The IMAN Network and the Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today urged the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) to reverse recent changes to the statewide social studies curriculum that the organization described as “biased, racist, and exclusionary.” CAIR condemned the removal of all references to Palestine and criticized the curriculum revision process for excluding input from Maryland’s Muslim and Arab communities.
Why This Matters
The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has made sweeping and deeply troubling changes to the statewide social studies curriculum—completely removing references to Palestine and halting education about events in Israel and Palestine after 1994. These revisions were developed and voted into effect recently without any input from Arab or Muslim educators or community members.
This biased and exclusionary process not only erases Palestinian history but also sends a harmful message to students that some narratives are more valid than others.
SEE: Maryland social studies curriculum update reflects concerns about antisemitism
SEE: CAIR’s Letter to State Superintendent Dr. Carey Wright
Join the IMAN Network and CAIR Maryland in calling on all Marylanders—especially those who care about academic integrity, equity, and truthful education—to make your voices heard.
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
The Islamic Maryland Action Network (IMAN) is a statewide crisis response working group that represents over 350,000 Muslims in the state. Members include over two dozen mosques and Muslim organizations.
SEE: IMAN Network
The IMAN Network’s mission is to foster a coordinated, compassionate, and effective response to crises, uniting diverse Muslim communities across the state.
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CONTACT: CAIR Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, 410-971-6062, zchaudry@cair.com; CAIR Maryland Outreach Coordinator Kim Syuardi, ksyuardi@cair.com, 202-850-9293