The Michigan chapter of Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI), a local chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed Ann Arbor Public Schools (AAPS) entering into a consent agreement with the Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (OCR) to take remedial actions after a school counselor at Tappan Middle School allegedly told a student that she does “not negotiate with terrorists,” in November 2023.
CAIR-MI welcomed the OCR Resolution detailing findings that the district had failed to comply with its obligations under Title VI to investigate the complaints of the Tappan Middle School Student and further failed to take steps to “reasonably calculated to redress any hostile for the student, and others affected,” by the counselor’s comments.
CAIR-MI further welcomed AAPS entering into a Consent Resolution Agreement with the OCR to address the concerns of the student, his family and the OCR related to the findings. Pursuant to the agreement, AAPS will have to provide counseling services to the student and perform a climate assessment. Following the assessment, AAPS will be required to report back to the OCR a proposed plan aimed at addressing any identified problems with a racially hostile environment in AAPS.
“CAIR-MI welcomes the findings of the Office of Civil Rights and the agreement of Ann Arbor Public Schools to take the steps necessary to ensure that students of all national origins and faiths feel welcome and safe within every school in the district,” aid CAIR-MI Executive Director, Dawud Walid. “We hope that this consent resolution will begin the process of healing for the student and his family as well as be the catalyst for a more inclusive and welcoming environment for Palestinian and Arab students in the district.”
“Schools have an affirmative legal duty to ensure that every student can come to school in a welcoming, inclusive and safe environment for learning. The finding by the Department of Education Office of Civil Rights is a reaffirmation of that duty, and a reminder that when schools fail in that duty, they will be held accountable,” said CAIR-MI Staff Attorney, Amy V. Doukoure.
BACKGROUNDER:
In December 2023, CAIR-MI filed a complaint with the Department of Civil Rights Office of Civil Rights on behalf of a Palestinian American student and his family after the student reported that a counselor at Tappan Middle School, part of the Ann Arbor Public School district, refused to allow him to leave the office for a drink of water allegedly telling him it was because she “didn’t negotiate with terrorists.”
SEE: Advocacy group alleges Ann Arbor school counselor made discriminatory remark against Muslim student
According to the student, he was in the office waiting to see his eight-grade student counselor when he asked a different counselor to leave the office for a drink of water. When the counselor advised that he could not leave and he inquired as to why, the student reports that the counselor replied, “because I don’t negotiate with terrorists.” The student immediately told the counselor that he was offended and felt that her comments were biased. However, according to the student, the counselor engaged the confirmation of another adult in the office who indicated that she also used that term all the time against her children.
After the family of the student made several formal complaints to the school administration as well as the AAPS school board and received no satisfactory response, they contacted CAIR-MI who promptly filed a complaint with the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) related to this incident.
In January 2024, the Office of Civil Rights announced the opening of a formal investigation against the Ann Arbor Public School district in response to CAIR-MI’s complaint.
SEE: U.S. Department of Education opens investigation into AAPS over alleged Islamaphobic incident
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-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid, 248-842-1418, dwalid@cair.com; CAIR-MI Staff Attorney Amy Doukoure, 586-943-8823, adoukoure@cair.com