An elementary school teacher in London faced termination and was reported to authorities after informing a Muslim student that Britain is a “Christian country,” according to the attorney representing him in his legal battle.

This incident, which occurred earlier this year, has fueled ongoing discussions about free speech, multiculturalism, and the application of safeguarding policies in UK schools. These mechanisms are intended to create a secure learning environment for children.

Lord Toby Young, the director of the Free Speech Union, shared with Fox News Digital that the issue arose from the teacher’s assertion regarding Britain’s Christian identity. “Stating that Britain is a Christian nation and noting that the king is the head of the Church of England is not particularly controversial. It is merely stating a simple fact,” Young remarked.

King Charles III holds the position as the head of the Church of England—an argument the ousted teacher used when explaining to a student that Britain remains a Christian country. (Richard Pohle – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

The complaint also highlighted the student performing a pre-prayer ritual, washing his feet in a school sink. “A parent complained after the teacher instructed the student not to use the school lavatories’ sinks for washing his feet,” Young explained.

He said the Free Speech Union is seeing a rise in referrals to safeguarding panels for mainstream views. “We’ve got over a dozen cases of people being referred to safeguarding panels because they are said to be a threat to children’s safety just because of the views they’ve expressed.”

A Union flag flies in front of St Paul’s Cathedral in London, England. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

After the school dismissed the teacher, the case was referred to the Teaching Regulation Authority (TRA). Young said the TRA held a full hearing and ultimately “dismissed the charges,” finding “no case to answer.” Had it gone the other way, he said, the teacher could have been barred from the profession for life. The Free Speech Union is now funding the teacher’s lawsuit for unfair dismissal.

Young also tied the case to a national debate over the U.K. government’s work on a nonstatutory definition of Islamophobia, something his organization opposes. He warned such a definition could be embedded into “speech codes,” with potential disciplinary consequences.

Worshipers arrive for prayers at the East London Mosque in London, England, as men and women make their way into the building. The mosque is one of the largest in the United Kingdom and serves as a central hub for the local Muslim community. Sept. 2025. (Fox News Digital)

He said the governing party fears losing parliamentary seats to Muslim independent candidates — a dynamic he argues has created political incentives to grant “special protections” to Muslim constituencies.