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n honors student from Sugar Land, TX was the subject of a racist incident when he was allegedly called a terrorist by his own teacher.

BuzzFeed News reports Waleed Abushaaban, 12, was the subject of jokes and laughter by his fellow students when his English and Language Arts teacher allowed the students to watch the 2002 film, Bend It Like Beckham. After Abushaaban and other students laughed during the movie, the teacher told him he shouldn’t laugh because everyone views the child as a terrorist.

The film tells the story of a British-Indian teen who is forbidden to play soccer.

via BuzzFeed News:

Abushaaban said he laughed during the movie and that his teacher said, “I wouldn’t be laughing if I was you.” When Abushaaban asked her why he said she responded with “because we all think you’re a terrorist.” The boy said his classmates began laughing and teasing him, saying he had a bomb. “I was upset and felt like I was put in a corner and everyone was just looking at me,” Abushaaban said.

The boy’s father, Malek Abushaaban, said that just because his son is Muslim doesn’t mean he is a terrorist.

“He’s an American,” Malek Abushaaban said at the news conference. “He’s as American as anybody else. He was born here … that’s all he knows is how to be an American.”

The Fort Bend school district told reporters the teacher was placed on administrative leave following the incident. An investigation has also been launched. Their statement reads, “While the teacher reports her statements were made in the context of trying to make a point about negative stereotypes, District officials do not believe that the teacher exercised the appropriate sensitivity expected of the District’s educators.”

SOURCE: BuzzFeed News | VIDEO CREDIT: Inform

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Texas Teacher Placed On Administrative Leave For Allegedly Calling Muslim Student A Terrorist  was originally published on newsone.com