Abdullah Khan, President of the Islamic Schools Association of Australia (ISAA) has today expressed the Islamic schools’ concerns regarding the choice of attire of six students at a recent “Year 12 muck-up” day held by Gilroy Catholic College Year 12 Students in Castle Hill. Six male students dressed up as so-called “terrorists” holding water guns while wearing a kaffiyeh (traditional Arabic headdress) with white shirts, white pants and sandals.
This blatant demonstration of anti-Muslim sentiment proves as a society we still have a very long way to go to address racist, Islamaphobic and anti-Muslim sentiments. It is extremely disappointing to see senior students who are graduating from a faith-based school to hold such disrespectful, offensive and uneducated views of Muslims.
The Islamic Schools Association of Australia condemns the behaviour and is extremely disappointed that the College involved allowed the students to remain in their costumes for the event. One of the best ways to reduce Islamophobia is to build relationships with the local Muslim community and Mr Abdullah Khan is more than happy to assist Gilroy College to find ways to interact with their Muslim neighbours to dispel racist, Islamophobic and anti-Muslim sentiments.
