Shaza Khan, November 23, 2024, Updates, 0

On Wednesday, November 20, 2024, ISLA hosted its monthly Admin Meeting centering on the topic of “Preventing, Detecting and Reporting Sexual Misconduct in Islamic Schools.”

Islamic school leaders took time out of their busy day to participate in this meeting and learn more from our special guests, which included: Dr. Leila Shatara, a seasoned Islamic school administrator; Sr. Azra Kidwai, a County Coordinator for NJ Child Assault Prevention; and Br. Ismail Ibn Ali, head of school of Al Fatih Academy.

Meeting Recap & Resources Shared

Dr. Leila opened the session stressing the importance of this topic, including in Islamic schools. Unfortunately, it is an issue that our community is not at all immune to and that Islamic schools must address at a multi-faceted level, with administrators, staff, parents, and children.

Sr. Azra provided definitions to help us understand the scope of sexual assault and what all is included when this term is used. She shared the following “Resource Document for Educators on Supporting the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse.” While the document is particular to the state of NJ, it holds valuable information for everyone. Educators were encouraged to find out about the particular laws in their state and county that they need to be aware of.

Br. Ismail provided an understanding of where Islamic schools are located in the broader ecosystem and how Al Fatih Academy addressed the recent national headline of a Quran teacher found to be engaged in gross sexual misconduct and crimes against a minor by hosting a parent session to clarify how their school seeks to protect students from such abuses. He shared the following files to support Islamic schools seeking to do the same.