Nadine Osman
An assistant teacher in New Jersey, US, was suspended for allegedly calling a Muslim student a ‘terrorist’ during a math lesson on October 20.
The unidentified teacher allegedly told Mohammed Zubi, 17, he does not “negotiate with terrorists” after the student asked for more time on an assignment. “There [were] people laughing, others in shock, and I turn around and ask my friend: ‘Did he really just say that?’ And she said ‘yes’” said Zubi. Later, Zubi said the teacher told him he didn’t mean it.
Zubi said he felt ‘really uncomfortable’ following the incident and did not return t a week later.
Fellow student Nicholas Velez, who was in the class with Zubi, said the teacher got ‘close to him [Zubi] and said “We don’t negotiate with terrorists,” knowing that Mohammed is Arab and Muslim.’
Ridgefield Memorial High School has since suspended the teacher and the school district has launched an investigation. The School District has since released a statement saying it has ‘absolutely no tolerance for any sort of discrimination against any student or staff member’ and that it ‘cannot legally comment on personnel or student matters.’
‘The District strives to create an inclusive environment where students and staff members’ race, religion, national origin, and sexual orientation are embraced,’ the statement read.
The school district also reported they plan to ‘pursue all legal remedies against the staff member’ as ‘discriminatory conduct has absolutely no place in our District.’
Ridgefield Police Chief Thomas Gallagher told CNN that the case was ‘referred to the original agency’ as they did not find any crime associated with it. The current status of the investigation is unclear. The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has offered the school district diversity training for its teachers and staff.
‘Education around Islam and Muslims for educators is necessary because even 20 years after 9/11, these ugly stereotypes continue to show up in our classroom, and that’s unacceptable,’ CAIR Executive Director Selaedin Maksut said in a statement.
