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Data released today by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) shows that reports of education discrimination have increased by 63% since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
The data is part of what CAIR called an “alarming” increase in complaints filed with CAIR since the start of the Israel-Hamas war that is ravaging Palestine and the Gaza Strip. The organization saw a 178% increase in complaints filed during a similar period in 2022.
“The rationalization and honest rhetoric of violence against Palestinians in Gaza influences the treatment of students,” said Farah Afifi, CAIR Research and Advocacy Coordinator.
Educational discrimination data includes discrimination in both K-12 and higher education institutions. Afifai explained that the data does not include cases of bullying in educational settings, as it is important to distinguish between bullying and top-down discrimination.
“Bullying does not necessarily amount to educational discrimination. Educational discrimination refers to how educational institutions themselves promote anti-Muslim or Islamophobic rhetoric without necessarily engaging in specific individual harassment of students. Therefore, these are simply definitional. We recognize that there are two different cases, both of which can occur. , you want to make sure you're properly categorizing them and reporting the data.
Afify cited two recent cases that CAIR considers to be educational discrimination. The first case occurred at Edina High School in Edina, Minnesota, where two students were suspended for repeating pro-Palestinian chants during a protest at the school in October. They were suspended for three days for chanting “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.''
CAIR has filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education for suspending two Edina students for religious discrimination during a pro-Palestinian protest, seeking reversal of the students' suspensions. CAIR officials told Reccon that no further information regarding the complaint was available as of Monday.
The second incident occurred at Emory University in Atlanta, where students participating in a pro-Palestinian demonstration reported harassment and the disclosure of personal information.
Arab and Palestinian students report being afraid to leave their dorms, go to class or go to the cafeteria, Afifi said.
“They are scared not only because they are being bullied and harassed, but also because higher education institutions refuse to protect them and publicly show public support. It is also because by refusing to do so, you are tacitly endorsing this kind of harassment: Palestinian, Arab, Muslim students,” Afifi said.
A letter to Emory University called on university officials to protect Palestinian, Muslim and Arab students from harassment. CAIR accused university officials of “tolerating the kind of hostile environment Mr. Emory is aware of.”
Afifai said there has been a “relentless wave” of racist, anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim harassment against Emory University students in recent days.
“By choosing to remain silent in the face of ongoing genocide, including Israel's deliberate and calculated destruction of every university and college in the Gaza Strip, Emory University is committed to providing education and an open exchange of ideas.” “The university is neglecting its responsibility as an academic institution to promote this.” CAIR-Georgia Legal Director Javeria Jamil said in a statement about CAIR's letter to Emory officials released on January 24th.
