The Arizona chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Arizona), a chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, is today renewing its call for accountability from Peoria Unified School District Governing Board Member Janelle Bowles following her latest social media post stating “Islam is not a religion.”
Her latest anti-Islam post commented on another post calling for the “deportation for all the Islamic Muslim people who have invaded America,” and comes after CAIR-Arizona, Muslim families, educators, faith leaders, and community members previously raised serious concerns about anti-Muslim rhetoric attributed to Board Member Bowles.
In a statement, CAIR-Arizona Executive Director Azza Abuseif said:
“Board Member Janelle Bowles’s latest bigoted anti-Islam post further underscores the need for Peoria Unified School District leadership to address concerns about religious bias and ensure that Muslim students and families are treated with the same dignity, respect, and protection afforded to members of every other faith community.
“An elected school board member has a responsibility to serve every child and every family in the district, regardless of their faith. Statements denying the religious identity of Islam are deeply concerning when they come from someone entrusted with representing students and families. Muslim children should not have to wonder whether their elected school board representatives respect their faith or see them as equal members of the school community.”
She called on Bowles to publicly apologize for her repeated anti-Muslim statements, explain how she intends to represent Muslim students and families fairly.
CAIR-Arizona also called on the Peoria Unified Governing Board to publicly condemn religious discrimination and anti-Muslim bigotry in all forms.
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.
Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | TikTok | Website | YouTube
Do you like reading CAIR press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR’s work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR’s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR.
You are receiving this email due to your interest selection from commercial media databases. If you would like to join CAIR’s media list, please sign up here: https://action.cair.com/a/newsletters — For more information, email: [email protected], CC [email protected]
END
CONTACT: CAIR-Arizona Executive Director Azza Abuseif, 602-349-1573, [email protected]