Georgia State University Stands Behind a Professor Who Discriminated Against An Arab and Muslim Woman

Behind the tears she shed on CNN this past 4th of July weekend is a brilliant, brave and beautiful 25 year old woman by the name of Slma Shelbayah. A doctoral student in Journalism and guest professor at Georgia State University, it appears the system geared up against her in a most ill-mannered way. It seemed okay in 2008 for a University Professor to harass a Muslim student and get away with it.

You ask why? The answer is, because they could, and also because an Arab "girl" who wears a Hijab can't demand respect from a professor who is the Graduate Director in the Department of Communications. A woman committed to following Islam and the call by the Holy Quaran to dress modestly has to swallow the tenured Professor's constant queries if she is "wearing a bomb" in her hair underneath that scarf. After all, this professor is beyond reproach. She penned eight books on presidential communication and rhetoric, including national identity, strategic failures and the pre-presidential and presidential rhetoric of Ronald Reagan. Her recent book Defining Americans puts Dr. Mary Stuckey in the position as "Commander In Chief" of what it is to be an American and a person like student Professor Slma Shelbayah does not fit because she covers her head.

When Dr. Stuckey who has appeared on CSPAN and active in the Women's Caucus was confronted by student Professor Shelbayah for these anti-Arab/Muslim comments, she just said, "sorry." However, to show how remorseful she was, with University approval she stripped Shelbayah of her guest professorship. Additionally, she lost her position in the Department of Middle East Institute Exchange Program and worst of all she lost her financial support to complete her doctoral studies. Shelbayah has been reduced to nothing because she wants her freedom of religion and expression to be upheld.

In protest, tenured professor Dona Stewart stepped down as director of the University's Middle East Institute. She filed a discrimination complaint with the Justice Department. It is quite noble she is standing with Shelbayah. Stewart's job is safe. She received a promotion at Georgia State University and it will be interesting to see how hard she will continue to push to make sure that student Professor Shelbayah receives restitution for being treated as less-than for being Arab and Muslim. Professor Stewart should not be so naïve to think this issue is only about Civil Rights. Perhaps focusing on this aspect of it along gives her comfort to fight for justice. The Anti Arab/Muslim fight is perhaps too messy.

Georgia State University should be ashamed for allowing a woman who in 2004 completed her Bachelors degree at this institution in only two years become reduced to this level of humiliation. By the way, Shelbayah received her Masters at Georgia State as well. The retaliation she received is thanks for her loyalty to Georgia State University.

A determined young lady, when student Professor Shelbayah was 20-years old she pushed through her undergraduate education registering and completing between 16 to 18 hours worth of course work per semester while simultaneously holding a job at a bookstore and interning at CBS 46. She even taught religious and Arabic classes and interacted with youth groups. During one semester as an undergrad, she dedicated 30 hours or 10 classes to graduate in December. Do you really think a student like this deserves to have Dr. Stuckey who has won teaching awards from the American Political Science Association treat her this way? Maybe since Dr. Stuckey is interested in how political power is constructed and communicated this was a part of her qualitative research for her ninth book or 31st article on the "Rhetoric of Hatred -- How to Intimidate an Arab Woman by Telling Her Colleagues She Does Not Have a Bomb In Her Scarf?"

Student Professor Shelbayah and her tenured supporter professor have a battle to fight, but if Georgia State University is an Institution of Higher Learning that it is supposed to be then it will not stand for any type of discriminatory practices against any student. Instead of "siding" with its star studded academic professor against a "lowly" Arab female student Professor, the leadership should take up this issue and not feel they have already dealt with the matter when they have done nothing.

The Middle East Institute's leadership does not list one Arab/Muslim/Coptic professor on its web page. Something is wrong here. How can you promote and talk about the Middle East, when no one in your leadership is named Muhammad, Abdullah, Latifah or Shelbayah? Even the school's 2009 spring lecture series is pretty lame and does not give any more hope in having someone by the last name of Bukai or Shelbayah! African Americans know good and well if white advertisers, corporations and yes Universities want our attention they need to have someone who looks likes like us on their team in a leadership position. If one wants the attention of Latinos someone better habla Espanol! Institutions that ignore these simple facts are arrogant and exploitative.

