Federal Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia Amira Elghawaby said that public school books need to be rewritten to remove Muslim stereotypes..Before joining the federal government, Elghawaby wrote a booklet identifying the Red Ensign as a symbol of hate. The booklet targeted school children.. Muslims .“I heard from students who still experience lessons that embed stereotypes and promote misinformation about Islam and Muslims,” testified Elghawaby at the Senate Human Rights committee. She did not elaborate..“Do you see a need for education in the kindergarten to Grade 12 system?” asked Senator David Arnot (SK). .“I am grateful for the question,” replied Elghawaby..“My role is at the federal level, so I will be looking for how we make recommendations around the types of education that young people can benefit from across Canada,” said Elghawaby. .“The role of education is very, very critical.”.Elghawaby was appointed on January 25 as an advisor to the cabinet at $191,000 a year with a four-year office budget totalling $5.4 million. Elghawaby said she hoped to hire five staff, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. .“She will help advance respect for equity, inclusion, and diversity,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at the time..“Is it possible there will be resources available at a national level to any teacher anywhere in Canada that looks at either Islamophobia, anti-racism efforts, citizenship — you know, that is certainly an interesting question to explore,” testified Elghawaby. .“I know I will be looking at what other tools are available to advance education and awareness on Islamophobia and the contributions of Muslims in Canada.”.Elghawaby, prior to her appointment, was a founding director of the Canadian Anti-Hate Network. The federally-funded advocacy group received $268,400 in grants last year. The Network, last June 29, released a booklet for use in public classrooms, Confronting And Preventing Hate In Canadian Schools..Didn’t Like Old Flag .The booklet that Elghawaby wrote named the Red Ensign flag as offensive though it was Canada’s national symbol until 1965.. Red Ensign Flag .“Its usage denotes a desire to return to Canada’s demographics before 1967 when it was predominantly white,” said the guide..Canadian Schools also named the Conservative Party as a group whose members included bigots, “groypers,” and “a loose collection of young white nationalists.” .“They sometimes attempt to infiltrate mainstream Conservative political parties,” said the booklet. It did not elaborate..The booklet told schoolchildren to challenge other students who speak in favour of “problematic” public officeholders. .“Sometimes educators and students will find themselves in the position of requiring an immediate response to a student in class who invokes a bigoted ideology,” said the booklet..“While these situations should be treated carefully, they need to be addressed as they happen. These incidents can range from mild to severe and each will require its own approach depending on the situation. Examples: A student argues in favour of a problematic politician or policy, e.g. Trump’s wall, in a classroom discussion.”.The booklet said that in political discussions, children should beware of classmates who invoke “a free speech issue.”.Invoking free speech was among “common defences of hate propaganda,” said the booklet.
