Latest news with #FarhamMemon
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Yahoo
Investigation says Wallace MS incident was hate crime
WATERBURY, Conn. (WTNH) — An investigation determined an altercation at Wallace Middle School earlier in March was motivated by religion/ethnicity, meeting the legal definition of a hate crime, according to Waterbury Police. Twin sisters, who are Muslim, alleged they were attacked based on their religion. News 8 previously reported that Farham Memon, The Connecticut chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said he girls were bullied for two weeks leading up the assault. Advocates, parents push for increased protections after Muslim twin sisters were assaulted at Waterbury middle school The Waterbury Police Department, in a joint press release with the Waterbury Department of Education and the Office of Mayor Paul K. Pernerewski, Jr., said Friday the Waterbury PD's Juvenile Division – Criminal Investigation Bureau interviewed numerous staff members and students who either witnessed or were involved in the incident. A 12-year-old girl was charged with a intimidation based on bigotry and bias in the first and second degree after allegedly being involved in a physical altercation involving four seventh-grade students on March 3. Another female student was referred to a youth diversionary program as an alternative to arrest, based on her involvement in the incident. The Waterbury DOE verified the bullying incident, has taken disciplinary action, and implemented enhanced school safety measures in response to the incident, according to the release. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Advocates, parents push for increased protections after Muslim twin sisters were assaulted at Waterbury middle school
WATERBURY, Conn. (WTNH) — Advocates in the Muslim community joined parents Wednesday in Waterbury to speak out against an alleged assault on two Muslim middle school students. Two 13-year-old Wallace Middle School students were assaulted by fellow students for their religion, according to the family. 2 Muslim students allegedly assaulted at Wallace Middle School The Connecticut chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) held a news conference Wednesday afternoon. Farham Memon, the chairman of CAIR was joined by State Rep. Geraldo Reyes, members of the Waterbury Human Rights Commission and Muslim parents and students. Memon said the school district and city should do more to address Islamophobia in schools. 'Punishment is warranted in this circumstance,' he said. 'We cannot have a school system that allows kids to be bullied and beaten up at school, especially at a time now when there is rampant Islamophobia happening around the country.' Memon said the girls were bullied for two weeks leading up the assault. The family believes they were targeted for being Arab and Muslim. 'I can't call it anything other than a hate crime,' State Rep. Geraldo Reyes Jr., (D) 75th district said. 'And people just picking on people just because they're different.' The school district says the students accused of assault were 'disciplined at the highest level' and will no longer be at the school. The 12-year-old who started the fight was referred to a youth diversionary program instead of arrest, according to police. Memon said the students should be charged with a hate crime. 'They had formed an intent to say we're different from you and we're going to hurt you,' he said. The school is implementing a safety plan for the students when they return to school. West Hartford school paraprofessional charged with sexual assault Fahd Syed, a parent and chair of the city's Human Rights Commission, said Islamophobia is a problem in the schools. 'I did have my older daughter who did have her hijab ripped off before also along with her cousin,' he said. 'Both of them were students at Crosby High School. So this is not an isolated incident.' He worries his daughter Sumaya, a sixth grader at Wallace Middle School, will be bullied for wearing a hijab. She started wearing it when Ramadan started. 'This happened to my generation after 9/11, now it's happening to my child's generation,' said Syed. 'One day and it's going to happen to my kids' kids generation. This needs to stop.' Memon proposed a training for teachers and students, so this doesn't happen again. He also mentioned that the city should create an Islamophobia taskforce to prevent bullying. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
