On the 27th November 2018, the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims published its report on Defining Islamophobia. The Parliamentary Group recommended that all statutory and public bodies adopt the new working definition:

“Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness”.

The report was the result of a six long month inquiry heard from academics, lawyers, activists, victim groups and British Muslim organisations, as well as first hand accounts from communities in Manchester, Sheffield, Birmingham and London. The APPG on British Muslims received countless submissions detailing the racialised manner in which the Muslimness of an individual was used to attack Muslims or those perceived to be Muslims. The racialisation of Muslims proceeds on the basis of their racial and religious identity, or perceived identity, from white converts receiving racialised sobriquets such as “paki”, Muslim women attacked due to their perceived dress, bearded men attacked for the personification of a Muslim identity or even turban wearing Sikhs attacked due to the perception of Muslimness.

Alleged Islamophobic Incident at Stebon Primary School, Burdett Estate, Mile End

In my experience there is a general misunderstanding with regards to Islamophobia and the barriers that Muslims face in employment and in public with regards to discrimination. Recently, I have been contacted by residents on the Burdett Estate, with regards to an alleged Islamophobic incident at Stebon Primary School. I have contacted the school for an urgent meeting an am awaiting possible dates and times.

The above alleged incident highlights the lack of awareness in our senior school management with regards to islamophobia and how to deal with an Islamophobic incident. For example, the application of the McPherson Principle, that was a result of the Inquiry into the Murder of Stephen Lawrence, which states, “a racist incident” is “any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person”. The adoption of the new definition of Islamophobia, identified as a form of racism will give clarity to decision makers and give them certainty as to how to investigate such incidents.

I would like to clarify, that the above incident is alleged, and in my capacity as the local Councillor I would like to assist the school governors and management in investigating the incident as a racist incident.

One suggested way forward, also is to ask the Tower Hamlets Education Partnership (THEP), a body which assists school management in Tower Hamlets, to also adopt the definition, and assist school management to understand Islamophobia, and to make senior management and governance in school reflective of the wider community. THEP has received a million pounds from the Council in terms of start up funds and continuously receives £250,000 per year, therefore also has a Public Sector duty towards Equalities.

“Islamophobic violence is nurtured by histories of anti-black racist violence”. – Angela Davis