Muslim civil rights group seeks clarity on Maryland school’s steps to provide support, address hostile learning environment
(BALTIMORE, MD, 1/12/2023) – The Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today strongly condemned an alleged pattern of Islamophobic slurs made against Muslim students at a Montgomery County public school between 2021-2022, and called on school administrators to release surveillance video of one incident in which an altercation between students led to a Muslim student’s suspension.
According to reports CAIR has received, during the last and current school years, Muslim students at Ridgeview Middle School have been called “bin Laden” and a “bomber,” told to “go get the bomb,” harassed with insults related to the September 11th attacks, and taunted with “Allahu Akbar” (“God is Great’) and racially and religiously motivated taunts and slurs, with little if any intervention from school administrators.
CAIR has requested a meeting with school officials to understand what steps have been taken to support the students who have allegedly been targeted in these incidents, and what corrective and/or restorative measures have been taken to address the hostile learning environment.
The Washington, D.C., based civil rights organization is also seeking the release of surveillance video of an incident last month that reportedly led to an altercation that resulted in a Muslim student’s suspension after he reportedly verbally defended another Muslim student who was allegedly being taunted and harassed with racial slurs and Islamophobic comments.
“Our son intervened to defend a friend and in turn became the victim of racial abuse himself,” said one Ridgeview MS parent to CAIR in a statement. “Incidents like these not only impact the student and their family but the entire community, particularly with the school response being so poor. It is not fair that he be penalized for being provoked by another student’s hurtful belligerent remarks toward him and a Muslim friend.”
“Diversity, equity and inclusion are more than buzzwords. Schools must demonstrate these principles through policies and actions that lead to a safe learning environment for their diverse demographic,” said CAIR’s Maryland director Zainab Chaudry. “We are appalled by the reports brought to our attention, and demand a thorough, swift and transparent investigation into these incidents. Our organization offers free anti-bullying, cultural diversity and bystander intervention trainings that we encourage the school to arrange to foster a safe, inclusive culture.”
Chaudry added that last month, CAIR announced the filing of a civil rights complaint against Baltimore’s Academy for College & Career Exploration for an alleged assault and bullying of Afghan children by staff and students.
Also last year, CAIR welcomed the “swift” response to an assault on three Afghan students who attend Gholson Middle School in Maryland’s Prince George’s County.
She noted that CAIR offers a booklet, called “An Educator’s Guide to Islamic Religious Practices,” designed to help school officials provide a positive learning environment for Muslim students.
CAIR National’s 2022 Civil Rights Report, “Still Suspect,” documented various school-related complaints ranging from bullying, Islamophobic school curriculum, and holiday denials in 2021. Bullying is consistently one of the most common types of school-related complaints received at CAIR offices around the country.
SEE: 2022 Civil Rights Report: Still Suspect
https://www.cair.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Still-Suspect-Report-2022.pdf
SEE ALSO: Bias and Bullying in Public Schools: Mitigating the Impact on Muslim and Perceived-as-Muslim Students
A 2022 poll by the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding reports that almost half (48%) of Muslim families with school-age children reported having a child who faced religious-based bullying in the past year, with one in five families saying their child faces such bullying on a daily basis.
SEE: American Muslim Poll 2022
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 Office in Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, zchaudry@cair.com, 410-971-6062