The Connecticut chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CT) today called on lawmakers and community members to support HB 5328, legislation that would establish a working group to examine anti-Muslim bigotry and racism in Connecticut public schools. The bill will receive a public hearing today at the State Capitol.
CAIR-CT stated that HB 5328 carries significant importance for protecting Muslim students amid the persistent discrimination that Muslim students continue to face in public schools across Connecticut. The bill represents an important step toward ensuring students’ well-being, protecting their freedom of expression, and promoting equal treatment in educational settings.
“Muslim students in our state have been bullied, marginalized, and unfairly disciplined because of their religion or ethnic background,” said CAIR-CT Chairman Farhan Memon. “HB 5328 is a meaningful step toward addressing bias and misinformation in public schools while ensuring that policies are applied fairly and consistently.”
BACKGROUNDER:
Recent incidents underscore the need for greater oversight and accountability. In one widely discussed case at Farmington High School, a teacher was reported to have shared false and misleading information in the classroom regarding Palestinian history during the ongoing war in Gaza. Such incidents, CAIR-CT noted, can contribute to hostile learning environments and deepen the stigmatization of already vulnerable students.
SEE: CAIR-CT Urges Farmington BOE to Probe Teacher’s Alleged Anti-Palestinian Classroom Conduct
CAIR-CT also recently represented a middle school student who made a non-violent mistake that would typically result in routine school discipline. Instead, police were called and the student was interrogated without his parents present, and the superintendent recommended expulsion.
The hearing officer rejected that recommendation. In his decision, he stated that if the student’s name had been “Steve” instead of “Muhammed,” after-school detention would have been sufficient. He ordered the student returned to the classroom immediately and his discipline record expunged.
“That statement should concern all of us,” Memon said. “It reveals unequal enforcement. It shows how identity can shape institutional responses. And it demonstrates why this issue requires structured review and accountability.”
CAIR-CT also urged lawmakers to strengthen the legislation by clarifying its focus on anti-Muslim bigotry and racism, rather than using the term “Islamophobia,” in order to more accurately describe the discrimination the working group is intended to address. Anti-Muslim bigotry and racism capture the full range of bias experienced by Muslim, Arab, and perceived-Muslim communities, including discrimination based on religion, ethnicity, ancestry, or appearance.
“Many students are not targeted because someone has studied their theology,” Memon said. “They are targeted because of their names, their clothing, their language, or how they are perceived. Anti-Muslim racism and anti-Muslim bigotry more accurately describes the reality students face.”
CAIR-CT further recommended that the working group’s mandate include providing guidance on curriculum and educational materials related to Muslim history and the historical experiences of Muslim communities. Similar to the role played by the state’s recent working group addressing antisemitism, such guidance could help educators responsibly address sensitive historical topics and ensure students receive accurate, contextualized instruction.
Examples of historical experiences that could benefit from thoughtful curricular context include the Nakba, the Rohingya genocide, the Bosnian genocide, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which have profoundly shaped the experiences of many Muslim communities represented in Connecticut classrooms.
CAIR-CT emphasized that the working group proposed under HB 5328 should focus on measurable priorities, including examining disparities in school discipline, collecting and analyzing data on anti-Muslim incidents across districts, reviewing whether existing anti-bullying policies adequately protect Muslim students, ensuring school policies are applied consistently and in a viewpoint-neutral manner, and providing guidance to educators when global tensions spill into local classrooms.
“This legislation is about equal protection under the law,” Memon added. “It is about ensuring that no child is singled out, stereotyped, or punished more harshly because of their faith, heritage, or for exercising their right to free speech.”
CAIR-CT urged lawmakers to listen to impacted students, families, and experts during Wednesday’s hearing and to move HB 5328 forward with these clarifications so that the working group can effectively address the challenges facing Muslim students in Connecticut schools.
“Every student in Connecticut deserves to feel safe, respected, and free to learn,” Memon said. “HB 5328 is an important step toward making that promise a reality.”
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-CT Chairman Farhan Memon, fmemon@cair.com or 203-517-6526 (cell)