(ANAHEIM, CA, 12/20/13) – Yesterday, the California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA) held news conferences in Anaheim, San Diego, Santa Clara and Sacramento to release a first-of-its-kind report documenting bias-based bullying of American Muslim students in California schools.
The report garnered positive media coverage from news outlets across Southern California.
•Despite Bullying, Muslim Students Feel Accepted, Report Says | LA Times
•CAIR-LA Releases Report on Anti-Muslim Bullying | ABC 7
•CAIR-LA Releases Report on Bullying of Muslim Students | CBS/KCAL
•New Survey Says Muslim Students in Calif. Experience Bullying | KPFK 90.7 FM
•’It is just a joke’ – Muslim Children, Teens Report Bullying in California Schools | MultiAmerican Blog, 89.3 KPCC Southern California Public Radio
•CAIR Releases Report on Bullying of Muslim Students in California | Take Two, 89.3 KPCC Southern California Public Radio
•Nearly half of Muslim students in CA schools have been bullied in some way | Orange County Weekly
SEE: Photos of CAIR-LA Press Conference
The new report, “Growing in Faith: California Muslim Youth Experiences with Bullying, Harassment and Religious Accommodation in Schools,” reveals that nearly half of Muslim students say they have been subjected to some form of bias-based bullying. The findings are based on a statewide survey of almost 500 Muslim students, ages 11 to 18. They were asked questions about their relationships with peers and teachers, as well as their comfort levels participating in discussions about Islam and Muslims.
To view the full report, visit: https://imrann40.sg-host.com/downloads/GrowingInFaith.pdf
The report found that approximately one in five young women reported being bullied because they wore an Islamic headscarf (hijab) to school. Additionally, one in five youth reported they were unsure of participating in classroom discussions in which Islam or Muslims are discussed and were unsure of whether teachers respected their religion. More than one-third of bullying victims surveyed indicated that reporting harassment incidents to school administrators was not helpful.
The report also shares anecdotes from CAIR-CA’s case files and includes information about recent changes to the law because of high-profile cases of extreme school bullying.
Additionally, the report provides information for parents about how to request religious accommodation for their child and a list of resources that parents can use to learn more about the issues children face at school.
CAIR-CA is a chapter of CAIR, 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.
