Teachers should not spy on children nor police their communities
The issue
Teachers should not spy on children nor police their communities
This statement from within the Muslim community expresses the position of the undersigned with respect to the government’s continuing counter-terrorism ‘reforms’ in schools aimed at facilitating the recognition and reporting of ‘extremist’ behavior and views. We – the Muslim women professionals, mothers and students state the following in this regard:
As part of the Federal Government's counter-terrorism reforms, schools have now been issued directives to report and monitor their students for “extremist” behaviour and to prevent the proliferation of “extremist” views. Most recently, on the 27th July, NSW Premier Mike Baird announced a sweeping review of all prayer groups in NSW schools, detailing plans for a state-wide audit. This was followed with a reported memo sent to all state principals urging them to report any instances of possible student radicalisation or extremism to police and a hotline was setup for this purpose. In addition, the NSW Police and the NSW Government are coordinating a training program for the Education Department on how to recognise and prevent radicalisation and extremism.
Over many years we have witnessed government policy tread a dangerous path. Initially targeting violent terrorist acts, then later widening to encompass 'extremist' thought, until we now find that the act of prayer in schools is effectively being viewed through the lens of national security. The most vulnerable and innocent in our community are being positioned on the frontline of a policy of open discrimination.
Teachers carry a heavy burden in the community, committed to educating and shaping capable and caring members of society. Added to this is the responsibility of providing a safe and comfortable learning environment amid safeguarding their pupils from harm. It is not the role of teachers to police their students, nor is it to act as intelligence officers spying on children on behalf of the government.
Teachers are deliberately being exploited under the Government’s ‘war on terror’ policies. Rather than building a deep and trusting relationship with their student populations, the role of teachers will now lead to more suspicion, creating more animosity, and institutionalise the policing of Muslim children.
Schools are not raising 'radicalisation' fears as any significant areas of concern with governments. Nor do such fears fall into the day-to-day real struggles that schools and their communities face. In a time where schools are crying out for additional funding for important educational programs, where teacher burnout, online bullying, youth suicide and substance abuse are rife, one must seriously question the government’s allocation of vital funding into countering what appears to be a highly inflated and politicised threat.
These reforms have further contributed to the creation of a climate of suspicion and distrust of anything Islam and Muslims. The simple act of gathering to perform the Muslim obligatory prayer at lunch time, a fundamental tenet of the faith, now requires that a Muslim child's name be placed on a State school register. In the current institutionalised Islamophobic climate, we hold serious concerns and suspicion as to the purpose of such a register, and the potential for such a register to be exploited in the future.
Members of the Muslim community have already received concerns regarding the effects these policies have had on their children. Significant levels of anxiety and even instances of distress in children have been reported by parents following teachers projecting discriminatory and intimidating comments onto students. Innocent child play has also not been immune to overreaction by teachers. The disastrous consequences of this on the student-teacher relationship requires little evidence, effectively creating a school environment where open and trusting interactions are damaged and marginalisation is facilitated, leading to undesirable outcomes for all.
We are right to question whether the government has children's welfare as its foremost concern when on the one hand teachers are threatened with two years gaol for reporting child abuse in detention centres, and on the other hand they are bound by duty to speak out if they come across ‘extremist” behaviour that accords with a highly politicised definition.
We call out the governments 'reforms' for what they are: further intimidation of the Muslim community into silence through the lowest most underhanded means possible - waving their own children under their noses with implicit threats of being caught up by the law.
We ask all fair-minded people to continue to scrutinise the government scare tactics, fear-mongering and political machinations. They not only do not bode well for societal harmony at large, but they increase the alienation experienced by the most vulnerable in the Muslim community - its children. It is time the government stopped diverting the attention of the public away from its disastrous domestic and foreign policies by playing the ‘Muslim’ and ‘national security’ card. If today’s ‘national security’ concern is a child as young as five in the playground, then what tomorrow?
24th August, 2015
COMMUNITY MEMBERS: ADD YOUR VOICE TO THIS STATEMENT
If you agree with this statement, show your support by sharing it on social media and through other mediums, and by leaving a comment below pledging your support to the Statement.
