By Ernie McCray
Arab and Muslim students have, for a while now,
spoken about how,
because of the War in Gaza,
they’re not feeling safe at school.
And that stems from the fact that
educators have, literally,
turned their backs
to these young people’s cries,
absolutely refusing to even take the first step
called for in this situation,
that step being,
simply gathering
all students together in groups
and put to use socializing kinds of exercises
that can lead them to
empathizing and sympathizing
and imagining
walking in somebody else’s footwear –
letting the concerns of the Arab and Muslim students
act as the guide.
I mean they’ve vowed loudly and clearly
that they’re feeling alone
and alien at school,
as though they were an enemy of sorts,
so, students taking part in understanding
what this must be like
could be asked to share times when they’ve
felt lonely
and out of place,
highly uncomfortable
somewhere where the energy
didn’t fit their taste.
And they cringe
as insults like
“bombers” and “terrorists”
and “ragheads” and “camel jockeys”
are thrown in their faces
so, students could assess
moments in their lives
when they, too, had to pay a price
for something they didn’t do,
as not one Arab student
had a single thing to do
with those who tragically lost their lives
at a concert in Israel
at the hands of human beings
who are cruel through and through.
They often have to brace
themselves
against having their religious beliefs
and the clothes they wear
harshly scrutinized
and their people’s stories
mockingly trivialized and nullified,
so, students could be asked
to think of instances when they were insulted
for just being who they are.
From these conversations
prose and poetry
might rise.
Sketches for the school’s stage
might come alive.
Songs might be sung.
All to say
schools can be made
to be safe places
for everyone.