Dear ,

As-salaamu alaikum (peace be upon you).

870 days. That’s two Ramadans, two grades in school, and nine changes of the season. That is also how long it has been since Sister Faith Elsharkawy found her first born child, 15-year old Jacob, hanging lifeless in a shed behind their home.
What happened to Jacob? He lost his life to suicide after enduring continuous and severe school bullying at the hands of both his teachers and his fellow high school students. 

Why was he targeted? His faith in Islam. Although Jacob had a personality that brightened up any room he entered, students tormented him with impunity after he and his family embraced Islam.

Inside classrooms and on the bus, in the hallways and at lunch time—Jacob was choked, tripped, stabbed, and beaten. Kids threw food at him and broke his glasses. They mocked his faith, calling him "ISIS," a “gay terrorist” and “bomber man.” Kids made fun of him because his mother, Faith, wore hijab.  
 
There were two violent attacks many months apart that ended with Jacob in the hospital—concussed, riddled with bruises, and overwhelmed by an ever-deepening despair.
As any loving mother would do to protect her children, Faith reported these incidents and so many others to the school. Despite a mountain of evidence and numerous requests for help, Faith would receive a variation of the same reply: “We’ll look into it.”   
 
The Chisago Lakes School District not only failed to stop the bullying of Jacob. School officials sanctioned and participated in the bullying. On occasion, an administrator or teacher led the way.  
 
“Don’t f***ing text your mother or I’m going to take [your phone] and break it.” That is what an assistant principal said to Jacob when he sought his mother's help in dealing with the latest humiliating and degrading incident.  
 
, no child should have to live in fear of being harassed and assaulted because of their faith. And no parent should have to lose their child because of such bullying. Faith understands this best: “People think that bullying just affects the wellbeing of the one bullied, but it affects everybody.”  
 
For years, Faith and her family have shouldered an enormous burden. It is time for us to stand with her as she fights for justice not only for her child, but for all of our children who experience bullying.
That's why CAIR National and CAIR Minnesota joined with Jacob’s family today to file a federal lawsuit against the school district responsible for Jacob's death.
More than half of Muslim students are being bullied, and half of those bullied are being bullied by teachers. Our community must come together to say, "Enough is enough." 
 
, can you donate today to help CAIR strike a blow against the bullying of Muslim students? Our challenge is to not only to win in court for Jacob, but to ensure that every school is a safe place for our children.  

We must confront the scourge of bullying that affects so many Muslim children all across the country.  We must challenge every school that turns a blind eye to the bullying of Muslim students.  We must show that legal protections for our children are not up for debate.  
 
Even a small donation can make an immediate impact. Together, we will challenge bullying in Jacob's memory and protect other Muslim students from a similar tragedy, insha Allah. 

Help us make this country a place that’s safe for all.  

Thank you. May Allah bless you and your family with the best of health.
Sincerely,
‌Nihad Awad
Executive Director
Council on American-Islamic Relations