(BALTIMORE, MD, 11/15/2022) – The Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed steps taken by Bel Air Middle School in Harford County, Md., in response to its call for action following two alleged assaults on Muslim students this year.
Last week, a student’s parents reported to CAIR that earlier this month she was allegedly punched in the jaw by a classmate, and the teacher who witnessed the incident reportedly failed to intervene and take appropriate action.
In the complaint, they reported that their daughter was “traumatized” and “left feeling vulnerable.” In a troubling pattern CAIR has observed within other Maryland school systems, the school reportedly failed to notify the parents. The parents told CAIR they learned of the incident from their daughter and were compelled to take her to urgent care to seek treatment and to file a police report.
This is at least the second incident of alleged violence targeting a female Muslim student at that school that has been reported to CAIR this year.
In June, another student was reportedly “violently assaulted in an unprovoked attack” in the school cafeteria, during which the alleged assailant reportedly shouted slurs and physically struck her repeatedly. CAIR was told that a video of the alleged assault was shared among some students.
SEE: CAIR Calls on Maryland’s Harford County School Superintendent to Probe Attack on Muslim Student, Take Appropriate Action
In its letter to the principal, CAIR called for restorative justice in both incidents and training and policy changes to promote a safer school environment. The family confirmed to CAIR that the school has since been working diligently to address and resolve their concerns. The organization plans to offer a cultural competency training on Islam and Muslims.
“As a distraught parent confronted with the possible implications of racism in this ordeal, I’m grateful to the principal and his team for responding and taking action in a timely manner,” said the student’s father in a statement to CAIR. “We hope the school takes up CAIR’s offer for holding cultural & religious awareness training at the school.”
“Incidents like these take a physical, mental and emotional toll on victims and families,” said CAIR’s Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry. “Schools must be safe, secure places in which children can learn free from harassment, assaults and bullying, and school administrators play a crucial role in establishing an inclusive culture. Our organization looks forward to being a partner in that journey.”
Last month, CAIR condemned an attack on an Afghan Muslim student in Baltimore City during which she was locked in the girls’ bathroom at school, choked with her hijab and brutally beaten by other students.
SEE: Baltimore school employee accused of being involved in attack on Afghan student let go
CAIR’s 2022 Civil Rights Report, “Still Suspect,” documented various school-related complaints ranging from bullying, Islamophobic school curriculum, and holiday denials in 2021. Bullying is consistently one of the most common types of school-related complaints received at CAIR offices around the country.
SEE: 2022 Civil Rights Report: Still Suspect
https://www.cair.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Still-Suspect-Report-2022.pdf
A recent poll by the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding reports, “In 2022, we find that nearly half (48%) of Muslim families with school-age children reported having a child who faced religious-based bullying in the past year.”
Bias and Bullying in Public Schools: Mitigating the Impact on Muslim and Perceived-as-Muslim Students
http://www.islamophobia.org/images/2019/Bullying/Bias_and_Bullying_White_Paper.pdf
Chaudry noted that CAIR 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.
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 Office in Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, [email protected], 410-971-6062