August 31, 2012

As parents prepare to send their children back to school, they can’t help but carry concerns about the safety and well-being of their kids. In the past few months there has been an alarming increase in the number of hate crimes and acts of vandalism directed toward places of worship, homes, schools and businesses. The perpetrators are targeting Muslims and those perceived to be Muslims.

The increased volume of hate-filled political rhetoric against American Muslims this election season will likely rear its head in our schools and impact interactions between children. Parents and school administrators must face this issue head on by talking to students about bullying, whether verbal or physical. Parents and teachers should be sure to teach their children how to respond if they experience or witness bullying or hate crimes.

According to KidsHealth.com, “Most kids have been teased by a sibling or a friend at some point. And it's not usually harmful when done in a playful, friendly, and mutual way, and both kids find it funny. But when teasing becomes hurtful, unkind, and constant, it crosses the line into bullying and needs to stop.” (http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/bullies.html)

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services defines bullying as “unwanted, aggressive behavior among school-aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated or has the potential to be repeated over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems.” Earlier this year, MPAC and a coalition of 16 educational, religious and civil liberties groups released guidelines aimed at helping public schools across the country uphold the First Amendment while combating harassment and bullying. According to the guidelines, students should be able to attend public schools where they are free to share their views and engage in discussions about religious and political differences while simultaneously attending safe schools that prohibit discrimination, bullying and harassment.

SEE: “Harassment, Bullying and Free Expression: Guidelines for Free and Safe Public Schools” (pdf document)

The sad truth is that bullying isn’t limited to K-12 education. Hate on college campuses has increased tremendously as well. In a recent Campus Climate Survey of six University of California campuses, more than half (54 percent) of students, who are involved with a Muslim group on a UC campus reported having faced intimidation. College campuses are a platform for free thought and open dialogue, and university administrators must take steps to ensure that their campuses allow for such dialogue to take place while ensuring the safety and comfort of their students.

If you are part of a group organizing on a college campus, ensure that you are taking the following steps in order to do your part in creating a healthy environment:

• When practicing your freedom of speech and expression, do so with respect to all students, regardless of differences.
• If you face any form of hate or bigotry, report it to your school administration immediately.
• If you are threatened or feel that a fellow student or faculty member has made a troubling statement towards you, report it.

Most students who face such forms of hate do not report incidents, and unfortunately, this leads to bullying and harassment being deemed as acceptable by those who commit them.

The safety of our children is our main priority, and conversations about safety, respect and peace must start at home.

MPAC urges parents to talk to their children about the importance of speaking up and reporting incidents of bullying in order to help create a healthy and diverse school environment.

For more information on how to start the conversations with your children about bullying, visit the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ “Stop Bullying” website.

[Contact: Hoda Elshishtawy, Legislative and Policy Analyst, (202) 547-7701,hoda@mpac.org]