Islamic American student Mohammed Zubi says the teacher answered the question by saying, “We don’t negotiate with terrorists.”

Ridgefield, NJ-Arab-American student said a senior high school student felt uncomfortable and shocking fellow classmates as a teacher answered a question about homework in a statement about a terrorist on Tuesday morning. rice field.

Mohammed Zubi Talked to our sister station WABC He asked his teacher for permission to finish his homework at home during a math class at Ridgefield Memorial High School, about three miles west of New York City in Bergen County, New Jersey.

“He replied,’I will not negotiate with terrorists,'” Zubi told WABC.

Zubi, also a Muslim, 17 years old, said the entire class and another teacher heard the comments.

“I look around in shock,” Zubi said. “Some people are laughing and some are shocked. Look back and ask your friends,” Did he really say that? ” She said, “yes”

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, young American Muslims grew up in the face of hostility, distrust, and suspicion. A 2017 Pew Research Center survey of Muslims in the United States found that nearly half of respondents experienced at least one religious discrimination within a year.

Fellow Senior Nicholas Beres said he also responded with shock when he heard the statement.

“The teacher approached him, learned that Mohammed was Arab and Muslim, and said,’I will not negotiate with terrorists,'” another senior, Vuk Tomasese, told WABC.

The unidentified teacher later approached Zubi and said, “I didn’t mean that.” Statement from the New Jersey Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations..

“It’s almost unbelievable. We’ve lost the word. Why do teachers say this to their students?” Said Selaedin Maksut, Executive Director of CAIR-NJ.

Zubi, the captain of the school’s soccer team, hasn’t returned to school since the teacher was aside.

“I don’t feel like going back. I’m really uncomfortable,” he said. “I don’t want to see anyone and I’ve been in the room all day. I don’t want to see my friends, especially after the teacher tells me.”

Zubi’s mother worked at Ridgefield High, and his older brother graduated from high school. His brother, Anas Zubi, said he found the statement very disturbing.

“It hurt my heart to hear such a comment from my younger brother, a 17-year-old minority,” he said.

WABC asked the school director for comment. A spokeswoman said the issue was a “personnel issue” and at this point the district had nothing more to say.

Copyright © 2021 WLS-TV. all rights reserved.

Islamic American student Mohammed Zubi says the teacher answered the question by saying, “We don’t negotiate with terrorists.”

Source link Islamic American student Mohammed Zubi says the teacher answered the question by saying, “We don’t negotiate with terrorists.”

The post Islamic American student Mohammed Zubi says the teacher answered the question by saying, “We don’t negotiate with terrorists.” appeared first on Illinois News Today.