The Muslim News

TEMPLE TERRACE - His first name is Islam.

St Petersburg Times:

On Tuesday, the boy said, a Hillsborough County substitute teacher warned a sixth-grade classmate at Greco Middle School that Islam was "not good."

When Islam protested, teacher Shari D. Wilson, 24, threatened him and warned him "you will not see the light of day," said Islam's father Marwan.

"Your mother must have been sleeping all her life because she did not teach you any manners," Islam said Wilson told him. The boy went to the principal's office and Wilson was told to leave the campus. When she refused, Temple Terrace police issued her a trespass warning.

On Friday, the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Tampa said Wilson's alleged comments a possible case of religious discrimination and demanded that the school district conduct an investigation.

"This is not something a teacher should say to a sixth-grade student," said Ahmed Bedier, the council's director. "It's inappropriate and it's against the policies of the school."

Bedier wrote a letter to Hillsborough school superintendent Earl Lennard on Friday. Bedier also requested disciplinary action against Wilson and sensitivity training for all substitute teachers.

Wilson, a substitute teacher since August, could not be reached for comment Friday.

Bedier's group said it wants the school to protect Islam, who says he is afraid to return to school. The Times is not using the family's last name to protect the boy's identity.

Hillsborough school spokeswoman Linda Cobbe said school officials investigated the allegations and disciplined Wilson. Cobbe declined to give details, saying it must remain confidential until 10 days after the investigation's conclusion.

"If a teacher or any employee treated a student disrespectfully because of his religion, we would look very closely at that person's employment," Cobbe said.

She declined to say whether Wilson will be allowed to teach at other Hillsborough schools and said Lennard will consider Bedier's requests.

Records show Wilson graduated from the University of South Florida last year with a degree in biomedical sciences. She has substituted at nine campuses, most of them middle schools. Her employment file does not show any previous discipline problems.

Marwan, a glass worker from Jordan, said his son has lost pride in his name.

"Adults, we can handle things," Marwan said. "Kids, they are babies, for God's sake. He doesn't feel like he belongs."

Bedier said he worries the alleged incident is a sign of continuing discrimination of Muslims following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He said it shows prejudice extends to the nation's youngest citizens.

"Not all teachers mean to do harm, but ignorance is a bad thing especially for teachers," Bedier said. "With ignorance comes fear. Fear pushes people to do bad things."

Cobbe said she is not aware of widespread ill treatment of Muslim students in Hillsborough schools.

"We hope it's an isolated case," she said. "We don't have any indication there is pervasive disrespect of other religions."

Prior to teaching, Hillsborough County substitute teachers must attend three days of training that includes three hours of instruction on ethics, the same as certified teachers.

"We hold substitute teachers to the same standards as other teachers," Cobbe said. "We expect them to treat all children with respect."

Temple Terrace Deputy Chief Patricia Powers said Wilson will be arrested if she returns to Greco Middle School.

Bedier estimated Hillsborough's Muslim population at 30,000 people, with thousands of them students in public school classrooms.

He said he hopes Islam's experience makes educators more sensitive to racial diversity. "Discrimination and prejudice is not just a white on black issue anymore," he said.

Marwan said he named his son Islam, after a friend who was smart, good looking and well off. Now, Marwan said he probably would have given his son a different name.

Marwan said he wants his son "to feel like he belongs,"

"I want him to feel like every other kid, loving his country and his school."

Email this story to a friend | Printable Version