Saudi school 'preached race hate'

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An Islamic school in west London preached "race hate" to its students, an employment tribunal has heard.

The King Fahad Academy in Acton taught students from a textbook which called Christians pigs and Jewish people repugnant, ex-teacher Colin Cook said.

The 58-year-old from Feltham, south London, is claiming unfair dismissal, race discrimination and victimisation and is seeking Â£135,000.

But the school said Mr Cook was sacked for misconduct.

Last year, a Whitehall inquiry said the school provided satisfactory education.

No evidence

Schools minister Jim Knight ordered the inquiry into the Saudi-funded independent school following Mr Cook's initial claims.

He told the employment tribunal the school was "institutionally racist" and treated him differently to Saudi teachers.

He claims he was sacked after blowing the whistle on students cheating in public exams.

Mr Cook said after he left another teacher showed him textbooks containing racist passages.

"Subsequent to my dismissal I discovered that race hatred was being taught in textbooks in the school," he said.

But Simon Cheetham, for the school, said he could not prove his claims that the specific offensive passages were used in lessons.

"Without any evidence to support it, it's not worth a jot," Mr Cheetham said.

The hearing continues.