‘To veil or not to veil’: students speak out against Islam(ophobia) in class

Abstract This article reflects on a seminar discussion I had with students, where the exchanges that took place highlighted the anti-Muslim racism that permeated attitudes within the class. Muslim students drew on their lived experiences as they challenged the anti-Muslim racism that emerged from the class session. The underlying aim here is to examine ways in which classroom interactions, dialogues and exchanges can inform anti-racist thinking. Anti-racist education, I argue, must seek to critique the structures, policies and curriculum that reinforce racial inequalities, but it must also make use of social experiences that can inform this critique. This article argues that, despite the difficulty in teaching sensitive issues such as anti-Muslim racism/discrimination, students’ comments can become the material for anti-racism insights. The significance of ethnicity and identity in education is crucial to this endeavour. Student voice, counter-narratives and perspectives should be encouraged in this challenge against racism. I conclude that such interjections can become the critique that corrects the often unconscious racism seen in class discussions. The discussion explores the connections between student experiences and the wider social and political issues and ideologies that create and reinforce racism.