Former deputy headteacher at Nansen Primary School, Razwan Faraz, has been accused of inducing three Birmingham academies with an unwarranted amount of religious influence.
Mr Faraz was a member of a WhatsApp group called “The Park View Educational Trust Brotherhood” which was comprised of Muslim teachers and staff based at the Park View Academies.
The former governor gave proof at a disciplinary hearing at the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) based in Coventry.
Mr Andrew Colman, arraigning on behalf of the NCTL, mentioned messages which Mr Faraz sent in the Whatsapp group.
In response to homosexuality being taught in schools Mr Faraz labelled homosexuals “animals” then added: “As teachers we must be aware of combatting their satanic ways.”
Mr Faraz defended himself against the prosecutor saying that he was influenced by the harsh Muslim community in Pakistan that he was brought up in but he no longer held the same views.
He said: “I am not homophobic. I have a gay friend who is an actor and a lesbian friend. I was brought up in a strict Muslim community in Pakistan. I realise those views I held and what I said was wrong.”
Mr Colman asked Mr Faraz to comment on a message that he sent in the WhatsApp group which was a response to an article which underlined a government scheme aiding former British soldiers into teaching.
Mr Faraz had messaged: “So the government want killers to teach our children?”
At the hearing, Mr Faraz claimed: “It was pub talk – tongue in cheek. I have a teacher friend who was a soldier. But I admit it was a silly comment to make.”
The prosecutor also indicted Mr Faraz of misleading former counter terror chief Peter Clarke, who carried out the Trojan Horse inquiry by telling him in an email that he knew nothing about the WhatsApp group set up by the Muslim staff, despite being a member.
Mr Faraz said: “Mr Clarke asked me about a Whatsapp group but never specifically mentioned the PVET Brotherhood which I was a member of. I thought he would have been specific.”
Mr Colman said: “This was total deception – you were dishonest.”
Mr Faraz is one of 10 teachers facing disciplinary hearings.
