(LOS ANGELES, CA – 10/30/25) – The California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA), along with its Center for the Prevention of Hate and Bullying (CPHB), today released its 2025 Bullying Report documenting faith-based bullying and discrimination of Muslim students in California schools.
SEE: 2025 Bullying Report
To better understand how Islamophobia manifests itself in our education system, CAIR-CA and CPHB have conducted biennial statewide bullying surveys. Over the past 12 years, these surveys have shown that 40–55% of Muslim students ages 11–18 consistently report being bullied. This year’s bullying survey reached 1,802 students from 48 counties in California, providing one of the most comprehensive snapshots of Muslim students’ experiences to date.
The report reveals that half of Muslim students experience bullying at school from their peers due to their religious identity. Alarmingly, 67% of these students did not report their experiences to school staff because they felt undervalued, afraid, or faced unclear school reporting processes. Additionally, 43% of students surveyed reported missing school due to bullying, greatly exceeding the national average for absenteeism.
WATCH: CAIR-CA, CPHB Press Conference Announcing Publication of 2025 Bullying Report
In a statement, CPHB Director Osman Khan said:
“Islamophobia continues to pose a significant and enduring threat to Muslim students in California’s K-12 public schools. Its effects reach far beyond personal distress, impacting academic achievement, mental well-being, and students’ sense of belonging within their school communities. The entrenchment of Islamophobia in our school systems stems from the unchecked perpetuation of hate, bias, bigotry, and discrimination against our Black, African, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian communities. These factors have seeded a climate of fear that has not receded and has pushed our students even further to the margins where they find themselves feeling unsafe and invisible in the very institutions meant to make them feel holistically whole and welcome.”
In a statement, CPHB Program Manager Bayanne Kanawati said:
“Despite all the experiences students shared in our focus group, not a single student felt they could go to their school counselor for support. They shared that they perceive counselors as biased and lacking understanding of their cultural and religious experiences, leaving them feeling unheard, misunderstood, and alone. These voices make one thing clear: this is more than a bullying problem. It’s a systemic failure of safety and belonging. Our schools must take Muslim student safety as seriously as every other protected identity.”
In a statement, the parent of an impacted student, Sophie Khan, said:
“To every educator and administrator: inclusion is an active choice. When you take the time to create safe spaces, to listen, to understand, you send a powerful message: that every student belongs; not in spite of their identity, but because of it.”
In a statement, the parent of an impacted student, Mirvette Judeh, said:
“What’s even more painful is that the hate our children experience doesn’t only come from other students. Too often, it comes from teachers, counselors, or even administrators who dismiss hateful remarks, downplay discrimination, or fail to intervene when they should. When the very adults who are supposed to protect and guide our children take hate lightly, it sends a dangerous message that prejudice is acceptable. We must do something about this. Schools must hold everyone—students and staff alike—accountable for creating safe, inclusive environments.”
If you or someone you know are the victim of a hate crime or incident, click here to contact CAIR-CA’s Civil Rights department.
CAIR-CA is a chapter of CAIR, America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil liberties, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
The Center for the Prevention of Hate and Bullying is a special project of CAIR-CA. The CPHB is dedicated to combating hate, bias, discrimination, and bigotry through training, advocacy, community partnerships, education, and research.
