Activist Determined to Confront Anti-Muslim Racism at New Zealand School
Dr Maysoon Salama has seen tamariki go from the supportive environment of the Islamic preschool she co-founded in Christchurch, An-Nur Childcare Centre, to being bullied in primary school.
“One of our little girls from day one, when she moved to primary school, was bullied because she was wearing a hijab.
“They don’t want to play with her and [say] ‘You’re not my friend’ and now she doesn’t want to go to school.”
She and her centre teamed up with Tātai Aho Rau Core Education, and South Island funder Rātā Foundation to create resources to help teachers and learners understand Muslim culture, promote inclusivity and eliminate bullying, bias, and discrimination nationwide.
It comes after The Education Review Office published a report – Education For All Our Children: Embracing Diverse Ethnicities – that found one in five ethnic tamariki report being bullied by racist comments.
Research indicates that bullying, lack of respect, isolation, and discrimination are common challenges Muslim children face when they enter the school environment, many of whom come from refugee families.
The 2019 terror attack in Christchurch took the life of Salama’s elder son, Ata Mohammad Ata Elayyan, a businessman, software developer and sportsman who was married with a young daughter. It also left Salama’s husband badly injured.
Salama said the transition to primary school was a critical milestone for Muslim children, setting the foundation of their educational journey. It provided an opportunity to integrate their Islamic values and cultural identity into their schooling, and ensure they felt a sense of belonging.
"We believe every child deserves a positive and empowering educational experience.”
The vision was to see Muslim children and their families feeling a sense of pride in their faith and culture, and excelling academically within an environment that embraced diversity, fostered understanding, and promoted equality.
The free resources include a downloadable guide for whānau, an infographic for kaiako (teachers) and the classroom, videos for kaiako and parents to help their children to transition to school, and an animated video to help all children to understand Muslim culture.
Salama said she was actively engaged with her children’s schools and was always advocating for the unique needs of Muslim children within the Hornby cluster.
“However, alongside this progress I kept witnessing discrimination, bias and bullying against my community, including my own children.
“The turning point came with the devastating ultimate hate crime, the 15th March terrorist attack where I lost my son, many friends and my husband was injured.”
It intensified her determination to combat racism and promote inclusivity.
During a workshop a year ago ahead of making the resources, all young Muslims in attendance spoke of being bullied since the start of school, with it getting more serious as they got older.
“They said it was like hell.
“And this was not only from their peers, sometimes from teachers.”
She was shocked to learn there was even bullying of Muslim children in early childhood education.
Education from early childhood onwards was the key, in order to create real change over time, she said, and she wants the resources they’ve produced to be widely used, even overseas.
Because of their hijabs, young Muslim girls were often a target, even involving physical attacks, but the attacks were under-reported because families and young students were scared of being further targeted by speaking out, she said.
Schools tried their best, but “we still need to do more”, with more policies and work towards eliminating racism.
“Even teachers need more exposure.”
Tyla Harrison-Hunt, a Christchurch City councillor and parent of 3-year-old Anayah-Noor, said the biggest challenge for the Muslim community was upholding their traditions and learning how to live in a new country with different cultural norms.
"As a city councillor and a parent of a bicultural treasure, we think it's important that our daughter, and all tamariki, get the support they need to feel empowered and proud in their culture."
Tātai Aho Rau tumu whakarae Dr Hana O'Regan said the Muslim community, like many other minority groups in Aotearoa, often experienced discrimination and prejudice daily.
"This generally derives from a lack of understanding, knowledge, and appreciation of cultural differences.
“It is critical for Muslim tamariki in our rohe to see, feel and hear that they have a place in their new classrooms and feel culturally supported to transition positively through their education journey.”
Source: stuff.co.nz
