DEFEND FREE SPEECH AND ABRAR OMEISH AGAINST RACIST ATTACKS
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To the FCPS Board,
I am writing to voice my support for Abrar Omeish. Abrar's progressivism and outspoken nature is one of the big factors that got her elected to the school board. Abrar's statement is factual. There's nothing subjective about whether or not the Israeli government has been bombing civilians and beating and arresting them in places of worship. These are facts recorded in news coverage of ongoing events. Thus, there's nothing problematic about her making a personal statement of this nature. Furthermore, Abrar's statement doesn't alienate any religious or ethnic group. It criticizes an apartheid government that has been detrimental to the development and education of Palestinian children across the region. Apartheid is an undemocratic, discriminatory system that is antithetical to FCPS values. Any backlash or retribution taken against her is stifling, suppressing, and censoring one of our own community members and leaders.
On top of that, ridiculing her will be an insult to the Muslim and Arab communities which make up a huge part of the FCPS family. It will alienate us, make us feel unsafe and unwelcome, and be an injustice towards us all. We are all feeling mental stress and some are even under physical stress. FCPS should fulfill their promise to be considerate of ALL students.
As an adult who was a student at Fairfax County Public Schools from K-12 — I was always taught to speak up about injustice. In fact, much of our curriculum from history to literature was focused around figures who did the same. If we really are people of principle then we should act consistently and support Abrar and her right to speak freely about topics of social justice the same way she has for Black rights, Native American rights, and the rights of other oppressed folks.