School Forced Muslim Boy To Watch Kids Eat During Fast: Complaint

NEW YORK CITY — A nine-year-old Muslim boy, fasting for Ramadan, was forced to watch his friends eat lunch at school as punishment for laughing, according to a new lawsuit.

The faith of the fourth-grade boy was "weaponized" at Bay Ridge's P. S. 264 on May 14, according to the civil rights complaint filed by the Council on American-Islamic Relations against the Department of Education Wednesday.

“You must sit in the cafeteria,” the school worker allegedly told Zaman Mashrah's young son. "Watch all the kids eat while you are fasting."

The nine-year-old boy, identified in court records as I.A., wept in his mothers arms later that day and no longer wants to practice his faith at school. according to the complaint.

“I trusted P.S. 264 to treat my son with dignity and respect," said Mashrah. "Instead, my child had his religion used against him as a form of punishment."

Mashrah reported the worker's actions to P.S. 264 principal Marisa Bolognino in hopes the school employee would face punishment, but no action was taken, the complaint alleges.

The Brooklyn mom filed a discrimination complaint with the DOE's Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management later that month but a ruling has not yet been made, according to the complaint.

"I expected the Department of Education to have our backs and protect my child," Mashrah said. "The only person that has been protected is the staff member that bullied and abused a nine-year old boy."

The CAIR-NY suit alleges both mother and son faced repeated discrimination at P.S. 264 during the 2018-2019 school year, when Mashrah was denied a position as PTA treasurer and school officials refused to decorate for Ramadan as they did for Easter and Hannukkah.

P.S. 264 and the DOE never posted the decorations despite calls from City Council member Justin Brannan’s office, according to the complaint.

Brannon told Patch he could not comment on an ongoing legal matter but said he would monitor the case closely.

"I hope this matter is settled swiftly and that a just outcome for all parties is reached,” the council member said.

The complaint seeks damages for the Mashrah family and punishment for the school worker who punished I.A. and DOE officials they say failed to provide retribution.

"A school employee weaponized Ms. Mashrah’s son’s religious practice," said Ahmed Mohamed, CAIR-NY Litigation Director.

"When given an opportunity to live up to its obligations, the Department of Education failed Ms. Mashrah and her child."

New York City Department of Education spokesperson Isabelle Boundy said, in response to Patch's request for comment, that the complaint would be reviewed.

"... These very concerning allegations were immediately reported for investigation," Boundy said.“Schools must be safe, supportive and inclusive environments."

This story was updated after publication to include comments from the Department of Education and City Council member Justin Brannan.