An investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) found that a counselor at Tappan Middle School in Ann Arbor made a discriminatory remark against a Muslim student. The counselor's comment, "I don't negotiate with terrorists," directed at a Palestinian Muslim student, has compelled Ann Arbor Public Schools (AAPS) to agree to take steps to address and prevent discriminatory harassment, CBS News Detroit reported.
The incident, which transpired in November 2023, sparked a complaint by the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI) the following month. In response to an investigation, AAPS is required to carry out a climate assessment and implement a plan to target any resulting issues, according to The Detroit News. Furthermore, the OCR found that AAPS's previous policy, limited to addressing written complaints, did not fulfill Title VI requirements, which mandate broader accessibility in the reporting process.
AAPS has committed to providing counseling services to the affected student and, as part of the resolution agreement with the OCR, AAPS will communicate whether a hostile environment was present based on the student's Muslim heritage. The district will also conduct training on Title VI's prohibition on discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, CBS News Detroit mentioned.
Catherine E. Lhamon, assistant secretary for Civil Rights, assured that the OCR would work with the district to guarantee an environment where students could learn without harassment. CAIR-MI expressed satisfaction with the OCR's findings and AAPS's willingness to rectify the issue, hoping that the resolution begins a healing process and promotes inclusivity for Palestinian and Arab students, Executive Director Dawud Walid said, as noted by The Detroit News.
According to AP News, the federal investigation confirmed the counselor's words and the student's experience of being denied a drink and called a terrorist in November. Following the incident, and the counselor's attempt at an apology, the student and his family pursued several complaints to the school administration and AAPS school board without satisfactory resolution, which led to the involvement of CAIR-MI. AAPS, while not detailing specific actions, affirmed in a statement its opposition to racism, hate, discrimination, and bias, asserting its seriousness in addressing harm within its community.
