Muslim students in K-12 schools face persistent, faith-based bullying at alarming rates, according to a new report from the Massachusetts chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MA). Nearly half (48%) of Muslim students in Massachusetts reported experiencing bullying due to their religious identity during the 2023-2024 school year — that’s nearly one in two students. The incidents of bullying included verbal abuse and physical violence.
CAIR-MA surveyed 325 Muslim students from 6th to 12th grade across eleven counties in Massachusetts. The findings reveal staggering levels of religious-based bullying and mistreatment that far exceed national bullying averages.
Related Article: Anti-Muslim Bias Incidents Reached All-time High in 2023
Key findings of the survey include:
- 48% of Muslim students reported experiencing bullying at school solely because of their faith.
- 22% experienced bullying on a regular basis — occurring monthly, weekly, or even daily.
- 35% of students wearing hijabs were physically harassed or had peers attempt to remove their headscarves.
- 37% witnessed their Muslim peers being bullied, exposing collective trauma within these school communities.
- 10% felt unsafe revealing they were Muslim, while 23% considered altering their behavior or appearance to conceal their faith.
The new findings demonstrate how intersecting identities exacerbate vulnerability. For example, 52% of students faced bullying on the basis of both ethnicity and religion, underscoring the compounded discrimination that many Muslim students endure.
The study also found that faculty and school staff members engaged in bullying behavior.
- 35% of students surveyed reported offensive comments about Islam from teachers or staff.
- 22% felt lessons about Islam were biased, misrepresenting their faith in ways that perpetuate harmful stereotypes.
A study conducted by CAIR of college students in California last year also found that nearly half of them face harassment, reports KGO.
How Schools Can Combat Islamophobia and Protect Muslim Students
“This report is a call to action,” said Tahirah Amatul-Wadud, Esq., Executive Director of CAIR-MA. “The voices of our students are pleading for change, and it is imperative that school administrators, teachers, and policymakers heed this call to ensure our schools are safe for all students regardless of faith.”
Related Article: Trump Executive Order Urges Universities to ‘Monitor,’ ‘Report’ Protesters on Student Visas
CAIR-MA recommends teachers and school administrators adopt the following strategies that will help to combat Islamophobia and prevent bullying of Muslim students:
- Implement Prevention and Intervention Programs for Identity-Based Bullying
- Cultivate a Culture of Inclusion and Accountability
- Create Educational Opportunities on Islam and Muslims
- Provide Cultural Humility Training and Awareness of Islamophobia
- Encourage Formation of Muslim Student Organizations
- Evaluate Curriculum on Muslim Community to Verify Accuracy
- Provide Accommodations for Religious Practices
