Llamado a la acción tras la presunta agresión a estudiantes musulmanas en una escuela de Texas
The Houston chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Houston) has expressed concern over the handling of a reported violent incident involving three Afghan girls at Paul Revere Middle School.
According to CAIR, the students were attacked in the school cafeteria on March 3 by a group of approximately 20 classmates who allegedly beat them and used pencils as weapons, Houston Press reported on Tuesday.
One of the girls, according to the organization, was seriously injured and required four days of hospitalization. CAIR stated that she is still recovering, wearing a medical neck brace and experiencing ongoing physical and emotional trauma.
A video recorded by a witness shows a chaotic altercation during which an assistant principal intervened to stop the attack. It remains unclear whether other staff members were present at the time.
CAIR-Houston stated that the girls were allegedly targeted because of their ethnic background and for wearing the Islamic headscarf. However, the families believe the incident may have been the result of mistaken identity related to a school dispute.
In a press release, CAIR-Houston Director William White stated: “It is absolutely unacceptable for a student to be allegedly assaulted so violently and then abandoned by the very institution that is supposed to protect them.” He added that the students had fled to the United States seeking safety, only to be met with “a complete lack of accountability and compassion.”
El Distrito Escolar Independiente de Houston (HISD, por sus siglas en inglés) emitió posteriormente un comunicado en el que confirmó la aplicación de medidas disciplinarias contra siete estudiantes involucrados. “Los siete agresores en el incidente recibieron sanciones disciplinarias conforme al código de conducta del distrito”, indicó un portavoz. El HISD señaló que actualmente está en curso una oferta de traslado para la víctima y que el personal se reunió con la familia el 6 de marzo para abordar sus preocupaciones.
Sin embargo, CAIR afirma que el HISD inicialmente aprobó el traslado de una de las estudiantes, pero luego lo revocó, dejando a las tres niñas en una situación que, según denuncian, continúa generándoles temor y ansiedad.
CAIR solicita ahora traslados inmediatos, una investigación independiente exhaustiva y apoyo con enfoque en el trauma para las víctimas. Además, instó al HISD a adoptar políticas más sólidas para abordar los prejuicios y garantizar la seguridad del alumnado.
El llamado de CAIR se produce en un contexto de preocupaciones más amplias, señaladas en su Informe de Derechos Civiles 2025, el cual revela que la islamofobia en Estados Unidos se mantiene en niveles históricamente elevados.