SIGNATORIES
1. Reem Allouche Primary School Teacher
2. Wafa Omran Primary School Teacher
3. Maryam Rafiq Primary School Teacher
4. Fagr Mahdi Primary School Teacher
5. Joanna Jodeh Primary School Teacher
6. Huda Hanif Primary School Teacher
7. Saniya Hanif Primary School Teacher
8. Fatima Krayem Primary School Teacher
9. Hajr Toefy Retired School Principal
10. Alissar Fahda High School Teacher
11. Sineen Azhar Nomani High School Teacher
12. Hira Badar High School Teacher
13. Nabila Al Jaffar Teacher
14. Ahmed Talaat Teacher
15. Ayah Helmy Student Teacher
16. Fatin Bazzi Student Teacher
17. Brennan Bland Student Teacher
18. Haleemah Shaikh Pre-service Secondary School Teacher
19. Humaira Hamimi School Counselor
20. Sawda Begum Early Childhood Teacher
21. Rhonda Zahra Early Childhood Teacher
22. Elmira Natakusuma Early Childhood Teacher
23. Desi Arief Early Childhood Teacher
24. Nur Tsalis Early Childhood Teacher
25. Ramia Sultan Lawyer
26. Roohi Koya Solicitor/ Mediator
27. Zouhour El-Ghoul Solicitor
28. Mona El-Baba Solicitor
29. Rebecca Kay Human Rights Activist
30. Ola El-Hassan Community and Youth Advocate
31. Quashfia Islam Counselor
32. Hanan Dover Clinical & Forensic Psychologist
33. Wendy Sawtell Clinical Psychologist
34. Dr Heather Ann Windschuttle Clinical Nurse Specialist
35. Diana Hermayani Nurse
36. Dwirani Bayumi Nurse
37. Widia Sari Nurse
38. Nisa Wulandari Nurse
39. Warsiti Suwarno Nurse
40. Debby Pranita Nurse
41. Herasmara Sopian Nurse
42. Fouzia Khan Medical Practitioner
43. Humaira Yusuf Medical Personal Assistant
44. Errin N Aisyah Science Lab Technician
45. Suhaila Hanif Medical Scientist
46. Fida Elomari Radiation Therapist
47. Nassma Bader Pharmacist
48. Douher Daher Pharmacist
49. Humaira Bader Pharmacist
50. Miriam Ahmed Pharmacist
51. Fautmeh Ardati Orthoptist
52. Alaa Ayoubi Orthoptist
53. Ghiwa Hannouf Orthoptist
54. Hina Badar Orthoptist
55. Susan Awed Podiatrist
56. Shaeesta Shujauddin Telecommunication Engineer
57. Rumeysa Yargi FDC Educational Leader
58. Kaisar Binte Chowdhury IT Professional
59. Sama El Sobihu IT Professional
60. Sheheli Sharmin B2B Connection Officer
61. Nusrat Amin Online Technical Support
62. Wasiela Noorsjamsi Designer
63. Ismandriani Irmawidiyati Graphic Designer
64. Krista Arief Market Intel Officer
65. Yessi Okatavia Wangi Business Administration
66. Aninta Finconia Accountant
67. Lina Ayad Accountant
68. Shakeena Ahmad Accountant
69. Nazma Mastan Accountant
70. Fenti Fitriawati Accountant
71. Safaa El-Draihi Accounting and Credit Management
72. Ustadha Umm Jamal-Ud-Din
73. Mrs Maimounah Abdullah
74. Fatima Shah
75. Tasmiah Islam
76. Baraah Sankari
77. Noura Rifai
78. Fadwa Sankari
79. Salwa Zein
80. Amara Rifai
81. Sumya Rahman
82. Nematullah Hayba
83. Mariam Hayba
84. Rayann Elzmeter
85. Atika Latifi
86. Jannat ulMawa
87. Sadaf Razvi
88. Noha Sankari
89. Nurul Hambali
90. Fauziah Hambali
91. Dian Natakusuma
92. Mutiara Khairunnissa
93. Israa Alwahwah
94. Soofia Qureshi
95. Allysha Gusmardi
96. Annisa Suprianto
97. Aziza Malik
98. Rovilin Chantique
99. Intan Endah-Bonsu
100. Aisyah Syarief
101. Nicky Amrizal
102. Mariam Ardati
103. Rayaan Awed
104. Roseanne Awed
105. Joumana Dennaoui
106. Marwa Atteya
107. Amina Atteya
108. Salwa El-Moghazi
109. Sahar Manzar
110. Tatiek Suliyati
111. Pramuka Hidariyati
112. Saibah Siddiqui
113. Olisyah Aziz
114. Mariam Alwahwah
115. Lina Abdulwahab
116. Biljana Milutinovic
117. Shazia Farheen
118. Dairien Santoro
119. Hafiroh Santoro
120. Farhana Jamaldeen
121. Fitria Fitria
122. Zaila Hamzah
123. Rizki Azis
124. Amani Alfas
125. Mariam Ali
126. Elvira Anggraini
127. Syena Elfostria
128. Sadaf Razvi
129. Tanaz Saiyed
130. Lamia Hossain
131. Adrianna Puntriano
132. Aisha Malik
133. Sulis Agung
134. Radia Amin
Petition Closed
The issue
Teachers should not spy on children nor police their communities
This statement from within the Muslim community expresses the position of the undersigned with respect to the government’s continuing counter-terrorism ‘reforms’ in schools aimed at facilitating the recognition and reporting of ‘extremist’ behavior and views. We – the Muslim women professionals, mothers and students state the following in this regard:
As part of the Federal Government's counter-terrorism reforms, schools have now been issued directives to report and monitor their students for “extremist” behaviour and to prevent the proliferation of “extremist” views. Most recently, on the 27th July, NSW Premier Mike Baird announced a sweeping review of all prayer groups in NSW schools, detailing plans for a state-wide audit. This was followed with a reported memo sent to all state principals urging them to report any instances of possible student radicalisation or extremism to police and a hotline was setup for this purpose. In addition, the NSW Police and the NSW Government are coordinating a training program for the Education Department on how to recognise and prevent radicalisation and extremism.
