Montgomery County Public Schools has removed a teacher from a classroom at Cabin Branch Elementary School, 14129 Dunlin Street in Clarksburg, and ordered that he have no further contact with a student he is accused of mistreating. The 8-year-old American Muslim student claimed that the instructor bullied, humiliated, threatened, and frightened her, primarily due to her hijab. She was allegedly subjected to harsher sanctions than her peers, refused access to drinking water and the restroom, and had to remove her hijab.
Her father, a United States military veteran, told the Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) that her alleged harassment, which resulted in anxiety and panic episodes at school, was “profoundly disheartening.” He praised MCPS’s efforts today to resolve the issue.
“It means everything to my family that my daughter can now feel safe in class,” the student’s father said in a statement. “This situation caused us a lot of stress and worry as parents, my daughter was afraid to go to school before. She’s young, she was struggling with what the teacher did. No one’s kid should have to deal with this kind of situation from their teachers, no matter their religion. Our family knows we can count on CAIR for support through these situations. CAIR has had our back, their help has given my family peace of mind.”
“We applaud this family’s courage in coming forward for their daughter’s sake and we acknowledge Montgomery County Public Schools for taking swift action to address this complaint,” CAIR’s Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry said in a statement this afternoon. “CAIR encourages all school districts to routinely provide comprehensive cultural competency and anti-discrimination trainings for all of their educators. It’s essential that they’re accountable to fostering an inclusive and respectful learning environment for all students, regardless of their background.”
