People studying to become teachers speak about Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism in Ontario schools

The rise of anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian racism is playing out in Ontario schools, widely influenced by broader geopolitical and social issues. Although Muslims are the fastest growing religious minority in Canada, schools are often sites of both forms of racism. While we acknowledge that Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism are two distinct forms of oppression, they often overlap and intersect to produce racial discrimination and violence, such as surveillance and censorship. We recently engaged in a study with people who are studying and practising to become teachers (pre-service teachers). We were interested in how prepared they are to challenge anti-Muslim bias and anti-Palestinian racism in Ontario schools. We did this through interviews with 32 teacher candidates across Ontario. We focused on pre-service teacher perspectives so we could gauge current issues and gaps in teacher education programs. The findings of our study, which documented gendered Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism in Ontario schools, points to the need for systemic changes in the province’s schools to better reflect the cultural and religious diversity in these spaces. The findings also point to the growing challenges facing teacher education programs in light of increasingly racially and religiously diverse Ontario public schools. Contextualizing Islamophobia and ARP Following the aftermath of Oct. 7, 2023, incidents of anti-Muslim racism have skyrocketed, at times driven by assumptions that conflate negative and dehumanizing views of Palestinians with Islam and vice versa. These instances of anti-Muslim bias are exacerbated by the growth of white supremacist and right-wing populist movements in Canada and abroad. Anti-Muslim racism, intersecting with Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism, affect Muslims of various ethno-racial backgrounds, Canadians of Palestinian backgrounds (Muslims and Christians alike) and individuals who are in solidarity with Palestinian human rights and liberation. While Islamophobia has been well documented in Canada, there is limited research on anti-Palestinian racism in schooling. Niqab bans boost hate crimes against Muslims and legalize Islamophobia — Podcast

Anti-Palestinian racism is a distinct form of racial oppression that renders Palestinian identities, histories, lived experiences and resistance as suspect. Media discourses overwhelmingly dehumanize Muslims and Palestinians alike as subjects that are undeserving of sympathy. This manifests itself when school-aged children are policed and disciplined for their identities and opinions as they relate to Palestine. In addition to the silencing of students and educators who express solidarity with Palestine, studies indicate that teachers in Ontario routinely subject their Muslim students to lower academic standards and expectations and demonstrate religious insensitivity. Study participants We recruited participants for our study from two-year teacher education programs from universities across southern Ontario. Of the 32 participants, 26 identified as female and six as male. Twenty identified as racialized and 12 as white. Nineteen participants identified as non-Muslim and 13 as Muslims. Participants were recruited through listservs at various faculties of education. We asked participants questions related to their attitudes towards preparedness for teaching Muslim students, their experiences working with Muslim students, as well as how they felt their faculties and schools where they worked in practicums responded to issues of racism, Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism. Stereotypes of Muslim males Through the interviews, we found that Islamophobia manifested itself through gender-based stereotypes of Muslim males and suspicion around observing religious rituals in schools. While gendered Islamophobia often occurs through depictions of Muslim women and girls as passive and oppressed, our study uncovered how pre-service teachers observed a different gendered dynamic. Pre-service teachers regularly observed how teachers perceived Muslim male students as innately sexist and misogynistic. Assumptions around Muslim males being dangerous and misogynistic have been an enduring trope in the global war on terror. Several participants described how their associate teachers or teachers in the staff room made comments about how Muslim male students did not respect female teachers and classmates and were raised to be “disrespectful” and “sexist” towards women; the staff believed this was because of their culture and religion. Male teachers can challenge misogyny in schools every day, not just on International Women’s Day

Suspicion about prayer times The surveillance of prayer spaces and suspicion about what students were “up to” during prayer times were another key finding. Our participants described how Muslim students were regularly accused of skipping class or aimlessly wandering the halls, while using their daily prayers as an excuse for such behaviour. These claims were never substantiated or proven by the teachers making the accusations. These attitudes from associate teachers cast an air of suspicion around Muslim students, implying a need for their surveillance. Policing Palestinian solidarity, expression Anti-Palestinian racism occurred through policing solidarity with Palestinian rights. Educators and students self-censored related to Palestine, fearing punitive measures if they voiced their views freely. Pre-service teachers described how students were sanctioned by teachers for wearing keffiyehs, were told to remove stickers in their lockers that expressed solidarity with Palestine and were even prevented from doing a Palestinian cultural dance for a multicultural school event. These measures were usually invoked to mitigate the discomfort of some teachers and students. This was prioritized over the freedom of expression of Palestinian students, educators and allies. Even more revealing was that many teachers and students decided to self-censor their views related to Palestine both in school and outside of school on social media platforms. These self-policing measures were indicative of the fear and hostility that students and teachers have been exposed to in Ontario public schools and schools elsewhere surrounding Palestinian solidarity. Social studies as ‘neutral?’ That’s a myth, and pressures teachers to avoid contentious issues

Cultures of surveillance Our study highlights how Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism have played out in Ontario schools to perpetuate a culture of surveillance, policing, censorship and punishment in public schools. Additionally, our study draws attention to existing research about the lack of meaningful support for racialized and Muslim students in Ontario schools, despite the recent trend of equity, diversity and inclusion-oriented policies. Despite institutional commitments to equity, diversity and inclusion from the province and school boards, Muslim and Palestinian students, educators and communities are treated as exceptions. The findings of our study point to the need for systemic changes in Ontario schools to better reflect the cultural and religious diversity in these spaces. Our participants alluded to the importance of allyship when defending the rights of oppressed student groups in schools. Need for allyship Educators who are in positions of power and who believe in equal rights within schools need to be advocates for those who cannot speak up. A critical step forward to empower marginalized voices in schools is also to increase staff representation to better reflect school demographics. Our study points to the need for more Muslims as well as other educators from underrepresented backgrounds who can assist in carving out spaces of understanding, belonging and high expectations for the increasingly diverse student bodies in Ontario schools. In doing so, educators will be positioned to leverage the cultural capital of their students to better facilitate success for all students.

Zuhra Abawi receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. We received a grant from SSHRC to fund this study. Naved Bakali receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. We received an Insight Development Grant to fund this study.