Boston Public Schools’ central office in Roxbury’s Dudley Square. (Courtesy — Boston Public Schools)
Editor’s Note: The Boston City Council unanimously approved a resolution on Wednesday, March 6, 2024 encouraging Boston public schools to encourage and support Muslim students in the school system. The text is below. Below that are images of the three pages of the resolution.
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OFFERED BY COUNCILORS TANIA FERNANDES ANDERSON AND
RUTHZEE LOUIJEUNE
CITY OF BOSTON
IN CITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION TO ENSURE THAT
BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS EFFECTIVELY
ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF ITS MUSLIM
STUDENTS
WHEREAS, The Boston Public Schools is tasked with educating all of the students in their
charge and therefore, must create a safe and secure haven for its pupils as well as
offer them a rigorous education; and
WHEREAS, Followers of the Islamic faith make up the second biggest religious group of
students who attend our schools, and they are in need of support and services
from culturally competent educators who are aware of how to honor their
identities, allowing them to flourish at school; and
WHEREAS, In an article by Felicia Gans, published in the May 4th, 2021 edition of the Boston
Globe, 61 percent of BPS students and students of surrounding suburbs say that
they have been bullied in school, and 14 percent of our Muslim youth don’t feel
comfortable telling their peers at school that they are Muslim; and
WHEREAS, In the same study referenced in this article, 40 percent said they have heard of a
Muslim student being physically harassed at school, and 17 percent of the
students surveyed said that they themselves have had their hijab pulled and tugged
on; and
WHEREAS, Students have the right to request reasonable accommodation for religious
expression in public schools, such as designated spaces that can be utilized for
prayer, as long as said prayers are not disruptive to their peers, but they are often
too intimidated to ask, despite public schools being required to provide students
an opportunity to practice their religion without favoring one religion over
another; and
WHEREAS, There is currently a dearth of places and times within our schools where Muslim
students can take the breaks they need to pray, as practicing Muslims must pray at
times that correspond to school hours, amplifying the spiritual necessity of the
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creation of such spaces that will allow for their spiritual practices; and
WHEREAS, Religious involvement plays an important role in mental health, especially among
marginalized ethnic communities by promoting culture and identity in a largely
white-Christian-dominated society; and
WHEREAS, The generic dietary options that are made available to our BPS students are often
not options that a practicing Muslim can partake in which creates conditions in
which Muslim students must abstain from said food options, or bring food from
home; and
WHEREAS, Thirty-three percent of Muslim students in the Boston area report that they have
altered their appearance, behavior and name to disguise their Muslim identity in
the face of persistent harassment and discrimination; and
WHEREAS, Practicing Muslims often have uniform needs that may conflict with certain
requirements for classes as Muslims often cover their bodies as a part of their
faith, and this needs to be allowed and honored in various contexts, such as gym
classes; and
WHEREAS, There are several Muslim holidays throughout the school year that are not
recognized as city holidays and hence, the students do not get days off, and
religious exemptions for absences must be instituted with a reasonable amount of
time given for students to make up all assignments given during those days, and
specific provisions must be made for the fasting that occurs during Ramadan,
when followers of the faith do complete fasts of both food and drink for a month;
and
WHEREAS, More attention must be paid to the specific bathroom needs of our Muslim
students, including the proper provision of clean water and soap that will allow
them to purify themselves in the proper manner after every utilization of
bathroom facilities, sufficient privacy needs, and the ability of our pupils to recite
duas, among other matters; and
WHEREAS, Boston Public School policy has as a stated goal of building a safe and supportive
environment, and recognizes and respects the diverse population of its pupils in
their schools and out in the community; and
WHEREAS, Schools play an important role in teaching students about race and ethnicity,
formally and informally, and a student’s own identity is heavily influenced by a
school’s climate, proving the profound importance of progressive education in the
creation of confident and strong willed youth; and
WHEREAS, A positive school climate is one in which students feel safe, respected, and
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supported, furthermore, a positive school climate increases student engagement,
improves student outcomes, and improves student mental health; and
WHEREAS, It is the responsibility of our City’s school system to educate all of our youth, to
keep them safe, to encourage the flowering of their full identities, and to
recognize what makes them who they are, including the honoring of their
religious practices; NOW, THEREFORE BE IT
RESOLVED: That the Boston City Council go on record in full support to ensure that the
Boston Public Schools efficiently address the needs of its Muslim Students by
recognizing the diverse and significant challenges faced by Muslim students in
the Boston Public Schools (BPS), urging BPS to proactively address these issues
of instances of bullying, harassment, and the lack of accommodation for
religious practices, and to ensure culturally competent educators who can support
the flourishing of Muslim students in a safe and inclusive environment; BE IT
FURTHER
RESOLVED: That the Boston City Council support the creation of designated spaces for
prayer, accommodation for dietary restrictions, acknowledgment of Muslim
holidays, and attention to specific bathroom needs and to create a positive school
climate to foster student well-being and academic success. Ultimately, the
Boston City Council acknowledges and strongly support efforts to meet the
unique needs of Muslim students within the Boston Public Schools.
Filed on March 6, 2024
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Boston City Council resolution on accommodating Muslim students in the Boston Public Schools, adopted unanimously on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. Source: Agenda Packet of the Boston City Council for meeting of Wednesday, March 6, 2024.
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Boston Public Schools’ central office in Roxbury’s Dudley Square. (Courtesy — Boston Public Schools) 
