Islamic High School Student Arrested; CAIR Claims Discrimination

Tuesday the Washington Post reported that a 15 year-old student at Glenelg High School in Howard County, Maryland, was arrested after he refused a teacher’s order to change seats and refused an administrator’s order to go to the principal’s office.

His teacher had created a new seating chart and wanted to move him to a new desk. The student refused, saying he wanted to sit next to his friends.

The teacher then called one of the school’s three assistant principals, who requested that the student come to his office, school system spokeswoman Patti Caplan said. She said the administrator, Robert Connor, left the classroom, expecting the youth to follow him.

When Connor realized that the student, a sophomore, was not behind him, he called a police officer stationed at the school, Caplan said. Connor and the officer returned to the classroom and found the student sitting in his new seat, she said.

Caplan said Connor again asked the youth to come to his office, and the student again refused.

Sherry Llewellyn, Howard County police spokeswoman, said Officer Kelly Smith then told the youth that “if he continued to refuse to leave the classroom and continue to be disruptive, the officer would have no option other than to arrest him for disorderly conduct.”

Then came the charges of discrimination.

“This is unheard of,” said Rizwan Mowlana, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations of Maryland [CAIR], an advocacy group that became involved in the case because of the youth’s Middle Eastern descent. “In our eyes, this does not warrant a policeman.”

….

Last year, the student was suspended for fighting, Mowlana said. He also said family members have been at odds with the school administration over what they believe were insensitive remarks made at the school after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Eileen Woodbury, the school district’s “special assistant for equity assurance,” met with CAIR and the parents. Before reading further would anyone like to hazard a guess as to the outcome of that meeting?

And the answer, reported today (predictable, wasn’t it?), is:

Howard County school officials said yesterday that they will consider implementing a program of diversity and sensitivity training for staff members after meeting with parents and advocates for a 15-year-old Muslim youth who was arrested in school last week after he refused a teacher’s order to switch seats.

Now I only know what I read in the paper about this incident, and so I’m in no position to conclude that there was no discrimination involved. But, if the reports are accurate, the only way that I can see discrimination playing a role here is if a non-Islamic student who had (mis)behaved the same way would have been treated in a different manner.

Say What? (7)

  1. anderson December 18, 2003 at 12:37 am | | Reply

    So the kid acts like a dick and the people who have to deal with the asshole get in trouble. Nice. If they can come up with some evidence of racial bias, I’d love to see it. In the mean time, the message is: the law does not apply to you.

  2. Richard Nieporent December 18, 2003 at 8:30 am | | Reply

    But this is Howard County where the first amendment no longer applies when it comes to Muslims. During Ramadan, they set aside rooms in the high schools for the students to pray during the school day, and the ACLU thinks that it is perfectly fine for the school system to do it. According to the ACLU it is just the free exercise of religion guaranteed to all of us in the constitution, unless of course you are a Christian.

  3. Mark Campbell December 18, 2003 at 1:54 pm | | Reply

    I wonder what punishment would be meted if a Christian, White-American student disobeyed a teacher in this thugs country of origin.

    This generation of minority students are being taught that there is no authority over them and any attempt at promoting discipline should be perceived as discrimination, which can be challenged without having to accept the consequences of their actions.

    Personal accountability for your actions, self-discipline and respect for authority are the requirements of becoming a functioning member of the capitalist-democratic society. Anyone care to hire them to work for you ?

  4. Laura December 19, 2003 at 9:49 pm | | Reply

    I wonder if the teacher’s being female had to do with the student not thinking he should do what she told him. Got to keep the women in their place, you know.

  5. Rebecca December 20, 2003 at 11:21 pm | | Reply

    Well, Mr. Campbell, remember that capitalism is a destructive and oppressive system, exploiting the weak and rewarding corruption. And democracy is the cover name for what is really the rule of the Others by the oppressive patriarchy of insecure white men. These oppressive modern slave masters want us to obey rules and respect authority so we can be docilely controlled and led like lambs to the slaughter, complicit in our own subjugation. Or at least, that’s what I’m told in college.

  6. StuartT December 21, 2003 at 12:08 pm | | Reply

    Rebecca: I loved your hilarious send-up. Though with such a flair for lugubrious lamentations, the Democratic campaigns are sure to come calling for your services.

  7. Student December 30, 2003 at 1:04 pm | | Reply

    I’m a student at Glenelg High School. What occured was not discrimination at all. This student has had numerous discplinary infractions, and this incident was the straw that broke the camels back. He refused the administrator and the teacher numerous times.The teacher is male by the way. I believe the officer took the apporiate actions. Also if you see the student on the news at all he does not look islamic. He is very pale and dresses in gothic style clothes. I believe the officer should come back!

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