This study examined how educators can better accommodate Muslim children in American schools.
- While the Muslim population is growing quickly in the United States and the world, non-Muslims may not have an accurate understanding of Islam and related practices, potentially leading to prejudice.
- Recent world events (the Gulf War, Iranian conflict, Palestinian conflict, War on Terror, and war with Iraq) are associated with growing anti-Muslim sentiment in the United States.
- Educators may not be prepared to meet the needs of the growing numbers of Muslim children attending public schools in the United States.
- Author Identified:
- Be aware that Muslims may interpret the tenets of Islam in different ways, resulting in different practices.
- Consider how to accommodate the needs of Muslim students (e.g. a space away from food service while fasting, a space to pray briefly throughout the day) in the school environment.
- Consider that religious beliefs may prohibit Muslim students from participating in school events and activities (e.g. mixed gender play, loud music, Christian-based holiday celebrations).
- Provide private bathrooms, showers, and changing areas to ensure students’ privacy.
- Provide facilities for Muslim children to cleanse themselves after toileting.
- Provide children of different genders with separate spaces for physical education and swimming to ease gender-based privacy concerns.
- Be aware that some Muslims may prefer that imagery portraying humans not be displayed in schools.
- Consult Muslim parents and community members when designing for Muslim children.
- Be aware that even young children have needs pertinent to their religious beliefs.
- Provide appropriate food preparation and serving areas in schools to accommodate students’ dietary restrictions (e.g. avoiding pork or pork-based products, using separate utensils for pork-based and other foods).
- Key Concepts
- Islam, a monotheistic religion based on the Qur’an and the Sunnah (holy books) whose followers are called Muslims, has more than one billion followers worldwide, with six million living in the United States.
- Islam is the world’s fastest growing religion and its followers will soon become the second largest religious group in the United States.
- Islamic schools and places of worship are growing in numbers in the United States.
- Subjects generally expressed concern that educators understand Islamic practices including fasting, clothing preferences, gender-based privacy issues, potential concerns regarding music, art, and holiday celebrations, and that educators aid Muslim students who are teased.
- Muslim parents, educators, and community leaders in Western New York were interviewed regarding the needs of Muslim school children and the role of educators in meeting those needs.
- Literature about Islam and Muslim students was reviewed.
- http://www.informedesign.org/Rs_detail/rsId/2028
. I don't get it. Muslims say they have a right to kill people that don't believe like they do. Any rational person can see that is messed up. Christians will march outside abortion clinics to show their opposition to the slaughter of babies, then embrace and beg for 'mercy' for a cold bloodied murderer, some of the most heinous there are, in the name of religion, yet some people claiming to be rational folks don't have a problem with that? Christians claim they have a right to oppress and deny rights to people, look the other way when they're attacked, sometimes killed, for their sexual preference. Christians may not be beheading homosexuals, but something tells me they don't really care that someone else is doing it.