イブテハージ・ムハンマドさんのインスタグラム写真 - (イブテハージ・ムハンマドInstagram)「One of the best things about being a children’s book author is having the opportunity to visit schools and share my story with little ones. Last week when I arrived at PLEASANTDALE ELEMENTARY, a school outside of Chicago, I was met by a group of school district administrators. The superintendent, DR. DAVE PALZET asked to speak with me before I met the students. He informed me that some of the school’s parents had petitioned the school to not have me speak. He said they were Egyptian Coptic Christians who fled their country some years ago and they believed that because I was Muslim I shouldn’t be allowed to address the students in fear of me “converting” students to Islam. He also told me I was not to talk about “Trump, religion or politics”. You can imagine the confused look on my face. The superintendent went on to say that his response to these parents was “I told them that you’re an Olympian and your father is a police officer.” This was when my jaw dropped. I told him that I didn’t believe either of those things had anything to do with his previous bigoted statement. I reminded him that I was at his school to talk about my book #TheProudestBlue and the message of acceptance, inclusion and sisterhood that this book promotes. While I’m happy the school board didn’t feed into the pressure of canceling my visit, this experience is a reminder to me and to all of us that no matter how many accomplishments we have, NO MATTER HOW NOBLE OUR INTENTIONS OR HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE DIVERSITY REFLECTED AND REPRESENTATION IN ALL SPACES, we will always be challenged, judged, and pressured to abandon or question our faith and values. Experiences like this only motivate me more to continue to live my mission fully and be unapologetic in my faith and commitment to inclusion because that is how we combat bigotry and shatter stereotypes.」9月18日 23時13分