A trade school in Hoofddorp has suspended a teaching assistant following a discussion about Islam which got out of hand, broadcaster NOS reported on Wednesday.

The technical studies teacher, an avowed Christian, is alleged to have told a pupil that the prophet Mohammed had married a girl of eight and ‘would be seen in the Netherlands as a paedophile’.

The teaching assistant told the broadcaster the discussion started when one girl told another that her mother considered him to be haram, which means unclean. When he objected, other pupils joined in and the concierge was forced to break up the group, NOS said.

School board chief Jan Rath said that the dispute had caused upset both within and outside the class. ‘That is why we have decided to have a time out period, so we can get to the bottom of exactly what happened.’

Teaching union Aob said it is concerned that a member of staff had been suspended and that this would make it difficult for him to return to the same school.

MPs from the VVD, ChristenUnie and anti-Islam PVV have asked the education minister to comment.