AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): A new report reveals that nearly half of Muslim students in Tennessee have faced religious harassment, highlighting a troubling rise of Islamophobia in schools across the United States.
According to Fox 17, while state-specific data for Tennessee has not been released, findings from institutions such as the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) indicate a persistently high rate of bullying targeting Muslim students nationwide.
Survey data shows that 48 percent of Muslim families with children in kindergarten through 12th grade reported their child being harassed at least once in the past year because of their faith. More alarmingly, one-fifth of families said such incidents occur almost daily.
The problem extends beyond peer bullying. In 42 percent of cases, teachers or school staff were identified as the perpetrators. Many incidents were linked to students’ religious practices, including prayer, fasting during Ramadan, or wearing the hijab.
Research by CAIR’s California chapter in 2022 further underscores the problem, reporting that more than 47 percent of Muslim students in the state experienced religious discrimination—over twice the national average.
Advocates warn that the normalization of such harassment threatens the well-being and educational opportunities of Muslim children across the country.
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