School Bullying Council

<!–enpproperty http://www.china.org.cn/world/2011-10/31/content_23772800.htmwww.china.org.cnThe officials of the Obama administration met with hundreds of local parents, teachers, students and community leaders at a bullying prevention summit Saturday to address the safety of Asian American, Pacific Islander and Muslim American students.2011-10-31 11:25:10.0White House battles bullying at UES summitAmerican,US,Asian,students,Muslim,bullyingWhite House battles bullying at UES summitWhite House battles bullying at UES summit10077075229Top News/enpproperty–>

The officials of the Obama administration met with hundreds of local parents, teachers, students and community leaders at a bullying prevention summit Saturday to address the safety of Asian American, Pacific Islander and Muslim American students.

Racial bullying [Photo: Hispanically Speaking News] 

These students are more likely to be targets of bullying than some of their counterparts, the DNAinfo.com reported.

White House officials said that nearly one-third of all school-aged children are bullied each year, or about 13 million students.

“Post 9/11, bias-based bullying toward religious and immigrant communities has been a consistent issue, and it continues to be under reported,” Thomas Mariadason, an attorney at the Manhattan-based Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, said in a statement.

The day-long summit included a panel with representatives from Facebook, MTV and Common Sense Media, who discussed online bullying and how to stay safe on the Internet.

“We’ve seen the egregious effects bias-based harassment has on students when there is a failure to intervene, from the violence at South Philadelphia High School in 2009 to reports we received in years past from the former Lafayette High School in Brooklyn,” Mariadason said.

“The problem persists, and it is a critical time for the White House to address these issues” he said.

The event aims to raise awareness about harassment of Asian and Muslim Americans, encourage students, parents and advocates to report such incidents and discuss possible solutions, according to federal officials.

The city’s teachers union recently unveiled a new anti-bullying hotline for kids.

http://www.china.org.cn/world/2011-10/31/content_23772800.htm

N.C. Muslim parents report 27 incidents of bullying in schools

WASHINGTON, June 9, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on the U.S. Department of Education to address the issue of bullying of Muslim students in schools nationwide.

CAIR made that request following reports of 27 incidents of bullying targeting Muslim students in North Carolina schools, including Muslim students feeling compelled to change their names to avoid being picked on.

Video: Muslim Students Bullied in N.C. Schools

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdJtlhpDZzI

Alleged incidents of bullying of American Muslim students include the case of a Somali boy being hanged in a Kentucky school bathroom stall, an attack on a Muslim student in New York who was called a “terrorist” and the harassment of Muslim students in Minnesota.

Video: Bullies Hang Somali Boy in Bathroom Stall in Kentucky

http://tinyurl.com/3kjdswv

NY: Children Accused of Attacking Muslim Classmate in Hate Crime

http://tinyurl.com/3s2rtkh

District, Feds Reach Agreement (Owatonna People’s Press)

http://owatonna.com/content/district-feds-reach-agreement

Other bullying incidents reported to CAIR include Muslim students being similarly harassed because of their faith, attire or name.

In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad wrote in part:

“No American student should face bullying or intimidation because of his or her faith, ethnicity or national origin. We urge you to investigate this growing phenomenon and take whatever steps are necessary to provide students of all faiths with a safe and welcoming learning environment. Our civil rights department can provide you with details of the reports of bullying we have received.”

Awad noted that CAIR is part of a national coalition against “cyberbullying.”

SEE: MTV Unveils Anti-Digital Discrimination Coalition

http://tinyurl.com/3f2q682

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.

SEE: An Educator’s Guide to Islamic Religious Practices

http://www.cair.com/Portals/0/pdf/education_guide.pdf

CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

Become a Fan of CAIR on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational  

Subscribe to CAIR’s E-Mail List

http://tinyurl.com/cairsubscribe  

Subscribe to CAIR’s Twitter Feed

http://twitter.com/cairnational  

Subscribe to CAIR’s YouTube Channel

http://www.youtube.com/cairtv  

CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, or 202-488-8787, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations

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RELATED LINKS
http://www.cair.com

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cair-asks-doe-to-address-bullying-of-muslim-students-123571244.html

School bullying has been an unforgiving
curse since the first time students were put in a school environment. Mistreatment
of minority students, mental, emotional or even physical, has been the fate of
countless students. The latest ethnic community to suffer from this phenomenon
has been the Arab and Muslim community.
The NJ Chapter of American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee will host an
important presentation on April 28, 2011, to address the rise of bullying
against young Muslim Americans, which have increased in frequency. Many young
people in schools are facing emotional and physical abused being called
“terrorists” or told “to go home” on a daily basis. When hate speech is not
taken seriously, it has the potential to turn violent.

