Islamic Schools and Muslim Youngsters Report Harassment

By Mary Ann Zehr

The number of reported incidents of harassment, threats, or vandalism against Islamic schools or Muslim children and youths mounted last week, but so did efforts by Muslim and Middle Eastern organizations and U.S. government leaders to prevent such incidents.

Some Muslims and people of Middle Eastern backgrounds in the United States said they believe they are in a better position now than they were during past international crises involving the Middle East or Islamic countries to get accurate information out to the public and schools about what they stand for.

"During the Gulf War, a lot of Arab-American students felt they were silenced," said Marvin Wingfield, the director of education and outreach for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee in Washington. "Although people are still feeling silenced ... and the hate crimes are much worse than during the Gulf War, what's different are much more immediate and conscious efforts by educators...