(CANTON, MI, 10/30/2023) – On Tuesday, Oct. 31, the Michigan Chapter of Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI), a local chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, plans to hold a press conference with the family of a Muslim student who is reportedly not allowed to return to Bloomfield Hills High School after refusing to answer questions about her participation in a peaceful protest that occurred at the school last week.
The day after the scheduled walk out for Palestine occurred, all students who participated were called to the office and questioned about their participation and what their “intentions” were in attending the walk out. Students who refused to answer questions about their political beliefs and the exercise of their First Amendment Rights were removed from school pending an investigation.
CAIR-MI will be holding a press conference with the family of a student who has not been allowed to return to class since Friday, October 27, when she refused to answer questions without her parents present.
WHAT: Press Conference to Address Bloomfield Hills High School’s Removal of Students Related to their Participation in a Planned Walk Out
WHEN: Tuesday, October 31, at 11 am
WHERE: First Jamiah Masjid of Troy, 3635 Rochester Road, Troy, MI 48083
WHO: CAIR-MI STAFF, Bloomfield Hills High School Family, Community Leaders
CONTACT: CAIR-MI Executive Director, Dawud Walid (248) 842-1418, dwalid@cair.com; CAIR-MI Staff Attorney, Amy V. Doukoure, (586) 943-8823, adoukoure@cair.com
“High School students should be able to exercise their First Amendment rights without fear that they will be interrogated and investigated for their beliefs,” said CAIR-MI Executive Director, Dawud Walid. “Bloomfield Hills High School officials, through their actions in interrogating students about their participation in a peaceful protest for Palestine, have made Muslim and Arab students, along with their friends and allies, feel unsafe and unwelcome within the school. We call on the school and the district to take action to return these students to class immediately and investigate to determine who instituted a policy of penalizing students who stood up for their rights.”
CAIR has issued guidance including ‘Know Your Rights While Speaking Up for Palestine’ and offered templates that can be modified to respond to biased statements from employers.
‘Know Your Rights While Speaking Up for Palestine’
Take Action: Download Templates to Respond to Your Employer or School/University About Biased Statements on Palestine & Israel
[NOTE: More than 80,000 participants in a CAIR congressional action alert have sent messages to Congress urging support for a ceasefire in response to war crimes, including genocide, in Gaza by Israel.]
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR-MI Executive Director, Dawud Walid (248) 842-1418, dwalid@cair.com; CAIR-MI Staff Attorney, Amy V. Doukoure, (586) 943-8823, adoukoure@cair.com