This sadly is not the first time this University has been down this road of discrimination. In 2007, it had a case filed by a female Asian Professor who was treated horribly and paid less then her counterparts. She heard comments such as "there are too many Chinese professors." Therefore, it is with great hope Georgia State University President Mark P. Becker steps in to resolve this issue immediately. As he considers his plan of action, he may want to ponder the words of our 44th President Barack Hussein Obama. "I reject the view of some in the West that a woman who chooses to cover her hair is somehow less equal, but I do believe that a woman who is denied an education is denied equality."

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Comments

[Marcellus atl]

I am a graduate student in Communications at GSU. I studied the Rhetoric of Hatred under her. She had students from many different backgrounds and she diligently sought opinions from every person. Search the texts she teaches from - "A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America” by Ronald Takaki & "Documents of American Prejudice” by: S.T. Joshi. These are not texts that a xenophobe would pick for her students.

I do not know what happened in August. I’ve talked with her at length many times over the years and I know that she thinks it is insane how people believe that all Muslims are terrorists. She hates the state of human relations that leads people to that ridiculous assumption. The expression is “got to laugh to keep from crying.” (insane = ridiculous = funny in a “got to laugh to keep from crying” sort of way). Mary Stuckey makes dry and ironic jokes in that spirit. Her sense of humor is not understood by all of her students. I have witnessed it.

I know this is difficult to explain. But know that what I am saying is unsolicited and completely sincere. I know Dr. Mary Stuckey. Mary Stuckey is not a xenophobe and is anything but a racist. Dr. Mary Stuckey helped me and many others define and codify our resistance to cultural narrowness and bigotry. Search her writings about the American Indian Movement for instance. You will not find a person with more respect for multiculturalism easily.

[Yvonne R. Davis - Huffpost Blogger]

Marcellus atl Part II,

3. The problem Dr. Stuckey is that as you have written she is "difficult to explain." Her actions to reduce a college student to academic nothingness by having the Dean take away her job as a Professor making only $21,000 per year versus Stuckey's $103k is completely wrong. To take away her title at the MIddle East Insitute (I might add she Shelbayah has done a remarkable job) and then to have her classes dropped tells me something about Dr. Stuckey you might not be aware of. If you cross her or challenge her "look out!"

4. Respect for Multiculturalism, does not mean acceptance. I don't doubt she is a professor in which many students have learned so much, but it is important for the teacher to always be thoughtful to all students and she just was not.

5. Finally, this situation has caused cognitive dissonance for you and other students and I can see that. But for a moment, put yourself in the shoes of Slma Shelbayah and you kindly tell me how you would feel if that was said to you repeatedly. Would you just laugh it off and assume because she teaches about multiculturalism she is okay.

I am happy you wrote your comments and appreciate the fact that you have learned from Dr. Stuckey. Now it is time to learn something else from her as well. I wish you the best.

[froscar]

I just read this article and I'm very angry - and I'm not a Muslim American. In fact I wrote an email to this professor and several others expressing my opinion and encouraged my friends to do the same.

[Yvonne R. Davis - Huffpost Blogger]

Froscar,

If you wrote an email expressing your outrage and also encouraged your friends to do so. This is a great thing. If you and your friends could pass this along and also write the President of the University it would be good. It is not right what happened. Thank you for reading this. Have a great day.

[bismillah001]

Thanks for writing about this. It's very unfortunate, but I learned over time that people will have their own prejudices and misconceptions, even if they happen to have a PhD. Poor form by Georgia State.

[Yvonne R. Davis - Huffpost Blogger]

A Salaam Walaikum Bismillah001,

It is important that people discuss issues like this and talk about it. More importantly pass this article to everyone in your network and ask them to write the professor, but more importantly the President of the University. Calls to his office asking questions is important as well. There is a real issue in the world inclusive of the United States about women wearing the Hijab. A Muslim woman in Germany was murdered for wearing the Hijab by a white Supremacist.

