On Speaking Out in the 6th Grade

–Fouzi Husaini, ING Speaker 

Fouzi Husaini is a Certified Speaker with the ING Islamic Speakers Bureau. In this brief video interview, Fouzi shares his perspectives on the importance of the ING Speakers Bureau, and recalls a dramatic middle school memory when he first spoke out to correct a substitute teacher from conveying misinformation about Islam in his classroom.

“I was in the 6th grade, and there was a substitute teacher in my class.  It was around the time when there had been a terrorist act involving Muslims, and the teacher went on to tell the class that ‘this is part of their religion and they believe if they kill innocent people, they’ll go to heaven’.  And I was sitting there as the only Muslim in this class, and I turned to my friend and said ‘Everything she’s teaching is wrong!’  And my friend said ‘Well you have to raise your hand and tell her.’ 

And so I did.   And I remember the first words that came out of my mouth were ‘You’re WRONG!’   I had silenced the class, and silenced the substitute teacher.

I went on to explain that I was Muslim, and this is not what the religion teaches, and what those people did is completely against what the religion is teaching. That’s about when I started speaking up to correct people’s misinformation and misperceptions about Islam.”

This Ramadan, ING celebrates the twentieth anniversary since its founding.  We look forward to a year of growth and expansion as we train and certify more speakers, and launch our new online curriculum to reach even more middle and high school classrooms and adult audiences. 

Please consider making a donation to ING – in any amount – and maximize your reward by donating during these final days of Ramadan.  Every dollar you donate is multiplied twenty times, since it extends the reach of ING’s Affiliates in twenty US states!