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Freedom & Education

Freedom & Education

Engaging with the government to tackle discrimination by integrating anti-islamophobia strategies in schools.

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WHAT'S
HAPPENING

Freedom & Education

The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) is dedicated to advancing equity in education and safeguarding the rights of parents and students. We work tirelessly to ensure that classrooms across Canada are spaces where every child feels safe, valued, and empowered to thrive. By challenging systemic barriers, working with governments, advocating for inclusive policies, and providing resources to combat discrimination, NCCM equips students and parents to stand against all forms of hate and fosters a generation committed to justice and equality for all.

Every single day, we hear reports of kids facing bullying and Islamophobia in the classroom. Every day, we hear from young Canadians who are trying to sift through the misinformation that is fed to them on the dark parts of the internet with conspiracy theories about Muslims.

Our work is to make sure that we advance policies for dialogue, discussion, and learning to stand together as Canadians.

We’ve seen how many of the Islamophobes who committed attacks on our community have been young people – whether in Quebec City or in London. We’ve heard loud and clear that education, dialogue, and discussion are the only ways forward for our community to challenge the fact that 42% of Canadians have negative perceptions towards Canadian Muslims. That’s a public health crisis that has to change – or more people will get hurt.

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NCCM HAS SUCCESFULLY PUSHED FOR...

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Br. Omar Zia, prominent Muslim principle and education advocate speaks at the Mississauga City Hall

IMPACT STATS

35%

of Muslims in Canada report experiencing discrimination. 

42%

of Canadians have negative perceptions about their Muslim neighbours. 

2

Provinces have committed to comprehensive anti-Islamophobia strategies in education

A SNAPSHOT - OUR WORK.

(2019) NCCM Education Team Engages
with Corus News After Racist Slur

After radio host Mike Stafford  used the word “P*ki”, and made derogatory remarks about Muslim women, NCCM provided training for the entire Global News and Corus team on challenging Islamophobia and all forms of hate & racism.

We demanded that the PDSB take further action in light of alleged Islamophobic remarks made by a Brampton high school principal.

On May 27, 2020 Central Peel Secondary School principal Julie DeMaeyer was “temporarily removed from her position while the Peel District School Board (PDSB) investigates a remark she made during a staff meeting,” said Peter Joshua, director of education with the board, in a letter on the school website.

Just a few months before then, teacher who removed a Muslim student from class and called him a bomb threat.

Eventually, we worked with PDSB to be the first school board in the country adopt a cumulative anti-Islamophobia strategy to encourage real education, engagement, and dialogue.

NCCM was seconded to the TDSB equity team to produce a resource guide on Palestine. 

Over 20 community groups and leaders were consulted. K-12 lesson plans were developed to challenge APR and affirm Palestinian identities.

We await TDSB’s release of this important teaching resource

After years of trying to work positively for change, we were forced to demand that the Chair and Director of Education at Peel District School Board resign due to inaction on anti-Black racism and Islamophobia.

In a statement on Friday, June 12, the NCCM called for the immediate resignations of PDSB Chair Brad MacDonald and Director of Education Peter Joshua following the results of a report from lawyer and human rights advocate Arleen Huggins.

On April 28, 2020, Huggins was appointed by Minister of Education Stephen Lecce to investigate the PDSB’s compliance with the Minister’s binding Directions, which were issued to tackle racism within the PDSB, particularly anti-Black racism.

Eventually, Mr. Joshua stepped down. NCCM worked therafter with the next Director to put forward a new strategy to challenge Islamophobia at the PDSB.

 

In 2021, Ontario Virtual Schools (OVS) one of the leading virtual school providers for high school students posted a course with Islamophobic content and misinformation about the Prophet, peace be upon him. NCCM took immediate action to successfully have the course pulled and any further content audited.

(2022) NCCM works as a key partner to
launch the first of its kind schoolboard
strategy on Islamophobia with PDSB

In yet another historic turning point for the fight against Islamophobia in Canada, the Peel District School Board (PDSB) became the first school board in Canada to adopt an anti-Islamophobia strategy.   

Community partners including the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), the Urban Alliance on Race Relations (UARR) and the Council of Agencies Serving South Asians (CASSA) played an important role in helping to envision and craft this strategy in consultation with staff, students and families at PDSB. Former PDSB trustee Nokha Dakroub first passed a motion for the school board to adopt this strategy.  

“The PDSB has set a tremendous example with this anti-Islamophobia strategy that other school boards across the country would be wise to study, examine, and follow” said Aasiyah Khan, Director of Education Programs at NCCM. “About 25% of students learning within the PDSB identify as Muslim. Adopting an anti-Islamophobia strategy sends a strong message to the community that the board is responsive and committed to creating safe and inclusive learning environments.”  

“It’s really fitting that this announcement is being made in the lead up to the sixth anniversary of the Quebec City shooting, which really changed this country,” Khan said. “This is a historic step forward but it’s really the beginning, and we look forward to working with all parties to ensure implementation of this pioneering strategy.”  

NCCM welcomed the Toronto District School Board’s latest unanimous vote to adopt and implement a board-wide anti-Islamophobia strategy.

We have long had a strong working relationship with the TDSB to support anti-racist and anti-Islamophobia initiatives, while advocating for Muslim students and community members when they face hate and discrimination. The latest motion in 2023 line was in the spirit of this working relationship.

Islamophobic incidents have been on the rise across the country in recent years. This includes inside our classrooms in Toronto and beyond. Almost one out of every five students in the TDSB (according to a 2017 Board census) identify as Muslim. It is time that our leaders implemented a real anti-Islamophobia strategy to help protect our kids.

“Muslim students should not have to worry about their safety and survival in our classrooms and schools,” said NCCM’s Director of Education Programs Aasiyah Khan. “These are spaces where our children are supposed to thrive.” Khan also spoke as a delegate on the motion at the Board.

October 2023, the Markham Public Library (MPL) removed the Islamic Heritage Month displays after an internal complaint, noting any IHM displays would be too “political”. NCCM engaged, the MPL to review its policies, engage in staff wide training and provide an apology to the community.

Here is a copy of the official press release from the Government of Manitoba;

The Manitoba government is taking steps to address Islamophobia by forming a working group to tackle the issue in the province’s kindergarten to Grade 12 education system, Premier Wab Kinew announced today. “Hate has no place in our province,” said Kinew. “It is important that we come together as Manitobans and stand united against all acts of hatred. We have a role as a government to keep things together here in Manitoba and we want Manitobans from all walks of life to know that your government is going to show up for you.”

The working group will focus on building awareness of Islamophobia and its impacts on all students and staff, developing training and professional opportunities and resources for educators, and providing input to Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning regarding K-12 anti-racism and anti-oppression policy initiatives.

 “Over the last year, incidents of Islamophobia have increased in our classrooms and schools,” said Sadaf Ahmed, advocacy officer, National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM). “This is why an anti-Islamophobia strategy is imperative and NCCM welcomes the government of Manitoba‘s leadership to promote inclusivity in our education system.”

STUDENT SAFETY STILL AT RISK

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Unjust laws change when voices come together. By sending an email today, you help push for stronger policies to combat Islamophobia and discrimination. 


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