CAIR Asks Va. School Board to Address Chair’s Anti-Muslim Post at Monday Meeting
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 9/13/2015) -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today said it has asked a Virginia school board to allocate time at its regularly-scheduled meeting on Monday to address a request for an investigation of anti-Muslim Facebook post shared by the board’s chairwoman.
CAIR previously called for the investigation of the post, shared by Chesapeake Public Schools Board Chair Christie New Craig, which shows a skull with crossed military-style knives and a woman stating: "Muslims hate pork, beer, dogs, bikinis, Jesus, and freedom of speech. My question is, what the hell do they come to America for?!"
The Washington-based civil rights group says it has not received a response to its request for an investigation by the school board.
PHOTO: Anti-Muslim Post by Chesapeake Public Schools Board Chair Christie New Craig
http://www.cair.com/images/press_rele...
School Board Member Profiles: Christie New Craig
http://www.cpschools.com/school_board...
[ACTION REQUESTED: Contact the school board to respectfully request that they address the issue of the anti-Muslim post. EMAILS: jim.roberts@cpschools.com; jean.infantino@cpschools.com; Christie.Craig@cpschools.com; Jeff.Bunn@cpschools.com; Samuel.Boone@cpschools.com; Colleen.Leary@cpschools.com; Thomas.Mercer@cpschools.com; Harry.Murphy@cpschools.com; Victoria.Proffitt@cpschools.com; Louis.Tayon@cpschools.com; Michael.Woods@cpschools.com ]
In a letter send to board Vice Chairman C. Jeff Bunn and copied to other board members, Superintendent Dr. James T. Roberts and the clerk of the board, CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper wrote in part:
“The Chesapeake Public Schools Board’s silence on this issue will inevitably be viewed as acceptance and approval of anti-Muslim bigotry. We therefore formally request that the board take up this important issue at its next meeting on Monday, September 14. The board must send a message to students and parents of all faiths and backgrounds in the district and the state that they deserve equal respect and support.
“Only by addressing this issue can the board uphold its stated commitment ‘to the principle of equal opportunity for all and does not permit discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.’”
He said CAIR offers a booklet, called "An Educator's Guide to Islamic Religious Practices," designed to help school officials provide a positive learning environment for Muslim students.
SEE: An Educator's Guide to Islamic Religious Practices
http://www.cair.com/images/pdf/educat...
In 2013, CAIR's California chapter released a report documenting bias-based bullying of American Muslim students in that state's schools. The report revealed that almost half of Muslim students say they had been subjected to some form of bias-based bullying.
To read the full report, go to: Growing in Faith
http://ca.cair.com/downloads/GrowingI...
CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Nabeelah Naeem, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, nnaeem@cair.com
