Student Tells Muslim Teacher to Hang Herself with her Headscarf

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(Via Facebook/Mairah Teli)

In an appalling display of bigotry, cruelty, and lack of respect for authority, a high school student in Georgia reportedly sent a threatening letter to a Muslim teacher, telling her that her headscarf was no longer allowed, and that she should hang herself with it instead. He signed it “America!”

According to Jezebel’s Lauren Evans, 24-year-old Mairah Teli is a teacher at Dacula high School in Georgia. She teaches language arts to high school students, and she is also a young Muslim woman who wears a headscarf. Last week she received an anonymous and almost illegible note marked with drawings of a flag.

“Your headscarf isn’t allowed anymore,” the note said. “Why don’t you tie it around your neck & hang hourself with it off of your neck instead of your head. — America!”

Teli posted the photo to Facebook as an example of the atmosphere in her community and as proof for those who say these sorts of racist attack aren’t actually happening.

She wrote:

“I’m a high school teacher and sadly this anonymous note was put in my classroom today. As a Muslim, I wear a headscarf as a practice of my faith. I want to share this to raise awareness about the reality and climate of our community. Spreading hate isn’t goig to “make America great again.” #DonaldsAmerica #NotIntimidated #HeretoStay #LoveTrumpsHate”

Unfortunately, the comments on her picture are full of anti-Muslim rhetoric and declarations that she’s just faking this to make Trump supporters look racist. Overall, though, Teli says that she’s received more support than hate. She says the school has been completely on her side since she found the note, and that they’re taking the incident seriously and trying to figure out who sent it. Hopefully they’ll find out soon, and hopefully the rest of the students agree that this note and the sentiments it conveys are heinous and not acceptable. They’re not acceptable to say to anyone, let alone a teacher.

As a teacher, Teli is an authority figure. She’s in charge in the classroom. Kids have been doing this sort of thing to classmates for days now, and many of them have been caught on video, but sending this to a teacher is like sending a racist note to your boss. Someone really must think the “not being a racist shit” “politically correct” shackles are off and it’s open season to be as racist as you want. At least it’s heartening to see that the school has Teli’s back and is taking a definitive stand against racist harassment at school. It sounds like schools all over the country are going to have to be dealing with issues like this for the foreseeable future.

H/T Jezebel

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