With anti-Muslim occurrences on the rise, schools in Canada urged to address Islamophobia

As tensions from the Israel-Hamas war continue to ripple through Canada, and officials across the country report an alarming rise in anti-Muslim occurrences, some experts say Islamophobia must become a classroom priority addressed now, in practical ways and on multiple fronts.

Although there have long been calls for more attention on combating Islamophobia in Canadian schools, it's been an infrequent topic of discussion, with just a handful of Ontario school boards beginning work in recent years on developing an anti-Islamophobia strategy.

Canada is "in a moment where we acknowledge that equity and inclusion is important," but it's imperative to move beyond talk into action, said Aasiyah Khan, director of education at the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM).

This includes providing practical ways for educators to "actually take this [subject] and translate it into a classroom," she said.

"What does that look like in terms of your lesson plans? How do we adopt an anti-Islamophobia lens or an anti-racist lens in our classroom policies or practices?"

The NCCM is among the groups that received funding to build resources and create training for educators about Islamophobia. Khan was also a co-author of the Peel District School Board's anti-Islamophobia strategy — the first of its kind in Canada and a move followed by boards in Toronto and London, Ont.

Through partnerships like these, the council's team has for years been leading workshops, sharing resources and developing strategies alongside teachers, school board officials and post-secondary instructors. The national group also helps advocate on behalf of students and parents when incidents arise.

Islamophobia is "not a one-off problem. It's a systemic issue that requires all kinds of interventions," Khan said.  

Since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in southern Israel and the Israeli government's bombardment of the Gaza Strip in response, Canadian authorities have recorded an alarming increase in anti-Muslim, anti-Palestinian and antisemitic occurrences.

Toronto police reported last week a "staggering" rise in hate crimes since Oct. 7. Earlier this month, British Columbia's human rights commissioner decried a surge of discrimination and violence against Muslim and Jewish people on Canada's West Coast. These come amid a landmark Senate report that flagged Islamophobia as a persistent problem in Canada requiring urgent action.

"It is in times of war that you witness a hardening of identities.... Everybody becomes aware of ethnic origins, where they're coming from, and you see a natural rise of stereotyping and othering," said Rahat Zaidi, a professor at the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary.

"Islamophobia is a classic example of othering, and it's really important to be aware of it first of all — to recognize that it exists in society and then combat it in very proactive ways."

With the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, some schools this fall cancelled or muted their Islamic Heritage Month celebrations, Khan said. She also referred to reports that the council received of over-policing of Muslim, Palestinian and Arab students.

"When we look at our equity and inclusion policies ... we are asking students to bring their whole selves into this [school] space: to celebrate who they are, to acknowledge and honour their histories. But for some reason, what we're finding right now is when it comes to Palestine, all of that is being silenced," she said.