[Yvonne R. Davis - Huffpost Blogger]

Good morning everyone. I want to say that I am waiting for a comment to post about Muslims and Muslim women wearing a Hijab or headscarf and the ignorance of people to promote stories that implay women who wear head coverings are some how weak, oppressed or not mainstream or in the instance of aGeorgia State University Professor - a possible terrorist. It is important that when one writes pieces they write critique in the most sober and thoughtful way, but also exercise some sort of attempt at being open covering multiple sides of an issue - even if the conventional wisdom or ignorance does not agree. I do believe it is important to defend the rights of all people of religious faith - Christians, Jews, Muslims to wear whatever is required of their faith to show respect for God/Allah/G-d. The Amish have a dress code. Nuns have a dress code and as one poster commented, they cover their heads, Orthodox and Hasidic Jews have a dress code as well. Sikhs cover their heads and in the U.S. traditional Asian Indians wear Saris. No group is targeted for religious wear, but Muslims. This is really wrong. Perhaps this is my next Huff Post piece. I am a Christian and worship on the Shabbat and so I feel from a spiritual perspective I must defend the right of others worship and express without punishment or comments by those who just don't want to respect or understand.

[longtimegone]

The openness with which so many at the HP express their hatred of Muslims and Islam is really astounding. Very few were able to muster basic human compassion for Marwa Sherbini; most, instead, used the story as another opportunity to slander Islam and Muslims in general. Several stories regarding various forms of head covering have garnered avalanches of what I consider pure unadulterated hate. No other group of people can be so openly slandered without drawing massive disapproval. There are people counting instances of perceived anti-Semitism on these comment lines and trumpeting the myth of "liberal anti-Semitism" in the MSM; but here, most feel free to spew ignorant hatred of Muslims without fear of retribution. Many don't even know one single Muslim. Your story shows that no matter how hard you have worked, no matter how intelligent you are, you can still be hamstrung by the ignorant with the power to do harm if you dare express your faith. Most would simply say that she should conform to "American values," remove the head covering and just move on. When did a sacred perception of the world become such an anathema to Americans? When did modesty become something to be mocked? When did we so hopelessly and totally, lose our way?

[thinkingwomanmillstone]

I wonder how many Catholic nuns are asked if they have bombs hidden under their veils.

[Yvonne R. Davis - Huffpost Blogger]

Thinkingwo­manmillsto­ne,

I think none would be asked. It is a complete shame what has happened. I was able to find the professor and the student's email addresses (personal and school) and I sent them the article. When are we going to learn? Thank you for your comments.

[bpress]

It's ironic (or maybe it isn't!) that the University is offering training to their staff in: 'Preventing Retaliation Discrimination in the Workplace.'

[Yvonne R. Davis - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi Bpress. It is ironice they are offering training after the fact. This is usually the case when entities like this get into trouble. This training is a clear sign they knew they messed up. Thank you for always reading my pieces. I appreciate it very much.

[bbbear]

At one time it seemed as if all white Americans hated, or at least looked down upon all black and brown Americans. But that view seems to have taken another course or at least been camouflaged. Now it seems many US citizens are convinced that the USA is at war with Islam and their ingrained hatred is now largely pointed in that direction.. I've spent many years living abroad and have long been embarrassed by "Americans, " particularly so-called "white" southerners, who are often not only arrogantly ignorant, but also tend to revel in it.. Still, I've also found similar attitudes in the Brits and, perhaps to a lesser degree, in the French and Germans. Such behavior seems to feed upon itself. Soon each person, regardless of education, seems convinced of their inborn superiority over all other cultures, which is baffling. .( LOL, although in many ways I tend to agree with the French as I do deeply enjoyf their love of good food, wine, art, their attitude toward sex, and seeming non interest in celebrity, etc..) Even more infuriating, many whites of all countries almost always assume that all other seeming while people hold the same ugly prejudices. But too often those who don't feel that way remain silent, tacitly agreeing with their fellow whites. Then Obama became POTUS, a new era!. But now I suspect the haters simply hate/distrust anyone who is not a White Anglo Saxon Christian "American."

[Yvonne R. Davis - Huffpost Blogger]

bbbear,

I agree with you all that you wrote. However, I do believe this problem rests with a "moderate amount of anti-inclusive hardliners" who just won't take it out of their head that the world has changed and they are not a part of it with an attitude like this. If you read other artcles about this situation it is so clear how retaliatory the Dean of this school was on behalf of her friend Dr. Mary E. Stuckey. I mean if you read this woman's academic background - the professor who asked the student if she had a bomb in her scarf - you would be quite impressed. She is an academic powerhouse who writes about issues very important to intellectual discourse in politics, communication and rhetoric. So, it is a shock that someone like her who would really know better would even badger this young lady like this. I suspect, she has gotten away with this type of treatment in her past and this time someone stood up and said HALAS (Arabic for That's Enough). Be well always Bbbear.

