The Michigan chapter of Council on America Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI), a local chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed the United States Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights opening a formal investigation into Ann Arbor Public School’s handling of a Tappan Middle School counselor allegedly calling an eight-grade student a “terrorist” in November 2023.
In December 2023, CAIR-MI filed a complaint with the Department of Education on behalf of a Palestinian Muslim eight grade student at Tappan Middle School in Ann Arbor after he was allegedly called a “terrorist” by a sixth-grade counselor in November after asking to leave the office for drink of water. The family of the student had made formal complaints to the school and the school board after the incident, but the school failed to address the concerns of the family.
SEE: Advocacy group alleges Ann Arbor school counselor made discriminatory remark against Muslim student
“CAIR-MI welcomes the Office of Civil Rights opening a formal investigation into whether Ann Arbor Public Schools adequately addressed the alleged comments made by the counselor at Tappan Middle School,” said CAIR-MI Executive Director, Dawud Walid. “Calling a Palestinian Muslim student a ‘terrorist’ is a very offensive and hurtful comment that was compounded by the school board’s seeming lack of concern for the student when it was brought to their attention. We are hopeful that the Office of Civil Rights investigation will prompt Ann Arbor Public Schools to take this matter and those like it, seriously.”
“We are pleased that the Office of Civil Rights is taking this matter seriously and hope that it leads to some resolution that will ensure that no other students will have to attend school with educators that make biased comments,” said CAIR-MI Staff Attorney, Amy V. Doukoure. “An investigation of this nature can have serious implications for the school district if it is found that they acted inappropriately, and we hope that the school district will finally recognize the seriousness of this matter and the harm that it caused the student.”
Last year, CAIR’s national office released and updated Educator’s Guide to Islamic Religious Practices.
SEE: CAIR’s Educator’s Guide to Islamic Religious Practices
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CONTACT: CAIR-MI Executive Director, Dawud Walid (248) 842-1418, dwalid@cair.com; CAIR-MI Staff Attorney, Amy V. Doukoure, (586) 943-8823, adoukoure@cair.com