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SAN
JOSE MERCURY NEWS - MARCH 27, 2003
War in Iraq | Media
Outreach | San Jose Mercury News
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The original article can be found at: http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/opinion/5493282.htm
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Thursday, March 27, 2003 (San Jose Mercury News)
Schools must beware of harassment of Arab students
Farhan Syed
TIMES of war have often challenged our country's unity. As pictures
in the media portray our military foes, neighbors begin to notice
the similarities between faces they see on television and the family
down the street. The nameless, faceless humans on the other side of
the world become easy to hate as the people trying to kill our sons
and daughters in uniform.
Intolerance is nothing new, and racial bigotry has been an unfortunate
aspect of American history, affecting various ethnic groups at different
times.
Growing up, I was taught that we had learned from our mistakes, and
wouldn't again witness events like the internment of Japanese-Americans
or the lynching of African-Americans. While we don't see such extremes
of bigotry today, it still surfaces on different occasions.
A case in point is the recent surge in violence against Muslim and
Arab-Americans, reminiscent of the first gulf war, when people experienced
harassment in the street, in the workplace and at school. In schools,
adult supervisors often did little to address the problem. School
staff and secretaries were not provided sensitivity training, resulting
in negative behavior toward parents and students of Muslim or Arab
background. They faced ethnic slurs, and were often physically harassed.
Especially vulnerable were Muslim schoolgirls wearing the religiously
mandated scarf.
After the 9/11 tragedy, there was a significant rise in hate crimes
against Arabs, Muslims and groups that ``look'' Arab. However, President
Bush made statements condemning the harassment of American citizens
of any background, and many groups came together to support Muslim
and Arab communities in this country. But with America at war with
Iraq, we may witness another spike in violence.
Unfortunately, those who suffer most when bigotry rears its ugly head
are children. Harassment in schools often goes undetected because
the victims are afraid to speak out, and have few options to defend
themselves. As the war intensifies, Muslim and Arab parents worry
that the combination of fear-inducing news on terrorism, reports of
war preparations and lingering emotions from the 9/11 tragedy will
result in a firestorm of harassment and hate against their children
in school.
It is important that school staffs be prepared to identify and address
potential hate crimes. The best way to start is by creating awareness
about the potential for such incidents and how to handle them. The
recent beating of a Lebanese boy in Yorba Linda by youths shouting
white supremacist slogans shows the danger of ignoring the potential
for violence.
Teachers and administrators can make schools a safe and comfortable
environment by understanding the issues faced by Muslim and Arab students.
Some students may suffer from fear, fatigue and depression due to
the ongoing conflict. Others may feel embarrassed, humiliated or degraded
by statements or responses to current events by peers or teachers.
Students need to know that if they feel uncomfortable and fearful
at school, they can voice their feelings to teachers, counselors or
other school officials.
This does not mean that war should not be discussed in the classroom,
but it is important to be supportive of a collective, inclusive and
positive culture, avoiding references to ``us'' and ``them,'' or asking
students of Middle Eastern or Muslim background to comment on current
events as if they are ``experts.''
Students should be reminded that only the perpetrators are responsible
for terrorist actions; no religion condones violence against innocent
people. A discussion of the media's focus on certain groups, its double
standards and its perpetuation of stereotypes is central to any discussion,
as is a reminder of the principles of justice and equality our country
was founded on, and the importance of recognizing the rights of all
Americans, irrespective of race, religion or national background.
Many metropolitan areas, including the Bay Area, have trained speakers
who can address issues of tolerance by presenting the facts about
Islam, Muslims and Arabs. Showing the human side of a group goes a
long way toward dissolving biases and preconceived notions. Through
discussion, people can find commonalities, which help reduce bigotry
and hate, and may even move our global community toward peace.
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Farhan Syed is spokesperson for the Islamic Speakers Bureau, a program
of the Islamic Networks Group. For information on the ``School Program
to Prevent Hate,'' go to http://www.ing.org/prevent_hate/.
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