Islamophobia Awareness Month (IAM) was founded in 2012 by a group of Muslim organisations, with the aim to raise awareness of Islamophobia and promote the positive contributions of Muslims to society. With over 70% of young Muslims in the UK experiencing mental health struggles stating that they have been victims of Islamophobia, it is therefore vital that IAM is explored in classrooms across the UK.
This is also particularly crucial following the civil unrest, racism and violence that occurred this summer after three girls were murdered in Southport. With misinformation circulating on several social media platforms about the identity of the perpetrator of these attacks, riots ensued. Fuelled by anti-migrant and Islamophobic sentiment, the riots included violence and attacks against individuals, property, and mosques.
To support educators returning to the classroom in the wake of the unrest, we hosted online sessions that included a range of activities from our Discussing Contemporary Islamophobia in the Classroom, Developing Media Literacy for Well-being, Relationships and Democracy, and Teaching in the Wake of Violence resources.
Discussing Contemporary Islamophobia in the Classroom
This unit is designed to help students reflect on how Islamophobia manifests in contemporary society and what needs to be done to challenge it.
Of particular resonance was the third lesson from the Contemporary Islamophobia unit, Addressing Islamophobia in the Media, which reflects on its manifestation and the consequences of being exposed to such content.
Educator attending our Supporting Teachers to Respond to the Summer’s Civil Unrest workshop
Highlighting this year’s IAM theme, Seeds of Change, it is also important to discuss the positive actions that many people took during the summer’s violence and rioting to stand up to anti-migrant, anti-Islam and anti-Muslim sentiment. Both in Southport and around the UK, communities united to protest against the violence. People also came together to help rebuild targeted sites, most notably mosques and immigration centres. At a mosque in Liverpool, Imam Adam Kelwick sought to connect with those who came in hostility, by sharing food and engaging in conversation.
To explore IAM further in school, we have also published an assembly which gives KS3-4 and S1-5 students the opportunity to learn more about the positive contributions made by Muslims, to help counter the bias towards negative depictions of Muslims in media and society, and to consider what Islamophobia is and what they can do to challenge it.
