They aren’t just avoiding controversial topics, they are purging the curriculum of art, music, and dance simply to avoid the offence of the month.
While the bureaucrats at these councils claim they are promoting tolerance, in reality they are doing the exact opposite. By allowing religious blasphemy rules to creep into secular state schools via the back door, they are creating a segregated, fearful and divisive environment for kids and teachers.
If we tell children that music is wrong, that dance is offensive, and that drawing a person is blasphemous, we aren’t being inclusive at all. We are failing those children by denying them the very arts and freedoms that define our society. It’s time to stop the sensitivity rot and put common sense and British values at the front of the class.