Call for Action After Reported Assault on Muslim Students at Texas School
The Houston chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Houston) has raised concerns about the handling of the reported violent incident involving three Afghan girls at Paul Revere Middle School.
According to CAIR, the students were assaulted in the school lunchroom on March 3 by a group of approximately 20 peers, who allegedly beat them and used pencils as weapons, Houston Press reported on Tuesday.
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One of the girls, CAIR said, was injured severely enough to require four days of hospitalization. The organization stated that she remains in recovery, wearing a neck brace and experiencing ongoing physical and emotional trauma.
A video recorded by a bystander 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 due to their ethnicity and for wearing the Islamic headscarf, although the families believe the attack stemmed from a case of mistaken identity linked to a school dispute.
In a press release, CAIR-Houston Director William White said: “It is absolutely unacceptable for any student to be allegedly violently assaulted and then abandoned by the very institution that is supposed to protect them.” He added that the students had fled to the United States for safety but were met with “a complete failure of accountability and compassion.”
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The Houston Independent School District (HISD) later released a statement confirming disciplinary action against seven students involved. “The seven aggressors in the incident received disciplinary consequences aligned with the district’s code of conduct,” a spokesperson said. HISD noted that a transfer offer for the victim is currently in progress and that staff met with the family on March 6 to discuss their concerns.
CAIR claims, however, that HISD initially approved a transfer for one student but later rescinded it, leaving all three girls in a situation they say continues to cause fear and anxiety.
CAIR is now calling for immediate transfers, a full independent investigation, and trauma-informed support for the victims. The group also urged HISD to adopt stronger policies to address bias and ensure student safety.
CAIR’s call comes amid broader concerns outlined in its 2025 Civil Rights Report, which found Islamophobia in the U.S. remains at historically high levels.
Source: Agencies
