As part of the Biden administration’s National Strategy to Counter Islamophobia and Related Forms of Bias and Discrimination, a message has gone out to the nation’s educators, urging them to safeguard students against hate.
On Thursday, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) sent a “Dear Colleague Letter” from Catherine E. Lhamon, assistant secretary for civil rights, to the nation’s schools and universities regarding ensuring efforts to prevent discrimination against Muslim, Arab, Sikh, South Asian, Hindu and Palestinian students.
The message coincides with the U.N.-declared International Day to Combat Islamophobia on March 15.
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said he was “deeply disturbed by increasing reports of anti-Muslim, anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian harassment in schools.”
He said that “the department is committed to providing school communities with the information and resources they need to prevent and combat Islamophobia and related forms of discrimination.”
JNS contacted the Education Department for specific reports on anti-Muslim, anti-Arab and anti-Asian bigotry but did not receive a response.
