(LOS ANGELES, CA – 11/14/2023) – The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) today condemned the alleged suspension of an eighth-grade student from Corona Del Mar Middle and High School in Newport Beach, Calif., for saying “free Palestine.”
According to the suspension letter, posted on social media by an account claiming to belong to the student’s aunt, the student was allegedly suspended by the Newport-Mesa Unified School District (NMUSD) for three days after the student said “free Palestine” to another student who was bullying him.
SEE: Newport Beach student suspended for remarks to another student, including “Free Palestine”
In a statement, CAIR-LA Executive Director Hussam Ayloush said:
“In the face of an alarming trend in which American Muslim, Arab American, and Palestinian American students throughout the country, particularly those expressing solidarity with Palestine, are unfairly targeted, silenced, harassed, and dehumanized for their political views, we condemn Corona del Mar Middle and High School’s alleged suspension of an eighth grader for saying ‘free Palestine’ in class. This one-sided approach perpetuates Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian sentiment, creating an adverse climate for American Muslim, Arab American, and Palestinian American students and putting them at risk of unlawful and unfair bullying and harassment from teachers and administrators.
“Along with potentially violating the student’s free speech rights, the school has also seemingly targeted the boy for selective punishment given his national origin and ethnicity. The actions of the school and district are especially concerning, given that reports allege that the suspended student was responding to constant bullying and being called a ‘terrorist’ by another student because of his national origin. The teacher overseeing the classroom allegedly told the suspended student that his classmate had the right to call him a ‘terrorist.’ It is imperative that we address this discriminatory pattern and ensure a safe, inclusive environment for all students.”
SEE: CAIR-LA Receives ‘Unprecedented’ Increase in Reports of Islamophobia and Anti-Palestinian Bias
In the last month since Israel began its brutal assault on Gaza, CAIR-LA’s civil rights department has received 116 requests for help from the community, marking a 300% increase in cases. Of these, 85 were related to Palestine, with nearly 40% involving hate crimes or hate incidents. In CAIR-CA’s recent bullying survey, almost half of respondents felt unsafe at school due to their Muslim identity, and 34% reported negative impacts on their well-being from faith-based bullying.
CAIR-LA sent a letter addressed to Corona del Mar Middle and High School Principal Dr. Jacob Haley and the NMUSD Board members urging the school to investigate the claims of bullying against the suspended student, remedy the harms caused to the student, and take appropriate action to ensure a safe, inclusive environment for all students.
Representatives from CAIR-LA will be attending the Nov. 14 Newport-Mesa School Board meeting to raise concerns regarding the school’s recent actions.
If you or someone you know are the victim of a hate crime or incident, contact CAIR-LA’s Civil Rights department at (714) 776-1177 or click here.
CAIR-LA is Southern California’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-LA Digital Communications Manager Enjy El-Kadi, (714) 851-4851 or eelkadi@cair.com