UK Councils Warn Schools: Children’s Drawings Could Be Blasphemous Under Islamic Law

Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,

In yet another assault on free expression in British classrooms, schools are being instructed by Labour councils to treat kids’ innocent drawings as potential offenses under Islamic interpretations. 

Guidelines warn that depicting humans or prophets could spark blasphemy complaints, forcing teachers to tiptoe around religious sensitivities at the expense of creativity and open education. 

The push comes amid a broader Labour government drive to monitor and suppress any perceived slights against Muslims, turning schools into surveillance outposts rather than places of learning.

Pupils’ drawings could be blasphemous under Islamic law, Labour councils tell schools – while music and dance classes may go against the teachings of Islam https://t.co/fB8uWaSvx8

— Daily Mail (@DailyMail) March 11, 2026

The guidance, titled “Sharing the Journey,” originates from northern Labour councils like Leeds, Calderdale, Oldham, and Wakefield, and has been adopted by others including Sefton and Tameside. It explicitly states that “for some Muslim parents, sensitivities may exist in connection with the teaching of aspects of art, dance, drama, music, physical education, religious education and RSHE”.

Teachers are advised: “It is very important that the school understands this and is also careful not to ask its students to reproduce images of Jesus, the Prophet Mohammed or other figures considered to be prophets in Islam. Some Muslim pupils may not wish to draw the human figure.” This stems from hadith interpretations prohibiting images of living beings, viewed as idolatrous by some sects.

The restrictions don’t stop at art. On music, the document notes: “in Islam, music is traditionally limited to the human voice and non-tuneable percussion instruments as in the days of the Prophet, when they were only used in marriage ceremonies and on the battlefield”. It adds that “schools should listen to any concerns, discuss the place of music in the curriculum and ensure that students are not asked to join in songs that conflict with their religious beliefs”. 

Dance lessons face similar scrutiny, with warnings that they could cause parental concerns over “physical contact between males and females”. The overall aim, per the introduction, is to play a part in “building harmony and understanding” and fostering “cohesion” in local communities. 

This guidance ties directly into Labour’s escalating surveillance in schools. As we previously reported, Communities Secretary Steve Reed announced: “Today, we are adopting a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hostility. This gives a clear explanation of unacceptable prejudice, discrimination and hatred targeting Muslims, so we can take action to stop it.” 

Critics like Richard Holmes from the Free Speech Union countered: “It risks hindering free speech under the law and legitimate criticism of Islamism.” 

‘We do not need a government supplied definition of Islamophobia!’

GB News contributor Connie Shaw explains why the free speech union has claimed the new Islamophobia definition could stifle legitimate criticism of faith and freedom of speech. pic.twitter.com/mk5kYyNzIb

— GB News (@GBNEWS) March 11, 2026

Such monitoring creates a “chilling effect” on debate. It’s no surprise, given the regime’s pattern of stifling dissent. 

While all this is going on, the authorities are pushing propaganda depicting teenage white boys as terror threats.

The indoctrination is reaching into schools.

We have also highlighted earlier indoctrination efforts, including teaching children how to “spot extremist content and misinformation”. 

You can guess what constitutes that from the government’s perspective.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson announced she was “launching a review of the curriculum in primary and secondary schools to embed critical thinking across multiple subjects,” which really meant training kids to dismiss anything the state labels as “putrid conspiracy theories.” 

What started as spotting ‘fake news’ in English and maths has now morphed into policing playground sketches for blasphemy, all under the same veil of ‘critical thinking’ that stifles genuine inquiry and enforces ideological conformity.

The overreach also extends to online freedoms, with the government once again threatening to shut down X over Grok being recently prompted to produce ‘insults’ and ‘offensive language’.

Even national symbols aren’t safe from this all out assault on British culture. The leaked ‘Social Cohesion’ Strategy draft absurdly claims that “Flying a Union Jack flag is a ‘tool of hate’.

These interconnected policies reveal a clear agenda: under the guise of “cohesion,” the government is dismantling free speech and cultural expression. From classrooms to online platforms, the surveillance state expands, criminalizing everything from kids’ sketches to national flags.

The Batley Grammar School incident in 2021, where a teacher remains in hiding after showing a prophet image, underscores the real dangers of such accommodations. Yet instead of defending educators, authorities double down on restrictions.

This isn’t about harmony—it’s about control. As free-speech advocates warn, these measures inhibit legitimate criticism and debate, all while ignoring actual threats from unchecked migration and extremism.

Britain’s freedoms hang by a thread. Resisting this creeping authoritarianism means championing open discourse and national pride, rejecting a playbook that sacrifices liberty for appeasement.

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