Our view: District, release files in Muslim accusations

Our view: District, release files in Muslim accusations
Times Editorial Board • April 15, 2010

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Twitter FarkIt Type Size A A A St. Cloud school district, show residents what you did — and do it soon.



That's the simple-but-critical next step for the district in answering accusations from a Muslim advocacy group that the district did not adequately respond to complaints from Somali Muslim students about harassment and worse at Apollo High School.
Having talked with five top district administrators and having read assessments from the Council on American-Islamic Relations Minnesota, this Editorial Board sees both sides as accusing each other of misleading the public and/or not providing the full story.
District leaders, fair or not, your best approach is to show the public what you did (and when) with regard to:
Two students throwing food and verbally abusing Somali Muslim students during lunch. CAIR-MN indicates it heard about this on May 11.
Two other students throwing a marker at and trying to attack one or more Somali Muslim students. Students told CAIR-MN about this May 15.
A Somali Muslim student says an Apollo administrator, during a meeting with this student and two students accused of harassing her, allowed the two students to swear and yell at the Somali Muslim student but told that student to be silent. CAIR-MN cites a May 15 date.
Four students accuse a teacher of handing other students air freshener and instructing them to spray the room when Somali Muslim students entered. CAIR-MN dates this event on Nov. 18.
Five Somali Muslim students report a bus driver left about 30 Somali Muslim students waiting at a stop on several occasions and telling them "catch me if you can." The students report they often have to find other ways to get to school.
CAIR-MN says a Somali Muslim student told it on Feb. 13 that a World History teacher made disparaging comments about Islam and Somalis in class. Other students report the teacher uses biased, inaccurate or incomplete information about Somalis, Islam and Muslims, plus the teacher will not let Somali Muslim students present their view.
Four female Somali Muslim students tell CAIR-MN in February that two students taunted them with bacon and insults. The two repeat the behavior March 16, which is reported to staff.
Somali Muslim students tell CAIR-MN a teacher said, "Ugh, the Somalis are back" after a religious holiday.
District leaders, you told us April 6 that you knew of and had addressed virtually all incidents. It's time to prove it.
Yes, we realize you must adhere to demanding privacy laws. But these are serious claims, and they should have documentation showing district actions. Indeed, you said you already had investigated many of them.
Making public dated, procedural narratives from each effort (and not identifying specific students and employees) will clarify these two clouded perspectives.
Use your Web site; use these pages. Just make them public.