NJ district suspends teacher that called student a terrorist

A New Jersey schoolhouse territory has suspended a teacher aft a Muslim pupil claims helium was called a "terrorist" by a teacher successful beforehand of his class.

In a statement, the Ridgefield School District said it had suspended the unit subordinate progressive successful the incident, adding that it has "absolutely nary tolerance for immoderate benignant favoritism (sic) against immoderate pupil oregon unit member."

According to WABC-TV successful New York City, who archetypal reported the story, 17-year-old Mohammed Zubi says helium was successful mathematics people astatine Memorial High School successful Ridgefield erstwhile helium asked his teacher a question.

"He responded saying, 'We don't negociate with terrorists,'" Mohammed told WABC.

The pupil added that galore of his classmates overheard the comment. Others who were successful the country astatine the clip besides spoke with WABC to further corroborate the incident.

NorthJersey.com reports that the teacher aboriginal approached Mohammed and told him that helium "didn't mean it similar that."

Mohammed and his household aboriginal brought their concerns to the New Jersey section of the Council connected American-Islamic Relations.

"We are precise acrophobic astir these allegations and impulse the schoolhouse territory to instrumentality due corrective measures pursuing a swift and transparent investigation," CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut said successful a statement. "This benignant of insensitive connection by an authorization fig is unacceptable due to the fact that it perpetuates stereotypes of Arabs and Muslims."

CAIR-NJ added that the radical has besides offered the territory diverseness grooming for its unit to assistance combat Islamophobia.

In its statement, the Ridgefield School District added that it "fully intends to prosecute immoderate and each ineligible remedies against the unit member."