In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, parents and activists are calling for action after a teacher allegedly called a seventh-grade Palestinian-Lebanese-American student a "terrorist" during an after-school program at Central Dauphin Middle School. The incident reportedly occurred on January 16 when the student asked to change seats, and the teacher responded, "I do not negotiate with terrorists." The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Harrisburg Palestine Coalition held a press conference demanding accountability from the Central Dauphin School District.
According to NBC News, the district confirmed that the teacher has resigned. However, the student's father, Adam Rahman, expressed ongoing concerns about racial issues within the district. Rahman stated, "This is the eighth time my family has dealt with racial issues within the district." He called for more education on geopolitics to help students understand different backgrounds, especially in the Middle East.
The district emphasized its zero-tolerance policy for hateful and racist speech and launched an internal investigation. Fox43 reported that CAIR-Philadelphia Executive Director Dr. Ahmet Tekelioglu called the incident a "racist, anti-Palestinian verbal assault" and urged the district to ensure the teacher does not return to the classroom. The district has also been urged to implement diversity training for all staff members.
Community leaders are advocating for cultural sensitivity and anti-bias training to prevent similar incidents in the future. The district's superintendent, Eric Turman, stated that there is no update on the investigation yet. The situation highlights the need for ongoing dialogue and education to foster a safe and inclusive environment for all students.