Please read “May Editorial” under “Opinions” for more details.
The aftershock of Oct. 7 has rippled across the world, including in Brookline. In the wake of the violence abroad, district leaders and school officials scrambled to provide critical emotional infrastructure for community members, ranging from affinity spaces organized for students at the high school and listening sessions held in early 2024 for parents of Israeli/Jewish and Muslim, Arab and Palestinian students.
These worldwide events and the local reaction have caused a student, who will be referred to as Sara, to be scared of how their teachers and peers view them because they are a proud Muslim student, according to Sara. Sara, and other interviewees, requested anonymity out of a concern for safety.
Being outspoken has caused a student, who will be referred to as Ryan, such issues that they feel as though they do not have freedom of speech, according to Ryan.
“I was scared of people attacking me or harassing me. And there were times where things were said to me, like I was called a terrorist. People were saying things or giving me eyes. Stuff like that. I think since then it’s just made me uncomfortable knowing that I’m somewhere where people don’t respect my faith, which is something really important,” Ryan said.
A staff member, who will be referred to as John, has felt as if the school environment has caused them to feel as if they can’t “own” their identity anymore.
“My life has changed so much in that I’ve never actually had to think as deeply as I’ve had to since October 7 about teaching what I thought was pretty basic stuff. A lot of topics, a lot of perspectives became off limits for fear of some type of retribution coming from someone that doesn’t even exist in this building,” John said. “I’m walking on eggshells in a way that I’ve never had to walk on eggshells before.”
Sara said they feel like the events have changed the way a lot of people see them, and they’ve even lost some relationships.
“I definitely think I’ve lost a lot of close friends. A lot of friends have distanced themselves from me closer to October 7th. Right away, it just felt like a divide between me and a bunch of kids at school, obviously, because Brookline is so heavily Jewish. And it just felt like nobody would hear me out. Everybody was stuck to their opinions and social media was just shoving a lot of propaganda down my throat. I don’t know, it hurt a little bit just to see friends I was close with for a while switch up on me, just for a certain point of view,” Sara said.
According to John, there is a power imbalance in the school community that has made many Muslim students feel silenced.
“I mean, that has just made things more difficult to navigate because it just has made too many people feel silenced and maybe fear is not the right word, but fear is definitely part of it. I think it just made people feel silenced because their own comfortability is being put at risk,” John said.
Ryan said his experiences have led him to embrace his identity more fully.
“It made me realize that I’m Muslim, and I should be proud of it. I shouldn’t be afraid. And if people aren’t willing to accept me as this person, then I don’t want them to accept me at all, so I’m not going to talk to them,” Ryan said.
Ryan also said he has built a stronger connection with the Muslim community.
“I’ve done more stuff with Muslims inside of school and outside of school. I’ve learned more about my own religion,” Ryan said.
Despite how difficult it may be for people to see things clearly while discussing something with a heavy emotional impact, it is important to have conversations surrounding the topic, according to John.
“When bad things happen, you need to remember that there are humans on both sides. And there was a moment that was long enough that the entire community, inside and outside this building, forgot that there are Muslim and Arab students in this community and in this building. The focus was so singular, and that caused way more damage than it needed to,” John said.
