(SACRAMENTO, CA – 10/09/2019) – On Wednesday, Oct. 16, the four offices of the California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA) will hold simultaneous press conferences in Sacramento, Anaheim, San Diego and Santa Clara to release a new report documenting faith-based bullying of Muslim students in California schools.
The report, titled “Singled Out: Islamophobia in the Classroom and the Impact of Discrimination on Muslim Students,” is based on a statewide survey of approximately 1,500 Muslim students ages 11 to 18.
CAIR-CA asked the students questions about their relationships with peers and teachers, their school environment, and bullying they have witnessed or experienced.
Survey results show that Muslim students feel less safe, welcome and respected in their schools than other students, with 40% of respondents reporting experiencing some form of bullying, more than double the national average.
WHAT: CAIR-CA to Release Report on Bullying of Muslim Students
WHEN: Wednesday, Oct. 16
WHERE:
- Sacramento – 10 a.m. at the CAIR-Sacramento Valley (CAIR-SV) office, 1122 Del Paso Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95815. The Sacramento press conference will include comments from CAIR-SV’s new Civil Rights Attorney Dustin Johnson, CAIR-SV allies and two Muslim students who have experienced bullying. Watch a live video of the press conference on the CAIR-SV Facebook page.
- Anaheim – 10 a.m. at the CAIR-Los Angeles office, 2180 W. Crescent Blvd., Suite F, Anaheim, CA 92801
- San Diego – 10 a.m. at the CAIR-San Diego office, 7710 Balboa Ave., Suite 326, San Diego, CA 92111
- Santa Clara – 10 a.m. at the CAIR-San Francisco Bay Area office, 3160 De La Cruz Blvd., Suite 110, Santa Clara, CA
CONTACT:
- CAIR-Sacramento Valley/Central California Communications Manager Kalin Kipling-Mojaddedi, 916.441.6269, kkipling@cair.com;
- CAIR-LA Communications Manager Eugene Fields, 714.851.4851, efields@cair.com;
- CAIR-San Diego Executive Director Dustin Craun, 858.774.9991, dcraun@cair.com;
- CAIR-SFBA Communications Coordinator Zoha Raza, 408.986.9874, zraza@cair.com;
- CAIR-Central California Outreach Director Sukaina Hussain will be available for comment at 847.924.9592 or s.hussain@cair.com.
The CAIR-CA report also shares anecdotes collected from students during survey outreach. It follows similar reports in 2017, 2015 and 2013, and charts how the landscape of faith-based bullying of Muslim students in California has changed. The report provides recommendations for policymakers, school officials and families about how best to protect children from bullying in school.
CAIR-CA is California’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice and empower American Muslims.
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