“They’re not going to Stop us from Trusting our Faith”: School Experiences of Arab American Muslim Women

Abstract Muslim Arab women in the United States experience anti-Muslim and anti-Arab racism resulting in discomfort in the educational setting; they navigate a world in which they are perceived as terrorists due to images in the media. Furthermore, discriminatory experiences at school impact the adolescent identity and racial and ethnic identity development of Arab Muslim youth. Although some research attempts to examine the link between adolescent identity and school experiences, limited studies about Arab Muslims are present in the literature and only a few studies explore the discriminatory experiences of Arab Muslims in schools. This study explores the racialized high school experiences of Arab Muslim women in the Chicagoland area as well as the resources they sought, utilized, or found helpful. Fourteen young adult women between the ages of 18 and 23 were interviewed about their retrospective high school experiences. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted, and information was obtained regarding their demographics, school and community experiences, the resources that were available to them, and the resources they recommend for the future. Participants in this study experienced a wide range of tribulations within their schools and communities due to the constantly changing sociopolitical landscape. However, they also demonstrate immense strength and agency in coping with, responding to, and challenging these experiences. Several themes emerged from the data highlighting the agency of these women and how they make choices in their daily lives as they navigate racialized society. The themes fall within four categories: identity, community norms and expectations, anti-Muslim and anti-Arab racism and discrimination, and school experiences and resources. Implications include guidelines for fostering identity development, understanding community norms and expectations within school settings, and recommendations for school resources.