This is a presentation I gave in November of 2023 for the Muslim Family Network Society in Calgary regarding Islamophobia in Public and in Schools. Here are the links to the three articles on Islamophobia in Schools that I referenced: 1- https://theconversation.com/islamophobia-in-schools-how-teachers-and-communities-can-recognize-and-challenge-its-harms-162992 2-https://www.schoolshouldbe.com/post/what-does-islamophobia-look-like-in-schools-and-what-can-schools-do-about-it 3- https://islamophobia.org/research/bullying-and-bias-addressing-islamophobia-in-schools/

1. Islamophobia in
Canada
An Overview
By Imam Navaid Aziz

2. “The fear of and hostility towards
Muslims and Islam that is rooted in
racism and that results in individual
and systemic discrimination, exclusion,
and violence targeting Muslims and
those perceived as Muslims.”
Todd H. Green- The Fear of Islam

3. Objectives of Organized Islamophobia
Islam as Monolithic
and Static
Islam as Separate and
Other
Islam as Inferior
Islam as the Enemy
The Runnymede Report

4.  An Angus Reid poll in 2009 found that 68% of Quebecers surveyed held an unfavourable view
of Islam. This had risen just slightly in 2013 to 69%. However, the same poll showed that the
increase of Islamophobic attitudes in the rest of Canada was greater than it was in Quebec,
rising from 46% in 2009 to 54% in 2013.
Geddes, John "Canadian anti-Muslim sentiment is rising, disturbing new poll reveals". Maclean's Magazine (2013).
 A survey in 2012 shows 52%of Canadians feel that Muslims can only be trusted “a little” or
“not at all”. 42%of Canadians think discrimination against Muslims is “mainly their fault.
Csillag, Ron “Survey finds deep mistrust for Muslims in Canada”. Washington Post 2012
 A 2015 survey conducted in Quebec found that 49% of respondents would be bothered if
they received services from someone wearing the headscarf.
Solyom, Catherine "Survey reveals troubling data on religious tolerance in Quebec“. Montreal Gazette (2015)
 In July 2016, a survey by the polling firm MARU/VCR&C reported that only a third of Ontarians
had a positive impression of Islam, and more than half believed that mainstream Islamic
teachings promote violence. Three-quarters said that Muslim immigrants have fundamentally
different values.
Keung, Nicholas "Ontario facing 'epidemic of Islamophobia' survey finds". Toronto Star (2016).
 A 2017 report shows 51% of Canadians support government surveillance of mosques as
compared to 46% of Americans.
Geddes, John “On one issue, Canadians are a lot less tolerant than Americans” Maclean’s Magazine (2017)
 A 2017 Angus Reid poll found that 46% of Canadians had an unfavourable view of Islam.
Angus Reid- Religious Trends 2017

5. Attacks on Muslim Women
 1- 2011 a woman has niqab pulled off and assaulted in
Mississauga.
 2- 2013 17 year old punched in the nose and has Hijab
pulled off in St. Cathrines.
 3- 2015 a pregnant woman in Toronto wearing hijab
assaulted and falls as a result.
 4- 2020 Two women assaulted, car window smashed,
obscenities screamed at them.
 Several more in 2021, mainly in Alberta.
Attacks on Mosques
 1- December 31, 2013, a bomb threat was made against a
Vancouver mosque and the building was evacuated.
 2- On November 26, 2014, a bomb threat was made
against a Montreal mosque and the police found a
suspicious package. 12 buildings in the area were
evacuated
 3- On November 14, 2015, the only mosque in
Peterborough, Ontario was set on fire.
 4- On 12th September 2020, Mohamed-Aslim Zafis was
stabbed in the neck and killed outside of the IMO
Mosque.
 4- On October 12, 2020, A Toronto Mosque threatened.
Messages received by the mosque included the threat to
“do a Christ church all over again,”

6. 6- On January 29th, 2017,
Alexandre Bissonnette
opened fire upon worshipers
in the Islamic Cultural Center
of Quebec, killing 6 and
wounding 19 others, as they
prayed the evening prayer.

7. Yumna 15,
Madiha 44,
Talaat 74, and Salman
Afzaal 46.
All run over by a truck
and killed on June 6th,
2021, in London, Ontario.

