(WASHINGTON D.C., 10/1/2021) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today released a resource document to help educators combat anti-Muslim bullying. CAIR released the document as institutions across the country mark today’s beginning of National Bullying Prevention Month.
The document provides informative resources that school districts can use to ensure teachers and administrators are equipped with the necessary tools to address Islamophobia in the classroom. The document includes toolkits, reports, articles, and informational videos.
READ CAIR’S RESOURCE DOCUMENT:
https://www.cair.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/antibullyingresources.pdf
Research has demonstrated that Muslims face bullying at twice the rate of the national average. Students of color and other backgrounds are also targets of identity-based bullying. Many Muslim children report that they do not feel safe approaching their teachers or school leaders about bullying, which is a problem in many school districts across the nation.
In 2019, CAIR-California chapter that nearly 40% of Muslim students in the state reported being bullied at school for identifying or being perceived as Muslim.
CAIR-Massachusetts conducted a survey of 200 Muslim students and discovered that 60% of respondents reported being verbally harassed or physically abused for being Muslim. 33% of respondents had altered their appearance, behavior, or names to hide their Muslim faith.
CAIR National’s 2021 Report, Resilience in the Face of Hate, documented 114 school-related incidents ranging from bullying, Islamophobic school curriculum, and holiday denials.
In a statement, CAIR Research and Advocacy Coordinator Huzaifa Shahbaz said:
“As we mark the beginning of National Bullying Prevention Month, it is crucial to shine a light on the particularly difficult situation of many American Muslim students who face Islamophobic and racist bullying at higher rates than others.
“Bullying can have a lasting traumatic effect on students, and can lead to depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, and lower academic achievement. It is essential that educators have the necessary information and resources at their disposal to help Muslim students facing bullying. We hope that this resource document will be useful to them in doing so.”
Shahbaz noted that CAIR’s Maryland Office hosted a news conference with representatives of the Maryland Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives to announce the beginning of National Bullying Prevention Month.
Video: CAIR, Md. Governor’s Office Partner with Interfaith Community for Bullying Prevention Month
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 National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com
