Another bullying case against Afghan schoolchildren in Maryland highlights anti-Muslim pattern

A recent case of violent physical assault of three Afghan refugees at a middle school in Maryland has been met with a swift response from the school, which civil rights advocates are welcoming. This follows at least two other cases in Maryland in October in which Afghan girls were attacked at a high school.

The school responded by providing the family of the victims, who are brothers, hospital and insurance services, counselling, and transportation to and from school.

However, concern remains over repeated reports of school bullying from different schools, particularly as the targets are often refugees who are still learning a new language, culture and educational system. In this recent case and in many other cases over the past year, the targets are Afghan refugee children.

"We're definitely seeing a troubling trend here," Zainab Chaudry, director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Maryland, told The New Arab. "We're seeing it in different school districts. I suspect it's not only happening in Maryland."

Though in this case, it is still unclear if there was a biased motive, anti-Muslim bullying in the US is widespread.

It's difficult to know exactly how prevalent it is, but Chaudry says that based on CAIR research and surveys, it appears that at least 50 per cent of Muslim schoolchildren have been bullied due to their faith. The figure could be much higher, as underreporting is considered a major problem. Many children and their families, eager to fit in, will not report incidents.

Sensing the scale of the problem, Chaudry has been in communication with the State Department of Education to seek solutions to the underlying causes of anti-Muslim bullying.

"No child should go to school in fear of being victimised," she said.  "Some of the families we've spoken with are really struggling." 

The country's widespread problem of anti-Muslim bullying will likely need multiple solutions. Chaudry points to the importance of the better placement of refugees, better education of different cultures, and in many cases restorative justice for troubled youths who commit acts of bullying. Many of the schools where Afghan families are placed are in low-income areas where children may already have challenging home lives.

"From CAIR's perspective, our focus is on restorative justice, particularly when the perpetrator is a youth," said Chaudry. "In many of these cases, some of these students themselves have endured challenging circumstances and experiences. I think we need to approach these incidents with compassion, even when seeking justice for the victims."