Hundreds of UTHS students protest after alleged exchange between Muslim student and teacher

EAST MOLINE, Illinois (KWQC) – Hundreds of learners walked out of United Township Higher University in protest Thursday morning following an alleged trade between a Muslim college student and a UTHS instructor.

“I arrived up to course after 3rd time period and I explained to this teacher that I needed to go pray due to the fact I experienced missed my prayer and the teacher went on to say promptly ‘I really don’t respect that’ and he did not add any clarification on why he did not regard it. I was so perplexed and just felt so harm by that and I questioned him why, and he mentioned he considered I was lying since Muslims have a specified time they pray and that I did not have to pray at that time but I could pray at any time I want,” alleges Omnia Salih, a Muslim university student at UTHS.

Salih suggests the instructor did enable her go away to pray but she was hurt by the teacher’s reaction to her request.

“I just felt really invalidated and felt like my religion was minuscule like it could be improved down to a broad time period but – it just created me experience actually undesirable about myself actually,” stated Salih.

In a media release despatched to Television set6 from UTHS Superintendent Jay Morrow, the district stated, “Prior to this incident, UTHS, in coordination with our Islamic scholar group, designed a Reflection Room. In this area, pupils of any religion can honor their faith. In discussion with our Islamic scholar group, it was agreed that prayer times would be allowed. The teacher authorized the pupil to work out this opportunity.”

The release went on to state, “United Township embraces our cultural and spiritual range. This is shown by our formally organized Islamic university student group, as properly as our very long-standing Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and our P7 corporation for practising Christian learners.”

Salih claims her follow is particularly significant to her through Ramadan a thirty day period-extended Muslim observance of prayer and reflection.

“Now that it is Ramadan, the holy thirty day period of fasting, I was like you know, if it would make some individuals uncomfortable that is not my fault because which is who I am and I’m not likely to alter for anybody else,” explained Salih.

Salih claims she wishes to make it clear she was not denied her prayer time. She states the teacher’s response was hurtful. Salih reported she did not organize the wander-out herself but is grateful to her classmates who showed up in masses to support her.

“Everyone was expressing we support you and they are holding their indications of support and encouragement. I could have cried at the protest, it was just so a lot,” mentioned Salih, “I’m pleased this occurred nowadays. Not just due to the fact of the uncomfortability that it additional to the school but also because of the publicity this bought. If you are not not comfortable then there is no room for alter. So, by this happening especially soon after so long at United Township – we have a lot of matters slide less than the desk. So, I believe this really brought an illustration of students speaking up about how they truly feel simply because it is validating how they feel,” said Salih.

In a press release, the faculty district said, “This protest was in response to a rumor of a university student who was allegedly denied the opportunity to pray. Our investigation has located the accusation to be untrue. United Township is entirely supportive of the teacher who is wrongly accused and unfairly maligned on social media.”

In an job interview with Tv set6, Omnia Salih advised Tv6 she by no means stated the instructor denied her the chance to pray but was told the act manufactured the instructor awkward.

Television set6 attained out to Brian Schou, the instructor included in the alleged incident.

He responded, “While I have to regard scholar confidentiality rules, I truly feel I am in a position to share that contrary to lots of statements, I did in truth allow for a pupil to depart my classroom to pray. I definitely did not say possibly of the matters which are staying attributed to me on that student’s social media posts. Whilst I did condition I was not comfortable with the pupil lacking some necessary instruction, I am quite at ease with the follow of prayer in Islam and all other religions. I am saddened my responses have been distorted into statements that are completely antithesis to my character and beliefs.

As to other public claims that I am ignorant or insensitive of simple Muslim practices, enable me merely answer by stating I have been educating a Environment Studies course for the final seventeen several years at UT, a person factor of which is to examine the world’s significant religions. As portion of that research, we explore the Five Pillars of Islam, and when I am no qualified in the Muslim faith, I am thoroughly informed of the anticipations of continual prayer and am even conscious of the particular time frames that are to be adhered to in the present-day year of Ramadan.

I stand by my individual monitor file of thirty-a single many years of advertising and marketing tolerance, comprehending, and coexistence between incredibly numerous pupil bodies, and I commend UTHS’s efforts to make all pupils sense valued and welcome.”

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