Prejudice against Muslims Students in US Education - Thesis Example

Impact of Prejudice against Muslims in US Schools, Colleges, and Universities Over the years, Muslims have had a considerably difficult time in the US public institutions such as the education systems, probably because of their religion (Cardin, 2013). The situation is mostly common in colleges, schools, and universities where the level of diversity amongst the students is quite high (Ecklund, 2012). In this regard, both American Muslims and Muslim international students have had their share of prejudice in the past, with the extent of such prejudices depending on the state, the level of education, and the diversity of the culprits (TanenBaum, 2011). Normally, prejudice is a threat to the safety and wellbeing of the victims in the sense that the student s are unable to concentrate on their studies. Indeed prejudice comes in various from including but not limited to realistic threats, stereotypes, and symbolic threats. This means that the Muslim international students, most of who come from the Middle East, find it unbearable in the US education institutions (Alibeli, 2013). While the United States has expanded her democratic space as to accept and tolerate diversity in her education sector, Prejudice is still her biggest nightmare particularly against the Muslim students who constantly suffer realistic threats, stereotypes, and symbolic threats hence affecting their education. Certainly, prejudice is one of the biggest nightmares that a Muslim student studying in America can go through. This occurs virtually at all levels of education ranging from high school to the universities where non-Muslim students normally mock and ridicule, and sometimes they even bully the Muslim students (Alibeli, 2013). In real sense, prejudice comes in different forms depending on a number of factors. These may include the level of diversity within the academic institution, the perception of Muslims in the state or immediate environment, and the level of the learning institution (Ecklund, 2012). In essence, the Muslims students face stereotype in the sense that the west more so the American community largely believe that all Muslims are associated with terrorism and this makes them repulsive. While this may not be the exact truth, the Muslim students face the drama anyway to the extent that some of them are referred to as Osama Bin Laden (TanenBaum, 2011). Another disgusting element when it comes to the prejudice against the Muslim student in the United States is the fact that most Americans disregard Islam as a foreign religion that ought not to exist in America (Ecklund, 2012). In this respect, the American and other students tend to discriminate against the Muslim students irrespective of the freedom of religion recognized by the Constitution of the United States of America. This actually means that despite the fact that the Muslim students are a minority in the United States education centers, they are rightly protected by the constitution of the land (Cardin, 2013). The implication of this is that the perpetrators prejudice acts are in direct violation of the law besides exhibiting lack of humanity. In addition, the nearly all students from other faiths like the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, and the Catholics participate in the prejudice acts (TanenBaum, 2011). Perhaps the implication of the prejudice that the Muslim students in America undergo is that they virtually lose focus and in turn experience a drop in their academic grades. This has been especially so after the September 11 attack on US World Trade Centre that left many Muslims vulnerable to attack, ignorance, and abuse (Ecklund, 2012). Ever since, Muslims have never been at peace in US soil especially the Muslims who enroll for studies in the United States. While it is true that the Muslims do not have a choice to be in their religion, it is also important to note that religious based prejudice affects their psychological wellbeing (TanenBaum, 2011). This means that once such Muslim students in schools, colleges, and university become victims of religious prejudice in their respective academic institutions, they will tend to lose academic focus and experience a drop in their academic performance. This will not happen because of their lack of hard work but because of the trauma that they undergo while in school where virtually everyone turns against them (Alibeli, 2013). When it comes to the research design, it is worthy to mention that there are two types of variables to be measured in this case, which include the independent variables and the dependent variables (Ecklund, 2012). To begin with, the independent variables are the factors that are independent of the environment, time, and situation in which the Muslim students find themselves. Cardin (2013) give the definition that the independent variables are self-governing factors through which students manipulated and discriminate the Muslim students. These independent variables include, prejudice, Islam, fear, distrust by the society and government, and stereotype (Alibeli, 2013). When measuring the independent variables, the major independent variables will include the degree of distrust and stereotype towards the Muslim students. This is important because it definitely leads the researcher into the roots of prejudice (TanenBaum, 2011). As far as the dependent variables are concerned, it is important to note two major dependent variables exist that include education and academic grades (Ecklund, 2012). In this case, the resolution to continue with or rethink education by the Muslim students will entirely depend on the level of prejudice such students encounter in American schools (TanenBaum, 2011). Subsequently, too much prejudice against the Muslim students in American schools, colleges, and universities summarily leads to a drop in academic performance of the victimized students. Therefore, the two dependent variables that ought to be measured in this research are education resolve and academic performance (Alibeli, 2013). In summary, Islam as a religion had had a tough time particularly in the United States when it comes to acceptance and tolerance. Subsequently, the Muslims aspiring to study in US bases schools have also had their fair share of the same challenge, as they are treated as outcast. The aggravating factor in this case is the US September 11 attack that led to the death of many Americans by suspected Muslim terrorists. Perhaps it is important to note that the perception of Islam as a religion with extremist and radical doctrines is responsible for the stereotype that the Americans have on Muslim students. In this regard, Muslim students in the US undergo all forms of prejudice in the name of their religion. While the federal government has done everything within its capacity to negate the standings, more still needs to be done in terms of promoting religious tolerance and liberty, as stated in the US constitution. References Alibeli, M. A. (2013). Alleviating Prejudice against Muslims in the United States. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 3(3), 97-103. Cardin, K. (2013). Despite gains, many Muslim students still struggle for acceptance. Retrieved from http://www.usatodayeducate.com/staging/index.php/pulse/despite-gains-many-muslim-students-still-struggle-for-acceptance Ecklund, K. (2012). Attitudes toward Muslim Americans Post-9/11. Journal of Muslim Mental Health, 7(1). TanenBaum (2011). Muslims & Islam in the United States. Retrieved from https://www.tanenbaum.org/sites/default/files/Muslims%20and%20Islam%20in%20the%20US%20Fact%20Sheet%20FORMATTED.pdf Read More