Teacher banned after calling Islam “satanically inspired”

Elham Asaad Buaras

A former history teacher in Northumberland has been banned indefinitely from teaching in England after a professional conduct panel found that he published Islamophobic material and repeatedly expressed discriminatory and offensive views towards pupils and colleagues.

Patrick Lawler, 62, who taught at Bede Academy in Blyth, Northumberland, from September 2015 until July 2020, was prohibited from teaching following a ruling by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA). The decision was issued in early January, following a professional conduct hearing held virtually in December.

While employed as a teacher, Lawler authored and co-authored articles for an online Catholic newsletter titled The Flock, which was launched in 2015 and described itself as “robustly orthodox and not for the faint hearted.”

In an article published in 2015, Lawler described Islam as “demonstrably the most demonic” of all religions and referred to it as “Satanically inspired.” He also stated that Catholicism was the “one true religion,” dismissing all other faiths as false.

The TRA panel ruled that these statements were not private expressions of belief but publicly accessible online and clearly attributable to Lawler through matching email addresses and witness testimony. The panel concluded that “some class of persons would reasonably find these remarks offensive,” particularly Muslims.

The panel found that Lawler’s Islamophobic remarks formed part of a wider and sustained pattern of discriminatory conduct over several years.

Between 2015 and 2020, his published writings also targeted women and LGBTQ+ people, including describing same-sex relationships as an “unnatural, unhealthy, disgusting perversion” and condemning abortion as “a great wickedness.”

During his time at Bede Academy, witnesses reported that Lawler repeatedly expressed personal and political views in the classroom that fell outside the curriculum. These included making misleading claims about civil rights figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., as well as advancing conspiracy-style views about COVID-19.

Following his departure from Bede Academy, Lawler continued supply teaching at other schools. In 2022, he was again reported for telling pupils that there was “no scientific proof” of COVID-19.

Evidence presented to the panel showed that, particularly between 2018 and 2020, Lawler used derogatory language towards pupils, calling some “failures” and “a waste of oxygen,” and telling one pupil that she had a “mental disorder” and was a “pathetic and ignorant little girl.”

The TRA panel stressed that teachers hold a position of significant influence, especially over younger pupils who may lack the ability to critically challenge extremist or intolerant views.

“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.

Prohibition Order (January 2026)

Lawler did not attend the professional conduct hearing and was not legally represented. The panel noted that he had previously received formal advice and a written warning in 2019, yet his conduct continued.

Citing a complete lack of insight, remorse or remediation, the panel recommended that Lawler be banned from teaching.

The Secretary of State for Education accepted this recommendation, and in January 2026 imposed an indefinite prohibition order, preventing Lawler from teaching in any school, sixth-form college or youth accommodation in England.

Under the terms of the order, Lawler may apply for a review after a minimum of five years, meaning no earlier than January 2031. Any review would require him to demonstrate a clear understanding of why his conduct was wrong and evidence that his views and behaviour have fundamentally changed.