This week, a teacher in Nashville, Tennessee ripped off her student's hijab and then posted a video of her "pretty hair" on Snapchat.1
This type of behavior deserves recourse that asserts a zero-tolerance policy from schools. Let's imagine ourselves in the student's shoes for a second. A young Muslim woman attending middle school, in the middle of a red state, living in Trump's America, is assaulted by her own teacher—who then publicizes the event on social media.
Since Trump's inauguration, there has been a 91% increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes compared to the same period of time before his presidency.2 Muslim students across the country have reported rising instances of bullying, and 20% of them have reported anti-Muslim hate against them in schools.3
We will protect each other. We will defend our youth. We will demand that their safety is prioritized.
In solidarity,
Kifah, Mohammad, Linda, and the MPower Change team
Sources:
1. "Nashville Teacher Suspended After Student's Hijab Ripped Off" Antioch Patch, Nov 9, 2017
https://patch.com/tennessee/antioch-south-nashville/nashville-teacher-suspended-after-students-hijab-ripped
2. "Under Trump, Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes Have Increased at an Alarming Rate" Newsweek, Jul 17, 2017
http://www.newsweek.com/hate-crime-america-muslims-trump-638000
3. "53% of Muslim students surveyed in California say they’ve been bullied over religion" OC Register, Oct 30, 2017
http://www.ocregister.com/2017/10/30/53-of-muslim-students-surveyed-in-california-say-theyve-been-bullied-over-religion/