Over many years we have witnessed government policy tread a dangerous path. Initially targeting violent terrorist acts, then later widening to encompass 'extremist' thought, until we now find that the act of prayer in schools is effectively being viewed through the lens of national security. The most vulnerable and innocent in our community are being positioned on the frontline of a policy of open discrimination.
Teachers carry a heavy burden in the community, committed to educating and shaping capable and caring members of society. Added to this is the responsibility of providing a safe and comfortable learning environment amid safeguarding their pupils from harm. It is not the role of teachers to police their students, nor is it to act as intelligence officers spying on children on behalf of the government.
Teachers are deliberately being exploited under the Government’s ‘war on terror’ policies. Rather than building a deep and trusting relationship with their student populations, the role of teachers will now lead to more suspicion, creating more animosity, and institutionalise the policing of Muslim children.
Schools are not raising 'radicalisation' fears as any significant areas of concern with governments. Nor do such fears fall into the day-to-day real struggles that schools and their communities face. In a time where schools are crying out for additional funding for important educational programs, where teacher burnout, online bullying, youth suicide and substance abuse are rife, one must seriously question the government’s allocation of vital funding into countering what appears to be a highly inflated and politicised threat.
These reforms have further contributed to the creation of a climate of suspicion and distrust of anything Islam and Muslims. The simple act of gathering to perform the Muslim obligatory prayer at lunch time, a fundamental tenet of the faith, now requires that a Muslim child's name be placed on a State school register. In the current institutionalised Islamophobic climate, we hold serious concerns and suspicion as to the purpose of such a register, and the potential for such a register to be exploited in the future.
Members of the Muslim community have already received concerns regarding the effects these policies have had on their children. Significant levels of anxiety and even instances of distress in children have been reported by parents following teachers projecting discriminatory and intimidating comments onto students. Innocent child play has also not been immune to overreaction by teachers. The disastrous consequences of this on the student-teacher relationship requires little evidence, effectively creating a school environment where open and trusting interactions are damaged and marginalisation is facilitated, leading to undesirable outcomes for all.
We are right to question whether the government has children's welfare as its foremost concern when on the one hand teachers are threatened with two years gaol for reporting child abuse in detention centres, and on the other hand they are bound by duty to speak out if they come across ‘extremist” behaviour that accords with a highly politicised definition.
We call out the governments 'reforms' for what they are: further intimidation of the Muslim community into silence through the lowest most underhanded means possible - waving their own children under their noses with implicit threats of being caught up by the law.
We ask all fair-minded people to continue to scrutinise the government scare tactics, fear-mongering and political machinations. They not only do not bode well for societal harmony at large, but they increase the alienation experienced by the most vulnerable in the Muslim community - its children. It is time the government stopped diverting the attention of the public away from its disastrous domestic and foreign policies by playing the ‘Muslim’ and ‘national security’ card. If today’s ‘national security’ concern is a child as young as five in the playground, then what tomorrow?
24th August, 2015
COMMUNITY MEMBERS: ADD YOUR VOICE TO THIS STATEMENT
If you agree with this statement, show your support by sharing it on social media and through other mediums, and by leaving a comment below pledging your support to the Statement.
