Teacher banned from classroom after praising Hitler on Facebook
Jack Mendel is the former Online Editor at the Jewish News.
by Jack Mendel
Mahmudul Choudhury, from Tower Hamlets, was convicted of the racially aggravated offence resulting in a professional life ban.
The 36-year old IT expert shared an image of Hitler with anti-Semitic text in July 2014 and encouraged others to share it during Israel’s Operation Protective Edge.
The image of the Nazi dictator had the caption: “I could have killed all the Jews, but I left some of them to let you know why I was killing them… YES MAN, YOU WERE RIGHT… Share this picture to the truth a whole world.”
Choudhury added : “Yes now we could see why #ProtectiveEdge.”
The father-of-two was reported by a Jewish student and arrested. Although he pleaded guilty in February he denied being anti-Semitic, adding that he shared the post accidentally because he had been fasting.
Following his conviction, formal proceedings with the Department for Education’s National College for Teaching were pursued. After a professional conduct hearing on 5 October, which Choudary did not attend, the panel issued the order banning him from teaching for life.
The hearing found that “prohibition is both proportionate and appropriate… Mr Choudhury not only re-posted an image supporting the holocaust; he added a comment in support of that message… We se little evidence that Mr Choudhury has any insight into or remorse for his actions.”
Jonathan Sacerdoti, Director of Communications at Campaign against Antisemitism, said: Mahmudul Choudhury specifically shared a post on Facebook which tried to justify the mass murder of over 6 million Jewish people by the Nazis. He did this knowing that others would see it, including former students.
Someone with these views should never be allowed to teach Britain’s children, or be in any position where they could potentially shape and influence young minds.”
It sends a clear message to anti-Semites that they will not go unpunished, even if they attempt to dress up their hatred of Jews as criticism of Israel.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
