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OAKLAND
TRIBUNE - MARCH 29, 2003 War in Iraq | Media Outreach | Oakland Tribune Saturday, March 29, 2003 (The Oakland Tribune) Prevent hate in schools Uzma Husaini When I was in the ninth grade during the 1980s, a Pan American plane was hijacked by what the TV said were "Moslem terrorists." The next morning, in biology class, a fellow student asked me, "Are you a terrorist?" Dumbfounded, I simply answered, "No." "Are your parents terrorists?" "No." I gulped and fought back tears. That was the end of our conversation. Of course, like most kids, I did not tell any one about it, but I never forgot. Whenever something happened where Muslims were labeled as "terrorists," I would go to school dreading that somehow someone would figure out that I was Muslim and associate me with all the prevailing negative images of Islam and Muslims. A Russian-American classmate of mine was also teased as this was during the Cold War. I remember that she dealt with it as I did-she swallowed it and never spoke about it with any of us who were her friends. After all, it is not cool to talk about such things, so we didn't. But the pain lingered. Luckily, I was blessed with many teachers and administrators who did not tolerate ridiculing or ostracism, who dealt with such behavior as soon as they noticed its occurrence, and who made an effort to build a sense of community and belonging for all students. It was only in classrooms where teachers did not implement such policies that I had to deal with harassment. Now, years later, as a college student obtaining a teaching credential, I have the opportunity to visit various schools and classrooms in the Bay Area. I met a seventh-grade Afghani boy in a public school shortly after September 11th. His name was Osama. "Do the kids give you a hard time?" I asked him. I will never forget the pain and misery I saw in his eyes as he nodded despairingly in response. This is just one student from amongst the thousands of Middle-Eastern looking, brown-skinned, and/or Muslim immigrant and indigenous children in the Bay Area who continue to suffer taunting, teasing, and ridiculing, some to a greater degree than others, all due to adult politics. It is my fear that this will only increase once the war against Iraq begins. Throughout our history, for various reasons, we have demonized particular groups of people, deeming them the "enemy," including Native Americans, Blacks, Jews, Irish, Italians, Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, and many others. It is always the most vulnerable in each group who suffer the most from the hatred hurled at them, especially the children as young hearts are more brittle and easier to break. With the change of political climates, we seem to improve our treatment of these groups. Thank God there is no more slavery; no more Japanese internment camps, and hopefully, in the near future, Islam and Muslims will not be seen as the enemy either. Nevertheless, it is heartbreaking to think of all the children that suffer so greatly for having the wrong cultural or religious background or the wrong skin color at the wrong time. I wonder if parents, teachers, and administrators really understand how difficult life can be for students who are victims of hate as they seldom talk about such incidences. Do adults know what to do? If not, do we take it upon ourselves to find out what to do and then take action? If we don't take responsibility and do something for our children, who will? I also wonder if parents take the time to educate themselves and their children about what to do at school when they see a peer suffering harassment simply because of what the news reported the night before. One thing I greatly appreciate about living in the Bay Area is the wealth of diverse cultures represented here and that we all benefit from one another and seem to get along fine overall despite the current political climate. It is my hope that educators, parents, and concerned individuals will all do their part to help our children appreciate this wealth of diversity we enjoy here and to value all of the various cultures represented here and their contributions, including those who look like our "enemies" according to the media. After all, when our children break the hearts of other children, we can only blame ourselves for not being good educators and role models. Politics is for adults. Let's allow all our children the chance to grow and become healthy adults by making our schools places where all kids feel a sense of safety and belonging. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Uzma Husaini Spokesperson, Islamic Speakers Bureau, a program of the Islamic Networks Group (ING). For information on their "School Program to Prevent Hate," go to http://www.ing.org/prevent_hate/. |
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