The recent news that an 8-year-old
boy was found hanging from a bathroom hook at his school in Louisville, KY, has
shocked a whole community and school officials. The son of Somali immigrant
parents, the boy was found unconscious and hospitalized with serious injuries,
yet it took three weeks for his story to reach national headlines. The sad
truth was that the boy had been experiencing chronic bullying, which was not
addressed by the school.

In New Jersey, I have heard of
several cases where Arab and Muslim children have been the constant victims of harassment
by fellow students. Accusations of being a terrorist, a foreigner and un
American top the list of slurs thrown at helpless children. Add to this onslaught
the endless attacks on Islam and the gravity of the problem become apparent.
The fact is that most school Administers attempt to treat complaints on an individual
basis. Yet they fail to recognize the widespread nature of the epidemic. It is
our belief that the NJ Department of education begin to address this matter at the
highest level and provide appropriate remedial solutions.

The reality is that when
irresponsible public officials and political pundits engage in hate speech it
has real consequences on the ground. The rhetoric about the Muslim American
community on talk radio, national news outlets and in many communities has
become poisonous in nature.

Bullying of Muslim Americans is not
limited to classrooms and playgrounds. Anti-Muslim sentiment has reared its
ugly head over and over again. Consider the recent burning of a Quran by the
fringe Pastor Terry Jones, the nationwide spike in anti-mosque sentiment, the
recent wave of anti-Sharia bills in more than a dozen states across the
country, a Villa Park, CA, councilwoman’s call for violence against Muslim
Americans and a recent case where a Muslim woman was refused service as a
mattress store because the store manager considered her a national security
threat. Perhaps, New York Congressman Peter King (R-NY) takes the lead amongst politicians
who have made a business out of vilifying Muslims, questioning their loyalty
and doubting their patriotism. The incremental impact of all these deliberate
measures at castigating an entire community eventually seeps into mainstream
discourse, the school environment being a ripe soil for such inhuman acts. Left
unchecked, bullying of young children may lead some of them into violent acts
beyond the school playground.

Young people are the most vulnerable
part of our society, and we must do whatever is needed to ensure that they feel
safe and secure in our country’s schools. Bullying is not only a problem for
young Muslim Americans; it affects millions of children who might be seen as
different in the sight of peers and school communities.

In March, President Barack Obama
held a conference on bullying to challenge the belief that bullying is a normal
rite of passage for youth. He stressed that the federal government, educators,
school administrators and communities all have to work together to put an end
to bullying. www.Stopbullying.gov  also was launched in order to provide
resources for educators and communities on how to address bullying and keep our
schools safe.

The Department of Education’s Office
of Civil Rights has a section for parents on how to file a complaint if their
children are being harassed based on race, color, national origin, sex,
disability and age in violation of federal laws. It is vital to document and
report bullying incidents within six months. Bullying happens when peers,
administrators and parents ignore the signs. Parents must ensure that this
epidemic is weeded out of the dark shadows of school hallways and brought to
light so that it may be addressed.

New Jersey has taken the lead when Governor Chris Christie signed into law in
Janaury, the
Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act (S-2392). The Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights
Act will ensure that teachers and administrators are properly trained to
intervene in these incidents, and are required to act when bullying is witnessed
or reported. Parents will be empowered with information on their school
district’s effectiveness in combating bullying and a direct line of
communication with school officials if their child is affected. While we cannot
change human nature, we can change how government and school officials respond
to unacceptable behavior.

It is the inescapable responsibility of faith
leaders, parents, educators, government and the community to collaborate together in
order to create platforms where there can be education to promote mutual
acceptance and understanding.

