Civil rights group reminds school officials of legal requirement to provide ‘environment free from discrimination based on race, color, or national origin’ on anniversary of Oct. 7 attack
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today urged all institutions of higher education and K-12 schools to protect anti-genocide students as National Bullying Prevention Month begins October 1.
As the anniversaries of the October 7 attacks and the start of the genocide in Gaza approaches, the organization urges schools to be aware of their legal obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI) to provide all students, including students who are or are perceived to be Palestinian, Arab, or Muslim, a school environment free from discrimination based on race, color, or national origin.
The First Amendment also prohibits “viewpoint discrimination” – government action, which includes action by public university officials, that burdens or suppresses speech based on viewpoint.
“Bullying against Muslim students has been a long-standing issue,” said CAIR Research and Advocacy Director Corey Saylor. “But the worst bullies today are the schools, colleges, and universities that have decided to meet peaceful protest and calls for human rights by Palestinian, Muslim, Arab, and other anti-genocide students with police violence, discrimination, and harassment.”
He noted that earlier this month, CAIR designated Columbia University and the University of Texas at Austin as “institutions of particular concern” due to their hostile treatment of anti-genocide protesters. This follows an initial designation of George Washington University, the University of California Los Angeles, and Emory University in August.
Saylor said CAIR encourages any students experiencing discrimination and/or harassment to report it to our offices and to consult the following guides for resources and information on your rights.
SEE: CAIR’s Guide Against Bullying and Bias in Schools: Practical Steps for Youth and Their Families
SEE: Guidance for Students Targeted in Response to Palestine Rights Advocacy
BACKGROUNDER:
For almost a year, students at universities, colleges, and K-12 schools have faced racial, religious, and ethnic discrimination, as well as targeting from their own instructors and administrators, while protesting the continued genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza.
In August, CAIR launched its Unhostile Campus Campaign, a project aimed at fostering a campus environment where Palestinian, Muslim, Arab, Jewish, and other students, faculty, and staff opposing the genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza enjoy free speech and academic freedom without facing state force or university discipline for their viewpoints.
In 2023, CAIR received a total of 921 education-related complaints, which includes bullying and education discrimination, a 219% increase over the previous year. In 2024, 84% of Muslim students in higher education or in a trade/vocational program reported experiencing religious discrimination in the last year, according to the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding.
SEE: CAIR-NY: Feeling the Hate In Our Schools
SEE: New CAIR-CA Report Shows Muslim Students Are Bullied at Twice the National Average
SEE: ISPU: American Muslims, Especially Students, Most Likely to Experience Religious Discrimination
The organization encourages all university and school administrators to review the recommendations released in its “Hostile” report, which finds over thirty universities and colleges reportedly complicit in suppressing, silencing, or otherwise targeting anti-genocide students, particularly those who are Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim. Recommendations include properly investigating incidents of discrimination and/or harassment against Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim students, such as attacks on students for wearing religious and cultural signifiers like head scarves and keffiyehs. It also urges all administrators to refuse false conflations of legitimate political speech, such as criticizing the state of Israel or asserting Palestinians’ right to self-determination, with hate speech or calls for violence.
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 Research and Advocacy Director Corey Saylor, 202-384-8857, csaylor@cair.com; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Coordinator Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com