Rally at Apollo supports Muslim students in St. Cloud schools

Rally at Apollo supports Muslim students in St. Cloud schools
By Dave Aeikens • daeikens@stcloudtimes.com • March 29, 2010

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Buzz up!Twitter FarkIt Type Size A A A Next Page1| 2Previous PageMore than two dozen Muslims and their supporters rallied for peace Monday across from Apollo High School to show support for students who attend the St. Cloud schools.




The rally was on public property on the west side of 44th Avenue North across from Apollo. It went from about 8:30 a.m. and ended before 1 p.m., said Mohamoud Mohamad, executive director of the St. Cloud Area Somali Salvation Organization and the organizer of the rally.
The rally ended about two hours before it was scheduled to end. Mohamed said that was because people had been there a long time, there were no easily accessible bathrooms and the wind made it chilly.
“We transmitted the message we intended to transmit,” Mohamed said.
Those at the rally say the school staff is not doing enough to keep Muslim students from being harassed and in some cases is contributing to it. The rally comes less than a week after a Minnesota Muslim civil rights group announced it asked the U.S. Department of Education to investigate a series of allegations that could create a hostile learning environment for Somali and Muslim students at Apollo and Technical high schools.
“The kids we are sending here, have a hard time in school,” said Nimo Mohamed, who was holding a sign on a boulevard near 44th Avenue North.
People at the rally chanted and held signs that said “Discrimination is intolerable” or “St. Cloud school district must integrate” among others. Almost all of the people at the rally were adults. One student was there. Most cars drove by and ignored the rally. A few people honked from their cars. One person stopped and dropped off a signed letter suggesting Somalis be more appreciative of what they have in the United States. Toward the end of the rally, two people appeared about 100 yards from the rally. One person held an American flag and another held a sign, said Sgt. Marty Sayre of the St. Cloud Police Department. There were no incidents the entire time of the rally, Sayre said.
Superintendent Steve Jordahl said the district responds appropriately to every complaint and act of bullying against any student. He disputes that staff are not doing enough or are condoning harassment of Muslim students.



“I think that allegation would be false.” Jordahl said.




He said in his almost two years in the district he has not received any complaints about a specific staff member nor has any staff member been disciplined for inappropriate behavior toward Muslim students.
The district is investigating a series of claims from the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Minnesota CAIR has asked the U.S. Department if Education to investigate possible discrimination in St. Cloud and Owatonna.
Jordahl said the district acknowledges one incident in which Muslim students were teased and harassed. Two boys who are white were suspended. The district has been unable to substantiate other allegations including one that pork bacon was shoved in the face of Muslim girls. The investigations are continuing, he said,
Semya Hakim, coordinator of family and staff of color caucus at St. Cloud State University was among those at the rally.
“I am very concerned about the way Somali and other Muslims students are treated in St. Cloud schools,” Hakim said.