'We Will Not Divide,' Islamic Society of Milwaukee Says Of Remark

BROOKFIELD, WI—The Islamic Society of Milwaukee responded to an unedited clip from Tuesday night's Elmbrook School District School Board meeting. During the citizen’s comment portion, a community resident chose to directly target an Elmbrook Board Member with defamatory remarks, the school board said. The meeting was to discuss how to reopen Elmbrook schools in the fall.

In a letter dated Aug. 13, the ISM released this statement:

"On August 11th, 2020, Elmbrook Schools hosted their monthly School Board Meeting. During the citizen’s comment portion, a community resident chose to directly target an Elmbrook Board Member with defamatory and Islamophobic remarks.

ISM Brookfield joins the Elmbrook Schools Leaders of the Board and the broader Brookfield community in offering our resounding rejection of fear-fueled hate speech and affirms our commitment to combat any and all attempts to create enemies of our neighbors from the diversity that makes our community thrive.

To the resident who expressed these hateful remarks, we see you as part of our community and we will not divide.

The ISM Brookfield leadership welcomes you to break bread and dialogue with us. Let us share experiences and understand who we are as neighbors and let our personal interactions decide our opinions of each other, not just what is dictated to us.

ISM Brookfield thanks Dr. Mushir Hassan for his vast contributions in support of the safety, health, wellness, and achievement of our students and the broader community as a leader of both Elmbrook Schools and Ascension Elmbrook Hospital. Thank you for your past and continued contributions to ISM Brookfield and the Muslim community.

We acknowledge and stand side by side in your commitment to serve. ISM Brookfield appreciates Elmbrook School Board’s allyship and the messages of support from our fellow community members. Keeping our community safe and welcoming is a responsibility for us all and we re-affirm our commitment to do so even when we are not the target for division."

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization also condemned the remarks on Friday.

The woman identified herself as Heidi Anderson. Earlier in the meeting, she said she was not in support of continuing virtual learning.

Patch called a number listed for Anderson but there was no answer.

Patch was able to see the part of Anderson's statement which was edited out of the recorded version of the meeting posted online. Anderson is heard saying the following in the clip:

"Dr. Mushir, and I hope I'm saying this correctly. You are not the right person to be the board liaison. You do not practice infectious disease. You have a political leaning, contrary to this district. You online state you are a big Obama fan and comply mentally with his control and philosophy. You publicly slam our President Trump.

As a leader in the Islamic community are you not? Listen, my children are Christian and they are not subject to wearing these face coverings. Christian children should not be forced to wear face coverings anymore than children who are Islamic or Muslim should be forced to, as you put it, be subjected to the American style of the sexualization of children and have to wear less clothing than you are comfortable with your children wearing."

A member of the board warned Anderson of the need to avoid defamatory statements, according to the clip. Another member also tried to tell her to end her comments, the clip showed.

EBSD stated in their a portion of a letter, "Our community values civil discourse and understands that disagreements are inevitable. However, the behavior displayed at Tuesday's meeting was far beyond the boundaries of acceptable conduct.

We would like to publicly apologize to Dr. Mushir Hassan for what occurred during our meeting.

Dr. Hassan is a valued member of our School Board and Community and he deserved an immediate response that did not come soon enough. We would also like to apologize to the community that had to endure this unseemly behavior."