In January 2018, I started working as a substitute teacher in Columbus, Ohio’s public schools. I showed up to work dressed appropriately for a teacher: a long-sleeved shirt and dress pants. I also wore a hijab. A symbol of my faith and tradition In the Muslim community, when I arrived, the principal immediately grimaced at my appearance and the hijab I was wearing, and before heading to my classroom, she informed me that it was my first and last day at school.
As I was walking down the hallway with my classroom assistant, she asked me how I felt about the principal canceling my assignment. She said that the students would not accept me because I looked too different. I also noticed then that most of the faculty and students were white. This situation left me feeling disheartened and I could not shake the feeling that my appearance, and perhaps my Muslim-looking features, had influenced their decision.
That incident was the harsh beginning of the challenges I faced. As a Muslim woman wearing a hijab In predominantly white schools Hijab And what does it mean? Islam is often misunderstood and unfairly stereotypedYet, despite these challenges, I believe my story is important—not only for deepening understanding of Islamic culture and Muslim female identity, but also for building a more welcoming educational environment for Muslim educators and students.
An unforgettable impression
Being fired from my first teaching job was undoubtedly a traumatic experience, and I later learned that it was a common and systematic experience for me because I am Muslim.
After I was fired from my substitute teaching job, I decided to take up a teaching position in a government institution for two months. Again, I was met with anxious and uncomfortable stares. One staff member asked, “Did your father force you to cover your head?” Another student even questioned whether I was hiding burns and a bald head under my hijab.
Then in 2019, when I became the lead Arabic teacher at my current school, I attended my first professional development meeting. As with my first teaching experience as a substitute teacher, I was surrounded by a room full of white teachers, but again, I was the only one wearing a hijab. That’s until another Black American woman teacher came up to me and whispered that she was an American Muslim. She told me that, like me, she was Muslim and that she normally wore a hijab at work, but had decided to take it off for the meeting because she feared she wouldn’t fit in. Her decision was driven by the pressure and the Muslims often experience a sense of otherness, of having to conform in order to be accepted, even at conferences that are supposed to promote diversity and inclusion.
Now, teaching in a school where 90 percent of the students are Muslim, I still see divisions. Despite the diversity of the students, social interactions are often segregated, and Muslim students and white American students often sit separately during record-keeping days and professional development workshops. One teaching assistant once told me that she was uncomfortable with my hijab and thought it was a lack of respect for her religious choice. When I shared my views and reasons for wearing it, I explained that the hijab is part of my religion. Islamic Philosophy Women cover their hair and wear modest clothing so that they are judged on their spirit and not their appearance.
As a teacher, I see the impact these prejudices have on my students. Many of my female students Fear of how you will appear No one wears the hijab outside of school. Related to this, one of my male students said that he is lucky to be able to hide the fact that he is Muslim, but he cannot because his sisters, like him, wear the hijab at school and in class.
After this experience, I felt overwhelming Islamophobia and racism. The student demographic is more diverse and the school is Rise in anti-Muslim hatredHowever, it is clear that these prejudices still exist and remain challenges that Muslim students and educators must deal with on a daily basis.
As an educator who has been negatively portrayed, I feel compelled to share my views publicly and highlight the pain of being marginalized in the hope that schools, especially majority-white and non-Muslim schools, will begin to see us as people and not stereotypes.
Humanizing the Hijab
These stories from parents, fellow teachers, and students not only revealed their lack of understanding of Islamic culture, but also highlighted the importance of explaining and breaking down these stereotypes within my own institution. Thankfully, my experiences in different educational institutions influenced my development, but did not change my core identity, aspirations, or the person I wanted to present to my students. Therefore, I took it upon myself to wear the hijab proudly and unashamedly to humanize my experience so that my students, colleagues, and school leaders could learn about what it means to be a Muslim student and teacher in these institutions.
The media portrays Muslim women as oppressed, but I always talk with my colleagues to try to correct this misconception. First, during my training, I organized a cultural awareness session in a school, where I spoke about my personal experience and the importance of the hijab. Second, I did a mentorship collaboration with middle school girls, documenting their identities and talking about their identities through the hijab. Flipgrid Virtual Classroom Program Our goal is to support Muslim students and help them feel more confident in their identity. We have also initiated an open dialogue with students and staff to discuss diversity and inclusion through our Arabic Education Conversation Club.
Beyond building these efforts, I have been empowered by connecting with fellow educators, both within and outside the Muslim community, who understand the complexities of being a minority teacher in a public school. I have collaborated with other educators to develop inclusive curricula that reflect diverse cultures and perspectives, and I have advocated for policy changes within my school to ensure that the religious practices of Muslim students are respected, such as by allowing prayer times and religious dress.
These relationships have played a vital role in continuing my advocacy work as I seek to participate in creating educational environments where all students and educators feel valued and respected.
The journey continues
My journey as a Muslim teacher in a predominantly white school has been challenging but oddly, extremely rewarding. Although I am only five years into my teaching career, I believe my experiences have not only deepened my understanding of Islamic culture and identity but also challenged the misconceptions and realities faced by Muslim women.
My decision to wear the hijab is a testament to my identity, faith, and resilience, not a stereotype that should be internalized at the expense of our Muslim students and staff. As educators, we have a responsibility to wholeheartedly embrace diversity and support one another in our mission to educate and inspire.
By amplifying diverse voices and fostering dialogue, we can break down barriers, celebrate differences, and foster an environment where all students and educators feel valued and respected.
