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Simon Pearson, an English teacher at Preston College in Lancashire, was dismissed following an internal investigation that found his post could harm the college’s reputation. The post criticized a woman jailed for making racially inflammatory comments during Southport riots, stating she “should not have been jailed” and implied a double standard in policing.
Pearson has filed a lawsuit with an employment tribunal, claiming wrongful dismissal, unfair dismissal, harassment, and discrimination under the Equality Act 2010. He told The Telegraph that he cannot allow this injustice to go unchallenged and is determined to fight for his right to express legitimate concerns publicly.
The incident has sparked criticism from free speech advocates, who argue that social media policing often leads to employment repercussions even when comments are made outside the workplace. Elon Musk has also criticized the U.K.’s approach to regulating online speech, particularly in relation to arrests over online comments.
Pearson’s full Facebook post read: “The woman who made that appalling comment about the mosque in Southport is obviously wrong. But where is the jail sentence for the Labour MP calling for people to have their throats slit? Where is the justice meted out against those thugs who beat up the police at Manchester airport? She should not have been jailed for that. People presumed the worst and were outraged by the killing of three little girls.
“It was wrong, but how many Islamists plots and crimes have been experienced in our country? The Manchester Arena bombing, Lee Rigby, etc… Certain sections of society calling for the genocide of Jews from the river to the sea are also free to express their opinions and make Jewish people afraid to walk the streets. There is a two-tier policy from the top down.”
A representative from the National Education Union at Preston College accused Pearson’s post of being “Islamophobic” and “racially discriminatory,” leading to an investigation that resulted in his dismissal.
In response, Sarah McLaughlin from the U.S.-based Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) stated: “This is yet another example of free speech challenges emerging from the UK. It inhibits the free exchange of ideas when college teachers are punished for speaking out on social media on matters of public concern.”
The Crown Prosecution Service in the U.K. defended the case, stating that using threatening language to incite racism online is unacceptable and breaks the law.
An employment tribunal will decide whether Pearson’s dismissal was fair and lawful, but a hearing date has not yet been confirmed.
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