“Yet as soon as I was branded ‘Islamophobic’ for expressing concern about violent crime, I became a marked man. It was clear that I had to be found guilty by the college, it became a witch hunt, and I had to be eliminated no matter what.”
Mr Pearson was an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) teacher at the further education college in Fulwood, in the north of the city.
Connolly was jailed in October last year after posting an online message on the day of the Southport murders. The message read: “Mass deportation now, set fire to all the f***ing hotels full of the b******s for all I care. While you’re at it, take the treacherous government politicians with them.”
The 42-year-old, who had lost a child of her own, deleted the post fewer than four hours later, but it had been seen 310,000 times. Critics argued her 31-month jail sentence was “a clear example of two-tier justice”.
Lord Young of Acton, founder of the Free Speech Union, said: “The most striking aspect of this case is that the teacher was sacked at the behest of the NEU.
“Once upon a time, trade unions used to stick up for workers threatened with the sack for speaking out of turn. Now, they side with management and actively try to get workers sacked, including their dues-paying members.”
In a post on Facebook, Mr Pearson described Connolly’s comments as “appalling” and “obviously wrong”.
“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 meeted 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. Has our country’s woke leadership lost its mind? Should we be seeking asylum in America?”
A spokesperson for the NEU said: “The management of Preston College reached a decision to dismiss the teacher following disciplinary procedures.
“The NEU was not directly involved in these processes and it will be for the Employment Tribunal to consider the fairness of the dismissal if and when the claim reaches a hearing.”