[bbbear]

After decades of being shocked, I now realize that so-called "education" and mindless hatred are not mutually exclusive. I now strongly suspect each of us are born knowing how to live our lives. But that for too many of us something happens during childhood to cut off our innate connection to our inborn moral authority, or inner wisdom or, as some philosophies refer to it, our true selves.. and no matter what, educated or not, some never fully understand how to repair that connection. Their lives are generally out of tune with the universe and, I strongly suspect, many lead rather tortured lives. For her sake, I truly hope Dr. Mary E. Stuckey is able to hear that HALAS! and make the necessary reconnection...

[jmsazboy]

I would advise you that not all white southerners are racists or ignorant. Be carefull you are not using the same broad brush that you are accusing those of us in the south of using, and the same broad brush that likely resulted in the abuse suffered by several Muslims and other minorities. The fact is, most white people, including southern whites, are disgusted by this behavior in the same manor that nearly all Muslims do not advocate violence or hate.

However; I do agree with your point that the issue is those who stand silent while another is oppresed. People rearly realize that the number of good people nearly always outnumber the evil people but unfortunately, the "sheep" who will do nothing outnumber all of us.

Even more sickening, today I read on CNN that a woman was killed in a German courtroom because she objected to being called a terrorist for wearning a hijab.

While I understand your frustration, please also understand that I am a white, Christian, southern male who is horrified by this and I am not alone and I am not silent, just silenced (for now).

John

[bbbear]

Well John, I sincerely hope you're right. Maybe I should have qualified my statement. That is, maybe most folks under 40 are not racists. Certainly many of them, apparently including some republicans, voted for Obama. However I was born in Texas during segregation and Wife was born in North Carolina. Both of us left while in college, but still occasionally return. With the exception of some of my Mexican/American pals, ( Many of whom seem to feel superior to African Americans, maybe because they were not openly segregated. ) most, if not all, of my other school friends are certainly racists. Some might deny it but, IMHO, racists jokes are only told and appreciated by racists. And Wife's parents, and her brother and sister who are a bit over 50 and highly educated, are certainly racists. I also spent 24 years in the USAF and most of my fellow whites, including high ranking white commissioned officers that I came into contact with seemed to considered themselves, and me as well, superior to all other cultures, particularly African Americans. Certainly the racism was so bad that USAF created a division called "Social Actions." which attempts to shine the light of truth on all racists, as well as dealing with drug addition, including alcohol... I stopped flying and finished my last two years in Social Actions.

[Yvonne R. Davis - Huffpost Blogger]

Jmsazboy,

I really appreciate what you wrote and the additional information you gave about the woman in a German court room. This is truly sad and bothersome. I will look this up. I do not believe I implied that the "entire South," or all white people are like Dr. Stuckey in speech or action. I do not think I attacked white people either. More must be done to deal with this issue regarding the dress and the freedom of these woman to wear what they are comfortable with. We can't miminalize this issue either. Georgia State University has a mark against it for how this woman was treated; as well as any student or professor who might have experienced any form of discrimination.

If we do not pay attention to when these "little" but significant situations happen, then they become big situations for sure if not addressed. Did anyone ever think that Germany under the most Evil man in the 20th Century Adolph Hitler would murder 6-million Jews just because? It started with words and ended in gas chambers and ovens. I have a very similar view as my Jewish Brothers and Sisters on this issue of racism, Anti-Semitism (Israelis, Jews and Arabs) on this issue.

By what I am writing, I am not at personalizing this to you at all sir. It is part of our expanded dialogue. Thank you again for kindly reading my piece and replying.

[seatea1967]

I can't believe other universities across the country aren't jumping at the chance to offer Ms. Shelbayah an opportunity to finish her PhD at their institutions. It would be a huge publicity coup, and a rare chance to score points by doing the moral and just thing.

[Yvonne R. Davis - Huffpost Blogger]

Seata1967,

I am not really sure that many Universities even know about what happened. I really hope something like this will happen. But if you really want to know how I feel, Georgia State University to should completely reinstate her position at the Middle East Institute, restore her visiting professorship and give back her classes for doctoral program. She should finish there and be tough. I am certain she is a brilliant student. They must be held accountable for this highly discriminatory situation against this young woman. Professors have so much power and frankly in this instance how are they different fromt he private sector. I expect academe should be of a higher standard, but apparently in this situation with GSU, it is not. Thank you for your comments.