Patrick Lawler, a former history teacher in Northumberland, has been banned from teaching in England after calling Islam “Satanically-inspired.”
Earlier this month, a Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) ruling confirmed that Lawler, a Catholic with ties to the far-right group Patriotic Alternative, had engaged in “unacceptable professional conduct,” and had published highly offensive Islamophobic material while employed at Bede Academy between 2015 and 2020.
The TRA report revealed that Lawler, 62, co-authored an article in 2015 in a publication called The Flock, in which he described Islam as “demonstrably the most demonic” of all false religions and referred to it as “Satanically inspired.”
These statements were not private opinions but were publicly accessible online and attributed to Lawler, directly linking him to the content.
He is also alleged to have said or endorsed:
- Catholicism is the one true religion and all other religions are false, and of all the false religions, Islam is demonstrably the most demonic.
- Anal copulation between two men is an unnatural, unhealthy, disgusting perversion.
- Killing children in the womb by abortion is a great wickedness.
- There are too many burqas in London
According to the panel, such remarks went far beyond expressing personal faith. “The panel found that some class of persons would consider these remarks as being offensive,” the TRA decision noted.
The panel further concluded that Lawler’s statements showed a clear “lack of tolerance and respect for the rights and beliefs of others” and violated fundamental British values, including mutual respect and tolerance for different faiths.
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Lawler was not present at the hearing and did not defend himself.
Broader pattern of intolerance
Lawler’s Islamophobic remarks were part of a broader pattern of conduct that the TRA described as deeply concerning.
He published other offensive content targeting women, LGBTQ+ people, and civil rights figures.
While some of these comments related to opinions on Catholicism or historical figures, the TRA highlighted that his statements about Islam were particularly harmful due to their potential impact on young students exposed to such unbalanced views.
During his time at Bede Academy, Lawler also displayed unprofessional behaviour in the classroom. The report cites incidents where he advanced personal, controversial viewpoints outside the curriculum, including disparaging civil rights icons such as Martin Luther King and presenting his opinions as fact.
While these actions were not always explicitly directed at Muslim students, the public nature of his online content meant that pupils could easily access material that denigrated their faith.
Public impact and professional standards
The TRA panel emphasised that teachers hold a uniquely influential position in shaping young minds.
Lawler’s actions risked exposing pupils to harmful, intolerant viewpoints in a way that could distort their understanding of faith, society, and multiculturalism. “Younger pupils are much less likely to have the cognitive ability to critically evaluate and challenge such views, which may negatively impact their worldview relating to living in a multi-faith society,” the panel stated.
By publishing Islamophobic content while holding a teaching role, Lawler breached core professional standards, including the duty to uphold public trust, maintain high ethical standards, and respect the rights and beliefs of others.
The TRA specifically cited offences involving “intolerance and/or hatred on the grounds of religion” as central to its findings.
Given the severity of his conduct, the TRA recommended that Lawler be prohibited from teaching indefinitely.
The Secretary of State for Education confirmed this recommendation, citing the need to protect pupils and maintain public confidence in the teaching profession.
The ruling notes that Lawler may apply to have the prohibition reviewed after four years, but any application would require clear evidence that he has addressed the deep-seated issues that led to his misconduct.
