Police in the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago have launched an investigation after a high school teacher made threats to a student who criticized her homophobic statements to her class.

The unnamed science teacher at Naparima College, San Fernando had been teaching a class of seniors last Thursday when she decided to use morning assembly to deliver a homophobic rant to students.

The next day an unnamed students used the assembly to contradict his teacher and say it was normal for some people to be gay.

His teacher became angered at this and used class time to lecture her students that homosexuality was sinful.

She then accused the student who stood up for gay people of being gay himself, said his parents must be atheists and allegedly threatened to shoot his family with a gun.

Her comments were recorded and shared on social media, which prompted the police investigation.

The student’s mother also complained to Trinidadian Education Minister Anthony Garcia who told Trinidad & Tobago Guardian Online his office would be waiting for the outcome of the police investigation before making any decision.

The student, who is not gay, told Guardian Online that he had been raised by his parents to be outspoken and to speak for the voiceless which is why he spoke up in class.

However he said he had face a backlash from some students at the school who had verbally abused him and smashed his mobile phone.

Trinidadian law outlaws ‘buggery’ or ‘serious indecency’ but the law is no longer enforced.