potential 40 lashes for this

[Natra]

I wonder how many people will consider going to work in
muslim countries if they are treated like this in the future


'Muhammad' teddy teacher arrested

Gillian Gibbons is described as "a talented and able teacher "

A British schoolteacher has been arrested in Sudan accused of insulting Islam's Prophet, after she allowed her pupils to name a teddy bear Muhammad.
Colleagues of Gillian Gibbons, 54, from Liverpool, said she made an "innocent mistake" by letting the six and seven-year-olds choose the name.
Ms Gibbons was arrested after several parents made complaints.
A spokesman from the British Embassy in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, said it was unclear whether she had been charged.
Embassy officials are expected to visit Ms Gibbons in custody later.
"We are in contact with the authorities here and they have visited the teacher and she is in a good condition," an embassy spokesman said.
The spokesman said the naming of the teddy happened months ago and was chosen by the children because it is a common name in the country.
"This happened in September and the parents did not have a problem with it," he said.
'Very sensitive'
The BBC's correspondent Amber Henshaw said Ms Gibbons' punishment could be up to six months in jail, 40 lashes or a fine.
The school has been closed until January for fear of reprisals.

Fellow teachers at Khartoum's Unity High School told Reuters news agency they feared for Ms Gibbons' safety after receiving reports that men had started gathering outside the police station where she was being held.
The school's director, Robert Boulos, said: "This is a very sensitive issue. We are very worried about her safety.
They came up with eight names including Abdullah, Hassan and Muhammad


Robert Boulos
Director of Unity High School


"This was a completely innocent mistake. Miss Gibbons would have never wanted to insult Islam."
Mr Boulos said Ms Gibbons was following a British national curriculum course designed to teach young pupils about animals and this year's topic was the bear.
Ms Gibbons, who joined the school in August, asked a seven-year-old girl to bring in her teddy bear and asked the class to pick names for it, he said.
"They came up with eight names including Abdullah, Hassan and Muhammad," Mr Boulos said, adding that she then had the children vote on a name.
Twenty out of the 23 children chose Muhammad as their favourite name.
Mr Boulos said each child was then allowed to take the bear home at weekends and told to write a diary about what they did with it.
He said the children's entries were collected in a book with a picture of the bear on the cover and a message which read, "My name is Muhammad."
Book seized
The bear itself was not marked or labelled with the name in any way, he added.
It is seen as an insult to Islam to attempt to make an image of the Prophet Muhammad.

Mr Boulos said Ms Gibbons was arrested on Sunday at her home inside the school premises after a number of parents complained to Sudan's Ministry of Education.

I know Gillian and she would never have meant it as an insult. I was just impressed that she got them to vote


Muslim colleague in Sudan



He said police had seized the book and asked to interview the girl who owned the bear.
The country's state-controlled Sudanese Media Centre reported that charges were being prepared "under article 125 of the criminal law" which covers insults against faith and religion.
No-one at the ministries of education or justice was available for comment.
Mr Boulos told the BBC he was confident she would not face a jail sentence.
"So far there is not any formal accusation, you see, so it wouldn't reach that, it will be just a fine. We are struggling with the authorities and our advocates to just release her, and then the whole case will be dismissed," he said. One Muslim teacher at the independent school for Christian and Muslim children, who has a child in Ms Gibbons' class, said she had not found the project offensive. "I know Gillian and she would never have meant it as an insult. I was just impressed that she got them to vote," the teacher said.

[willy_warmer]

Its very difficult trying to understand different cultures and how sensitive they are regarding religion.

How lucky are we living here.I mean the worst that can happen is to be berated by a whooly left wing do-gooder

[lambo]

I don't understand why it is an insult to name a bear after the greatest heavyweight of all time ,phraps they prefered Tyson ?

[Ming the Merciless]

Oh dear, how should we react to this? I know, let's get a lynch mob and beat up all the damn foreigners...





Or then again, we could take a balanced view and observe that this teacher has been guilty of silly naivety in a foreign country. I've never travelled to the Middle East, but even I know that giving the name Mohammed to anything other than a believer would cause offence to some. I'm certain that after representation from the British embassy she will be let off with a warning.

This is such a non-story I'm yawning already. Still, I expect that won't stop it appearing on the front cover of tomorrow's Daily Express and Daily Mail.

[kevscrivener]

Originally Posted by willy_warmer

the worst that can happen is to be berated by a whooly left wing do-gooder

It's even worse if they can't spell!!

On the positive side; good job for her it was a bear and not this!

[willy_warmer]

Originally Posted by kevscrivener

It's even worse if they can't spell!!

and there was me thinking lorry drivers couldnt read never mind spell

And besides, inserting extra useless letters in words is a Brit thing.

[kevscrivener]

Originally Posted by usabear

And besides, inserting extra useless letters in words is a Brit thing.

As in the examples below?

Semester = Term

Suspenders = Braces

Faucet = Tap

Restroom = Toilet

[the_monster]

Originally Posted by Natrasleep

"So far there is not any formal accusation,

er guys, key point in the whole thing !!!

Any able teacher should have been aware that calling the bear by the name of the prophet was a bit of a no no.

[Cybertec™]

I declare Jihad - kill all the teddy bears

ps do the kids get 40 child size lashes for suggesting the name?