Feb 09 2016
Islamophobia Rises In the Academy – From K-12 to the University
GUEST: Ahlam Muhtaseb, a member of California Scholars for Academic Freedom, Associate Professor, Graduate Coordinator at the California State University San Bernardino.
An African American professor at Wheaton College has decided to leave her teaching position there after coming under fire for saying that Christians and Muslims worship the same god. Larycia Hawkins is a tenured professor of political science at the Christian college. As a protest against Islamophobia she also wore a hijab to work and was eventually asked to resign. However, after Wheaton College reversed its decision, Hawkins decided to part ways with her employer after all.
Her story is one of many others that often go unreported, that involve a rising level of hostility to Islam in the academy, particularly in the wake of the attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, California. Middle East and Arabic studies departments are facing a loss of funds, Muslim or Middle Eastern professors are walking on egg shells, and Muslim children are seeing more instances of school bullying.
Find out more here: https://cascholars4academicfreedom.wordpress.com.
One Response to “Islamophobia Rises In the Academy – From K-12 to the University”
Wheaton college DID NOT reverse its decision. An apology from the provost came independently of a reversal in her leave. She was not reinstated. This is all very tragic.