SIGNATORIES
1. Reem Allouche Primary School Teacher
2. Wafa Omran Primary School Teacher
3. Maryam Rafiq Primary School Teacher
4. Fagr Mahdi Primary School Teacher
5. Joanna Jodeh Primary School Teacher
6. Huda Hanif Primary School Teacher
7. Saniya Hanif Primary School Teacher
8. Fatima Krayem Primary School Teacher
9. Hajr Toefy Retired School Principal
10. Alissar Fahda High School Teacher
11. Sineen Azhar Nomani High School Teacher
12. Hira Badar High School Teacher
13. Nabila Al Jaffar Teacher
14. Ahmed Talaat Teacher
15. Ayah Helmy Student Teacher
16. Fatin Bazzi Student Teacher
17. Brennan Bland Student Teacher
18. Haleemah Shaikh Pre-service Secondary School Teacher
19. Humaira Hamimi School Counselor
20. Sawda Begum Early Childhood Teacher
21. Rhonda Zahra Early Childhood Teacher
22. Elmira Natakusuma Early Childhood Teacher
23. Desi Arief Early Childhood Teacher
24. Nur Tsalis Early Childhood Teacher
25. Ramia Sultan Lawyer
26. Roohi Koya Solicitor/ Mediator
27. Zouhour El-Ghoul Solicitor
28. Mona El-Baba Solicitor
29. Rebecca Kay Human Rights Activist
30. Ola El-Hassan Community and Youth Advocate
31. Quashfia Islam Counselor
32. Hanan Dover Clinical & Forensic Psychologist
33. Wendy Sawtell Clinical Psychologist
34. Dr Heather Ann Windschuttle Clinical Nurse Specialist
35. Diana Hermayani Nurse
36. Dwirani Bayumi Nurse
37. Widia Sari Nurse
38. Nisa Wulandari Nurse
39. Warsiti Suwarno Nurse
40. Debby Pranita Nurse
41. Herasmara Sopian Nurse
42. Fouzia Khan Medical Practitioner
43. Humaira Yusuf Medical Personal Assistant
44. Errin N Aisyah Science Lab Technician
45. Suhaila Hanif Medical Scientist
46. Fida Elomari Radiation Therapist
47. Nassma Bader Pharmacist
48. Douher Daher Pharmacist
49. Humaira Bader Pharmacist
50. Miriam Ahmed Pharmacist
51. Fautmeh Ardati Orthoptist
52. Alaa Ayoubi Orthoptist
53. Ghiwa Hannouf Orthoptist
54. Hina Badar Orthoptist
55. Susan Awed Podiatrist
56. Shaeesta Shujauddin Telecommunication Engineer
57. Rumeysa Yargi FDC Educational Leader
58. Kaisar Binte Chowdhury IT Professional
59. Sama El Sobihu IT Professional
60. Sheheli Sharmin B2B Connection Officer
61. Nusrat Amin Online Technical Support
62. Wasiela Noorsjamsi Designer
63. Ismandriani Irmawidiyati Graphic Designer
64. Krista Arief Market Intel Officer
65. Yessi Okatavia Wangi Business Administration
66. Aninta Finconia Accountant
67. Lina Ayad Accountant
68. Shakeena Ahmad Accountant
69. Nazma Mastan Accountant
70. Fenti Fitriawati Accountant
71. Safaa El-Draihi Accounting and Credit Management
72. Ustadha Umm Jamal-Ud-Din
73. Mrs Maimounah Abdullah
74. Fatima Shah
75. Tasmiah Islam
76. Baraah Sankari
77. Noura Rifai
78. Fadwa Sankari
79. Salwa Zein
80. Amara Rifai
81. Sumya Rahman
82. Nematullah Hayba
83. Mariam Hayba
84. Rayann Elzmeter
85. Atika Latifi
86. Jannat ulMawa
87. Sadaf Razvi
88. Noha Sankari
89. Nurul Hambali
90. Fauziah Hambali
91. Dian Natakusuma
92. Mutiara Khairunnissa
93. Israa Alwahwah
94. Soofia Qureshi
95. Allysha Gusmardi
96. Annisa Suprianto
97. Aziza Malik
98. Rovilin Chantique
99. Intan Endah-Bonsu
100. Aisyah Syarief
101. Nicky Amrizal
102. Mariam Ardati
103. Rayaan Awed
104. Roseanne Awed
105. Joumana Dennaoui
106. Marwa Atteya
107. Amina Atteya
108. Salwa El-Moghazi
109. Sahar Manzar
110. Tatiek Suliyati
111. Pramuka Hidariyati
112. Saibah Siddiqui
113. Olisyah Aziz
114. Mariam Alwahwah
115. Lina Abdulwahab
116. Biljana Milutinovic
117. Shazia Farheen
118. Dairien Santoro
119. Hafiroh Santoro
120. Farhana Jamaldeen
121. Fitria Fitria
122. Zaila Hamzah
123. Rizki Azis
124. Amani Alfas
125. Mariam Ali
126. Elvira Anggraini
127. Syena Elfostria
128. Sadaf Razvi
129. Tanaz Saiyed
130. Lamia Hossain
131. Adrianna Puntriano
132. Aisha Malik
133. Sulis Agung
134. Radia Amin
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Petition created on 24 August 2015