As Salam Alaykum! As the school year is approaching it is important that everyone is aware of their rights as a student, educator, parent, and community member. CAIR-Philadelphia is always here to work with you for matters including inequality and discrimination within your school/workplace.
Here are a few helpful resources CAIR-Philadelphia has to prepare you for the upcoming year:
Educator’s Guide to Islamic Religious Practices (PDF)
Know Your Rights Pocket Guide (PDF)
Letter Templates:
- School Eid Accommodation Letter Template
- School Friday Prayer Accommodation Letter Template
- Letter Template to School Officials Requesting Opt-Out from Classes
Know Your Rights as a Student:
Unfortunately, young Muslims are sometimes the target of bullying or discrimination at school. Knowing your rights can help prevent this.
As a student, you have the right:
- To inform others about your religion.
- To pass out literature or speak to others about Islam, as long as it is not done in a disruptive manner.
- To wear religious and modest clothing and clothes with a religious message, as long as other clothes with messages are allowed.
- To organize student-led prayer on campus, as long as the service is not disruptive.
- To attend Friday prayer. The Supreme Court has upheld the right of states to allow students “release time” to attend religious services. It’s best to coordinate this as schools want to ensure all students excused are going to a prayer and coming back safely. Write to Asiyah Jones to talk more on this.
- To be excused from school for religious holidays. You should inform the school that you will be absent. Interested in making sure your district joins close to 10 school districts in our area to recognize Eid as an official off day on the school calendar? Write to Asiyah Jones to talk more on this.
- To form an extracurricular Muslim student group.
- To be free from bullying and a hostile environment.
If you are a victim of anti-Muslim bullying or name-calling, DO NOT respond with jokes or threats. If you experience bullying, have your parents file a complaint with school officials immediately so that a record is established, then contact CAIR-Philadelphia at pa.cair.com/report and set up a meeting with school officials.
We prepared a comprehensive toolkit for teachers and educators with links to verified teaching modules and news-articles to make sure 9/11 is taught without further entrenching anti-Muslim stereotypes:
9/11 Teaching Guide (PDF)
If you would like CAIR Philadelphia’s assistance in hosting trainings (i.e., sensitivity training, anti- bullying trainings, etc.), advocating to implement changes (i.e., prayer space accommodations, Eid/Ramadan awareness and education, curriculum changes, etc.), and/or hosting a listening session with Muslim students at your school, please reach out Asiyah Jones at ajones@cair.com.
