A petition defending a suspended teacher who showed pupils a "deeply offensive" cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad has gathered more than 60,000 signatures.
The Batley Grammar School staff member was told to stay away after protests were held outside the gates
They accused the school of failing to take the issue seriously – and demanded the teacher was immediately sacked.
But students and many parents don't support such action and have rallied around.
The petition, which appears to have been set up by a pupil at the school in West Yorkshire, said the teacher had "pure intentions", also saying: "He is not racist and did not support the Islamophobic cartoons in any manner."
It added: "This has got out of hand and due to this, students have missed out on lessons because of 'peaceful' protestors."
The teacher apologised after showing the cartoon widely reported to be taken from the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo.
Liz Haste, whose daughter, 15, and son, 12, have been taught the religious studies course by the same teacher, told the Mirror : "It is a vigilante hunt on (him). He shouldn't be sacked.
"I don’t even feel like he should have been suspended.
"He’s always been a popular teacher for both of my children.
"My daughter said he is a thought-provoking teacher, he wants you to engage. He’s one of the teachers that can get the most out of pupils.
"What has happened to him is atrocious. It’s affecting his family, it’s affecting his friends and it’s affecting the pupils as well."
The teacher is said to have received death threats and is now under police protection.
The parent added: "He's a young teacher in the prime of giving our kids a damn good education, and we’re struggling for teachers of his pedigree at the moment.
"The school is in a catch 22 . They're damned if they do and they’re damned if they don’t.
"How’s anyone supposed to tackle this? I don’t envy the head teacher at all because this must be a very difficult situation."
The row began on Monday after the teacher allegedly showed a caricature of the Prophet Mohammed.
It was deemed offensive to the Islamic faith after being shown during a lesson on religious blasphemy to a group of middle school teenagers.
It is said he warned the students before showing the image and told them it would be controversial and they would tell their parents.
