On Thursday, Oct. 30, and Friday, Oct. 31, the California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA), along with its Center for the Prevention of Hate and Bullying (CPHB), will hold press conferences at its offices in Anaheim, Santa Clara, and Sacramento to announce the release of its 2025 Bullying Report documenting faith-based bullying and discrimination of Muslim students in California schools. The release coincides with the end of National Bullying Prevention Month, observed annually in October.
To better understand and address the ways Islamophobia shows up in our public education system, CAIR-CA has conducted biannual surveys across the state for the past 12 years collecting data from Muslim students ages 11–18. This year’s survey reached students from over 48 counties in California, providing one of the most comprehensive snapshots of Muslim students experiences to date.
Findings reveal that Muslim students continue to be bullied at more than twice the national average. Most of these students do not report these incidents, and many miss school as a result of bullying—at rates significantly higher than the national absenteeism average. The findings underscore an urgent need for schools, policymakers, and community members to address faith-based bullying and ensure that every student feels safe and supported in their learning environment.
WHAT: Press Conferences Announcing Release of CAIR-CA and CPHB’s 2025 Bullying Report
WHEN:
- Anaheim & Santa Clara: Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025, 11 a.m. PST
- Sacramento: Friday, Oct.31, 2025, 10 a.m. PST
WHERE:
- CAIR Greater Los Angeles Area (CAIR-LA) Office: 2180 W. Crescent Ave., Ste. F, Anaheim
- CAIR San Francisco Bay Area (CAIR-SFBA) Office: 3350 Scott Blvd., Bldg. 48, Santa Clara
- CAIR Sacramento Valley/Central California (CAIR-SV/CC) Office: 717 K St., Ste. 217, Sacramento
WHO (Anaheim):
- Osman Khan, Director, CPHB
- Bayanne Kanawati, Program Manager, CPHB
- Parents of impacted students
WHO (Santa Clara):
- Bismah Jaffer, CAIR-SFBA Civil Rights Attorney
- Hibah Hammoudeh, CAIR-SFBA Civil Rights Coordinator
WHO (Sacramento):
- Reshad Noorzay, CAIR-SV/CC Executive Director
LIVESTREAMS:
- Anaheim: Facebook Live
- Santa Clara: Instagram Live
- Sacramento: Facebook Live
CAIR-CA is a chapter of CAIR, the nation’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil liberties, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
The Center for the Prevention of Hate and Bullying (CPHB) is a special project of CAIR-CA. The CPHB is dedicated to combating hate, bias, discrimination, and bigotry through training, advocacy, community partnerships, education, and research.
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CONTACTS:
- Anaheim: CAIR-LA Communications Manager Enjy El-Kadi, (714) 851-4851, eelkadi@cair.com; CPHB Associate Marketing & Media Manager Shejuti Shahriar, (630) 540-8410 or sshahriar@cair.com
- Santa Clara: CAIR-SFBA Communications Manager Lorrie Adam, (408) 498-5779, ladam@cair.com
- Sacramento: CAIR-SV/CC Communications Director Zaid Hisham, (916) 441-6269, zhisham@cair.com