To this end, we welcome the ADCNJ-sponsored
lecture and we invite all to attend.

http://www.aafusa.org/bullying-conf-adcnj-4-28-11.html

http://blog.nj.com/dr_aref_assaf/2011/04/bullying_arab_and_muslim_american_students.html

School bullying has been an unforgiving
curse since the first time students were put in a school environment. Mistreatment
of minority students, mental, emotional or even physical, has been the fate of
countless students. The latest ethnic community to suffer from this phenomenon
has been the Arab and Muslim community.
The NJ Chapter of American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee will host an
important presentation on April 28, 2011, to address the rise of bullying
against young Muslim Americans, which have increased in frequency. Many young
people in schools are facing emotional and physical abused being called
“terrorists” or told “to go home” on a daily basis. When hate speech is not
taken seriously, it has the potential to turn violent.

The recent news that an 8-year-old
boy was found hanging from a bathroom hook at his school in Louisville, KY, has
shocked a whole community and school officials. The son of Somali immigrant
parents, the boy was found unconscious and hospitalized with serious injuries,
yet it took three weeks for his story to reach national headlines. The sad
truth was that the boy had been experiencing chronic bullying, which was not
addressed by the school.

In New Jersey, I have heard of
several cases where Arab and Muslim children have been the constant victims of harassment
by fellow students. Accusations of being a terrorist, a foreigner and un
American top the list of slurs thrown at helpless children. Add to this onslaught
the endless attacks on Islam and the gravity of the problem become apparent.
The fact is that most school Administers attempt to treat complaints on an individual
basis. Yet they fail to recognize the widespread nature of the epidemic. It is
our belief that the NJ Department of education begin to address this matter at the
highest level and provide appropriate remedial solutions.

The reality is that when
irresponsible public officials and political pundits engage in hate speech it
has real consequences on the ground. The rhetoric about the Muslim American
community on talk radio, national news outlets and in many communities has
become poisonous in nature.

Bullying of Muslim Americans is not
limited to classrooms and playgrounds. Anti-Muslim sentiment has reared its
ugly head over and over again. Consider the recent burning of a Quran by the
fringe Pastor Terry Jones, the nationwide spike in anti-mosque sentiment, the
recent wave of anti-Sharia bills in more than a dozen states across the
country, a Villa Park, CA, councilwoman’s call for violence against Muslim
Americans and a recent case where a Muslim woman was refused service as a
mattress store because the store manager considered her a national security
threat. Perhaps, New York Congressman Peter King (R-NY) takes the lead amongst politicians
who have made a business out of vilifying Muslims, questioning their loyalty
and doubting their patriotism. The incremental impact of all these deliberate
measures at castigating an entire community eventually seeps into mainstream
discourse, the school environment being a ripe soil for such inhuman acts. Left
unchecked, bullying of young children may lead some of them into violent acts
beyond the school playground.

Young people are the most vulnerable
part of our society, and we must do whatever is needed to ensure that they feel
safe and secure in our country’s schools. Bullying is not only a problem for
young Muslim Americans; it affects millions of children who might be seen as
different in the sight of peers and school communities.

In March, President Barack Obama
held a conference on bullying to challenge the belief that bullying is a normal
rite of passage for youth. He stressed that the federal government, educators,
school administrators and communities all have to work together to put an end
to bullying. www.Stopbullying.gov  also was launched in order to provide
resources for educators and communities on how to address bullying and keep our
schools safe.

The Department of Education’s Office
of Civil Rights has a section for parents on how to file a complaint if their
children are being harassed based on race, color, national origin, sex,
disability and age in violation of federal laws. It is vital to document and
report bullying incidents within six months. Bullying happens when peers,
administrators and parents ignore the signs. Parents must ensure that this
epidemic is weeded out of the dark shadows of school hallways and brought to
light so that it may be addressed

It is the responsibility of faith
leaders, parents, educators, government and the community to work together in
order to create platforms where there can be education to promote mutual
acceptance and understanding.

To this end, we welcome the ADCNJ-sponsored
lecture and we invite all to attend.

http://www.aafusa.org/bullying-conf-adcnj-4-28-11.html