9. Why it Matters
Identity
Impact of Othering
Islamic View of Wellness
Regardless of level of adherence, the
majority of Muslim youth in Canada
identify with their Muslim identity before
their ethnic or cultural identity
Being discriminated against for a
core identity marker leads to a
higher levels of psychopathology
Wellness from an Islamic
perspective can not be achieved
without spiritual wellbeing

10. Macro Aggressions or overt acts of racism
or xenophobia. These are the ones that
are usually called out and avoided.
Macro Aggressions
False Info Assumptions Threats
"You better keep an eye
out when Mo is around,
you know how violent his
people are"
"How did you end up
here? Did your family try
to marry you off to
someone for 100 goats?"
"None of the Muslim
prayer sh-t is allowed
here"

11. Microaggressions are more subtle ways of
underminding safety. These are the ones
that can cause the most damage.
Micro-Aggressions
Invalidation Exclusion Insulting
"Are you even Muslim?
You don't wear hijab".
"What's the big deal if the
marshmallows have
pork?"
Centering Christian
holidays, not giving them
time off for religious
celebrations, consistently
serving pork.
Laughing at them when
they pray, throwing water
at them, asking why they
wash their feet.

12. Seemingly innocuous attitudes
“I treat all students the same” or “I don’t see colour.”
A comment I hear often from teachers and administrators is “I am
not always aware of Muslim students as Muslims,” or “All students
are the same,” or “I don’t see colour.” When I probe and ask more
questions, I notice the fear of being perceived as an Islamophobe, or
harbouring Islamophobic sentiments is camouflaged and wrapped up
in such statements. Research shows that treating students the same
means that all students receive the same treatment irrespective of
their needs.
To have a “colour-blind” approach is rooted in the notion that being
“different” is a deficit. Emphasizing “same treatment” and “colour-
blind treatment” means covering implicit biases.

13. Seemingly innocuous attitudes
Muslim students are considered spokespersons for their religion. Just as Muslim
organizations are expected to be first to condemn any terrorist attack, Muslim
students also find themselves called upon to condemn attacks, defend their
faith and speak on behalf of their faith: “Does Islam oppress women? What
does Islam say about homosexuality? Why are ‘Muslim’ countries in such
disarray?”
Similarly, one teacher concerned about student academic integrity asked me
“… does the Qur’an say that cheating is OK? Because in most religions that is
not right.” The teacher could not fathom that a student who was wearing a
hijab could also cheat in their class. The pressure of representing an entire
religion, in its best form, is a daunting task for an adult, let alone for a student.
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14. Seemingly innocuous attitudes
Divisive and dangerous Islamophobic narratives. Such narratives repeated in the
media have a very strong hold in the societal psyche and negatively affect
Muslims.Some of the very first questions any visible Muslim female student
gets asked is “Did your husband/father force you to wear hijab? Is your
father/husband strict or controlling?” And irrespective of the answer, students
feel that some teachers will not change their way of thinking no matter what
evidence is presented. Another example I encountered in my research is when
a student spoke about his teacher. The student said the teacher “is fair in
everything.” But when it comes to topics like Islam and terrorism, the teacher
“holds on to his opinions…. Muslims in the class kept saying ‘this is not Islam,’
but I don’t think our message was received.”
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15. Seemingly innocuous attitudes
Speaking about Muslims as if they are not “Canadian.” This is part of viewing any
practice outside of a white settler normative culture as not “Canadian.”
Students are contending views, such as those of one teacher, in my interview,
who claimed: “Parents [of the Muslim students] do not want to accept the
norms of the Canadian culture.” The “norms” the teacher was referring to were
white settler norms. Students find themselves pressured to frequently profess
their sense of belonging to Canada and assert their religious practices and
beliefs are part and parcel of the Canadian mosaic. Similarly, when a 2016
survey of Muslims by the Environics Institute was released, media focussed on
reporting mainly about the sense of belonging and “Canadianness” of Muslims.
Source: Islamophobia in schools: How teachers and communities can recognize and challenge itsharms by Asma Ahmed
Further reading:
1-What does Islamophobia look like in schools - and what can schools do about it? By Ivan Andriavani
2- Bullying and Bias: Addressing Islamophobia in Schools
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16. Resources
Books
- The Fear of Islam: Todd H, Green
- What Is Islamophobia: Edited by: Narzanin
Massoumi
Reports
-Runnymede Report (1997 and 2017)
-Project Someone (Islamophobia 2019)
Papers on Islamophobia in Canada
-Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme (Waterloo)
-Sabreena Ghaffar Siddiqui (McMaster)
Website:
https://islamophobianetwork.com/

17. Conclusion
Intervene when safe
Report Hate Crimes
Increase Literacy, educate, and
discuss