Skip to main content

Muslims Launch Platform to Combat Islamophobia in Ontario Schools

A leading Canadian Muslim association is launching a new educational platform to combat Islamophobia in the public education system and ensure classrooms are free from discrimination.

Set to be launched on December 2, the content rich Islam Awareness Platform for schools across the province is the result of four-month efforts by the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC) in cooperation with Ontario Ministry of Education.

Granting MAC a $225,000 grant in June 2021, Minister of Education Stephen Lecce announced that MAC will design and deploy a platform with content and resources for educators, students and parents.

📚 Read Also: Muslims Welcome Alberta Gov’t Funding to Deter Hate Crimes

Minister Leece and Kaleed Rasheed, Associate Minister of Digital Government, announced that in collaboration with community partners, funding will be provided for initiatives to support Muslim students and families with an emphasis on enhancing resources and training for educators, targeted support for students, and digital resources for parents.

“It is unacceptable that many Muslim students continue to face discrimination in our schools, on our playgrounds and in communities across this country,” said Minister Lecce in a press release sent to AboutIslam.net.

“That is why we are investing and partnering with community leaders — who are leading this effort— to counter racism and better support Ontario’s Muslim students and their families. For Premier Ford, Minister Rasheed and myself, we believe in our core that every student deserves to feel safe, respected, and engaged in learning in inclusive classrooms.”

Over the past four months, MAC has worked tirelessly with educators, academics and content creators to develop workshops, videos, and infographics to equip educators with mini courses and workshops composed of engaging content.

The educational digital resources are developed to raise awareness on racism and discrimination in all its forms, and particularly on Islamophobia.

Positive Reactions

The soft launch of the platform took place on the 17th of November and was attended by Ministers Stephen Lecce and Kaleed Rasheed, and the platform received a positive reception from governmental and societal stakeholders, educators, and students.

Upon the full launch in December 2nd, 2021, all of the content will be available to the public through an easily-accessible website.

“The Islam Awareness courses are an excellent, community-based approach to education and engagement on topics of Islam and Muslim experiences in Canada and beyond,” said Dr. Paul L. Gareau, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta.

“As a Métis citizen and academic lead for the Indigenous|Canada massive open online course, I understand the value of an anti-oppression approach to education and the need for deep understanding and relations with Muslim people and ethno-cultural communities.

“This accessible set of digital resources and course content will offer insight into the pluralism of Muslim communities and experiences, the means to push back and resist Islamophobia, and a way to a more equitable and inclusive future for all Canadians,” Dr. Gareau added.

“MAC thanks the Minister of Education and the Premier for their commitment to tackle Islamophobia and make learning spaces in Ontario schools safer and more tolerant.” says Sharaf Sharafeldin, executive director of MAC.

“MAC is proud to be playing a part in raising awareness to combat this alarming increase in Islamophobia. The outcome of this project far exceeds the original scope and offers very easy access, practical, and concise resources for educators, students, parents and anybody that is willing to address Islamophobia within the sphere of education.”

MAC is a Canadian, independent, national, faith-based, charitable organization, that provides spaces, services and programs for holistic education and personal development for Canadian Muslims.

Unfortunately, 46% of Canadians have an unfavorable view of Muslims and Islam in Canada which has played a role in rising hate crimes. Canadian Muslims have witnessed a nine per cent increase in anti-Muslim attacks in 2019 when compared to 2018.

The post Muslims Launch Platform to Combat Islamophobia in Ontario Schools appeared first on About Islam.



source https://aboutislam.net/muslim-issues/n-america/muslims-launch-platform-to-combat-islamophobia-in-ontario-schools/
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

List of Times and Places Where Dua is Accepted

A short reminder regarding the recommended times of dua . And I think what you need to know here is that the recommended times of dua or recommended things that can cause your dua to be accepted, can be divided into two sort of large groups: Am I Good Enough to Make Dua for Myself? Situations where your dua is accepted. Times where your dua is accepted So I’m going to very briefly mention them one after the other as much as possible. As for situations where your dua has been accepted: – The person who has been wronged or oppressed . – A person who finds themselves in severe difficulty after a calamity has struck. – The person who is traveling. – Someone who is fasting. – The one who is reciting the Quran or has just recited the Quran – Someone who is performing Hajj or Umrah or jihad. – The one who is making dua for someone in their absence . Because we know that when you make dua for someone in his absence an angel says: “ Ameen and to you”. – A person...
Post a Comment
Read More »

Derechos de Las Mujeres en Islam

Durante el Tiempo del Profeta (la paz sea con él) Veamos cómo fueron tratadas las mujeres de todo el mundo durante la época del Profeta (la paz sea con él). En la Europa del siglo VIII, la religión principal era el catolicismo y durante este tiempo debatían si las mujeres tenían alma. Dijeron que las mujeres eran impuras y que no tenían derecho a la herencia. A las mujeres tampoco se les permitía tocar la Biblia. No era como ahora en el Islam, donde ellas no pueden tocar el Corán durante la menstruación, pero a las mujeres en la Europa del siglo VIII nunca se les permitió tocar la Biblia. En China e India, fueron quemadas vivas cuando murieron sus maridos. En Arabia Saudita practicaron infanticidio femenino en el que, si nacía una niña, la enterrarían viva. Si el marido de una mujer muere, un miembro de su familia se unirá a ella para demostrar que ahora es de su propiedad. Mujeres en el Islam Con el Islam llegó una nueva era para las mujeres. En el Islam, las mujeres tienen la...
Post a Comment
Read More »

Ghuraba (The Strangers): Nasheed with English Subtitles

Islam began as something strange, and it shall return to being something strange, so give glad tidings the strangers. (Sahih Muslim 145) This famous nasheed has many versions; this one is from Muhammad al-Salman and has the subtitles in English embedded. [We are] strangers and we do not bow the foreheads to anyone besides Allah  […] Transliteration to help in the pronounciation:  Ghurabaa’ wa li ghairillaahi laa nahnil jibaa Aisha Stacey  wrote in an article for Aboutislam.net : “I think that many of you would agree that being Muslim in the 21st century makes you well acquainted with being strange. It might even be a metaphor for random, as in you have been randomly selected. […] many converts to Islam will tell you about feeling as if they were strangers, before finding Islam. They will speak of feeling that they belonged somewhere else that their lives were just slightly off center. They often speak about a vague sense of knowing they were not like everyone else...
Post a Comment
Read More »