#teachingwhilemuslim

We exist to amplify the voices of Muslim-American educators.

Keziah
Pennsylvania

The Bad: At my first meeting for a new assignment, another teacher started a conversation with me by trying to compare CAIR to terrorist organizations.

The Good: Apparently I do such a good job of making all my students comfortable that one of them, despite me being Muslim, shared that they were bisexual and needed an adult to talk to. Apparently, their parents are not supportive and they could never have a conversation about it.

Radwa
New Jersey

One experience I remember most is during a workshop about having "courageous conversations" in the classroom. Although this was an incredible workshop, the administrators running it and most of the attendees were all white. (I work in a diverse district but the teachers are not very diverse).

During this workshop, a co-worker took initiative and proclaimed to those running it that in order to have courageous conversations and teach our kids to be globally-aware citizens, it's important to hire teachers who represent our diverse student body. He pointed to me (the only visibly Muslim woman in the room) and another African-American woman, calling a need to hire more people who look like us and carry our experiences. This was a positive experience of having a co-worker speak up on my behalf and take initiative in a topic that I don't feel 100% comfortable leading in yet.

Mo
New Jersey

As a history teacher at the high school level I have experience my coworkers say negative things about Muslims or Islam in general several times. Sometimes in my presence but mostly while I am not there. And then I would be told by another coworker what was said while I wasn't there. I was once asked what I thought about sharia law by a coworker. I laughed it off and replied to her how silly I thought her question was. Usually after some sort of terrorist attacked occurs those comments flare up again. Ever since Trump became president there has been a surge in the discussions relating to Muslims especially during the time of the Muslim ban. I know that one incident I remember happening while Obama was still president was that I overheard another coworker mentioning to another faculty member that Obama was a Muslim and not born in America. She didn't know I had overheard but when she found out she gave me an apology and said she didn't mean to upset me but I think it was an apology because I had overheard her conversation moreso then her apologizing for what was said. When it comes to my students I have never had any negative experiences about being their teacher and a Muslim. They are usually curious and will ask questions. They always come from a place of genuine curiosity.

Sana
New Jersey

I was finishing my fourth year of teaching when a terrorist attack occurred in my country of origin; not only was I distraught, my family was in danger. A fellow history teacher and closet-bigot printed out the article, tossed in on my desk during a common-planning meeting and in front of my colleagues said "I guess Tunisia isn't as liberal as you think and Islam isn't as peaceful as you say."

The same teacher often left articles on our shared work space that were anti-Palestinian-Muslim or quieted the voices of the oppressed. Articles he shared with his classes.