New CAIR survey reveals 1 in 2 Muslim students reported harassment at California colleges

Nearly half of Muslim students in 87 colleges and universities across California experienced harassment or discrimination at school, according to a new report.

The California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA) and its Center for the Prevention of Hate and Bullying unveiled its latest report, “Examining Islamophobia on California College Campuses” at a press conference Tuesday, Nov. 19.

“The past year has been extremely traumatizing for college students of various ethnicities of the Islamic faith, all because they valiantly chose to stand up,” said Osman Khan, director of the Center for the Prevention of Hate and Bullying, at the presser. “Students should not have to suffer physical reprisals or fear of possible academic and future employment repercussions for simply practicing their constitutionally protected rights to petition for assembly and speech.”

On Tuesday, CAIR-CA officials called out growing Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian bias in schools, which they linked to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war that first erupted in October 2023.

The latest report, which looks at the 2023-24 academic year, sheds light on the experiences of hundreds of California Muslim college students, recommending actions for their safety as the school year continues. Officials said that 720 students at public and private schools statewide were surveyed, ranging mostly between ages 18 and 24 (79%), female (60%), Middle Eastern (42%) and South Asian (37%).

It examines student perceptions of their schools’ administrations, law enforcement involvement, and the impact harassment has had on their identities. The report also highlights university response rates, looking in depth at incidents at California schools including UCLA, USC, UC Riverside, UC Irvine, Cal State Long Beach, Cal State Fullerton and Cal State Los Angeles.

“Rather than feeling safe and supported, many have faced suppression of their free speech and have been penalized for opposing Israel’s actions and advocating for Palestinian rights,” officials said. “Unfortunately, this issue is not new, and many universities, administrators, and law enforcement have failed to offer the necessary support, leaving students feeling targeted and isolated.”

Many Southern California schools — including UCLA, UC Irvine, USC and Cal State L.A. — have been at the forefront of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with campuses seen varying levels of pro-Palestine and pro-Israel activism during the last school year. Some demonstrations were more peaceful and others more violent, involving student arrests, building occupations and police activity. Such clashes have sparked new policies banning campus encampments and wearing identity-concealing face masks, as the 2024-25 school year began.

Many Muslim students surveyed — including some involved in pro-Palestine actions on campus — reported “higher than average” concerns about safety, feeling targeted or being doxxed. According to the CAIR-CA report, 1 in every 5 students had their personal information compromised or were doxxed after Oct. 7, 2023, “as a result of pro-Palestinian activism or student group affiliations.”

Key findings of CAIR-CA’s 2024 Campus Climate Report include:

• 49% (1 in 2) of Muslim college students surveyed continue to face high levels of discrimination and harassment — up from 40% reported in 2020.
• 37% of Muslim students felt targeted by professors or instructors, and 53% felt targeted by other students, because of their religious identity.
• 92% of those surveyed reported harassment and/or discrimination after Oct. 7, 2023.
• Many Muslim students do not trust their schools to adequately protect them or to provide them with a safe learning environment.
• 65%, said that their school did not issue any statements, provide accommodations or address “significant issues impacting the Muslim community.” 47% of students who faced discrimination said they felt uncomfortable bringing up concerns. 36% were uncomfortable expressing political opinions on campus.
• 53% of students said their schools’ statements regarding Palestine or Israel “made them feel excluded.”
• Among the most reported incidents included derogatory remarks, verbal statements or gestures “disparaging Islam or Muslims, Palestine/Palestinians, or Arabs.”

The college climate report was also consistent with statewide research, which shows a rise in religiously motivated hate.

In California, attitudes toward both Jewish and Muslim people have suffered, according to the latest report from the state Department of Justice, which looks at hate crimes over the last year. While overall hate crimes in California were down in 2023, compared to the previous year, reported hate specifically against LGBTQ+, Jewish and Muslim communities rose last year.

Anti-Jewish bias rose 52.9%, from 189 in 2022 to 289 in 2023, while attacks against Muslim groups rose from 25 in 2022 to 40 in 2023, the DOJ report said. Also, religiously motivated hate crimes rose 30%, from 303 in 2022 to 394 in 2023.

By comparison, CAIR-CA’s civil rights department received over 700 intakes in 2023, with 150 alleging Islamophobic, anti-Palestinian, and anti-Arab hate crimes and incidents — the highest number of biased-based complaints in 30 years, officials said. Overall support for a free Palestine was among the record number of complaints to their office.

The new CAIR report advocates for the protection of Muslim students’ legal rights, the right to free speech and protest, and for administrators to directly address discrimination and foster a “safe, inclusive environment” for all students, faculty and staff, “regardless of ethnicity, national origin, religion or political views.” It calls for officials to provide religious accommodations, invest in religious/cultural literacy workshops, and in resources on reporting hate.

At Tuesday’s presser, Summer Salama, a recent USC graduate, said that her school is “grappling with Islamophobia” and “the erasure of Muslim voices,” as seen by the “silencing” of last school year’s Muslim valedictorian, Asna Tabassum, at graduation.

“Some students in class (have) received devastating news of losing loved ones in Gaza,” said Salama. “They not only mourn their families, but also face a silence and lack of empathy from their own community. Where are the statements of solidarity? The safe spaces for healing or meaningful support from administration for those grieving innocent lives? There’s none.”

“We cannot claim to be a global institution of higher learning while neglecting the global realities of our students. We cannot say we stand for justice when we turn a blind eye to injustice within our own campus,” she added.

Cal State Fullerton’s Amir Valiulla, a member of the Students for Justice in Palestine, said that while some colleges have struggled with tensions and open communication, his school fostered an environment where “Muslim and Arab students can feel supported and empowered” to “engage in meaningful dialogue… with respect and empathy.”

“This dynamic creates opportunities for Muslim and Arab students to advocate for justice and human rights without the pervasive fear of backlash,” Valiulla said. “This environment has been especially important over the last year.”