Study shows more than half of California Muslim students are bullied

Muslim students between the ages of 11 and 18 are being bullied

Startling new data indicates more than half of California’s Muslim students between the ages of 11 and 18 are being bullied at school.

An American Muslim group released a report called “Mislabeled,” which reveals 55 percent of Muslim students in California say have been physically or verbally bullied because of their religion. That’s nearly twice the national average of all students nationwide who report being bullied.

Researchers explained that more male Muslim students than female Muslim students report experiencing Islamophobia, yet more girls report being discriminated by a teacher or administrator at school.

According to the study, over 600 Muslim students, from 11 to 18, were surveyed across the state. Nearly 20 percent of the students are from Santa Clara County.

The organization is calling on schools and parents to be vigilant in looking for signs of bullying, and to empower students to speak up when they experience or witness bullying.