(BALTIMORE, MD, 3/4/22) – The Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today renewed its call for training and policy changes in Baltimore County Public Schools after a Muslim student’s Islamic headscarf was reportedly pulled off by a male classmate yesterday.
The 8th grader’s parent told CAIR that the school failed to inform her and she only learned about the incident from her daughter. Her daughter was very upset and walked out of class into the hallway.
She tells CAIR that when the teacher followed her into the hallway to speak with her, the teacher apologized on the boy’s behalf saying she was “sure he didn’t mean it” and that he was “probably just joking.”
CAIR expressed concerned that the teacher downplayed the situation and did not seem to understand the severity of it.
In a statement, CAIR’s Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry said:
“Any article of faith that’s part of a student’s religious identity must be treated with respect. School systems have the obligation to nurture a learning environment in which students who wear any article of faith, including hijab, feel safe and included.
“Parents have the right to be notified by the school immediately about potential hate crimes or incidents involving their children. These incidents must be investigated and reported appropriately. Downplaying and minimizing their potential harm strips agency from students whose rights are violated, absolves the offender of consequences, contributes to an unsafe culture, and risks repeat incidents.
“CAIR is in touch with the school system, and we look forward to meeting with the Baltimore County Public Schools’ Division of School Climate and Safety to address concerns about this and past incidents.”
“When my daughter told me her hijab was snatched off, I was extremely upset and hurt that she had to go through that,” the student’s mother said to CAIR in a statement. “What made it worse was the fact that I wasn’t notified by the teacher right away and had to instead hear it from my daughter. That made me realize that these teachers don’t know the importance of their students’ faith, and that they unfortunately downplay certain incidents when it comes to religion and cultural traditions. The teachers should be educated on how to handle situations like these, telling my daughter that [her classmate who pulled her headscarf off] probably didn’t mean it and that it ‘was a joke’ was inappropriate and unacceptable.”
A meeting with the parents, teacher and administrators is scheduled for Monday.
Last November, CAIR condemned a similar incident against a 6th grade student in the same school system.
SEE: CAIR Condemns Alleged Hate Crime Against Maryland Muslim 6th Grader, Calls on Baltimore County Public Schools to Thoroughly Investigate
CAIR also 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.
SEE: An Educator’s Guide to Islamic Religious Practices (PDF)
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR Office in Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, zchaudry@cair.com, 410-971-6062