After school sends Ramadan memo, Muslim staff member receives hateful note

A staff member at a Kent high school received a hateful note in her mailbox after a memo about Ramadan went to school staff.

The Kentlake High School principal, with the assistance of a Muslim staff member, sent the memo out with information on the celebration of Ramadan, according to the school district.

The note explained how teachers could accommodate students if they opted to pray during the school day or needed to be in a different setting during lunch time.

"That memo, written primarily by our staff member, contained her name, in appreciation for her efforts in providing cultural enrichment to the community. Her experience and faith also provided staff members a resource to call upon should they have questions about Ramadan," school principal Joe Potts wrote in a letter to parents on Tuesday.

After the memo was shared with the school, a note was left in the Muslim staff member’s mail box. It read: “F---- + Ramadan + All Muslims.”

School officials said they immediately contacted the King County Sheriff’s Office, but after an investigation police determined the note was not a crime.  The school does not have any surveillance cameras pointing toward the staff mailboxes, and therefore, no suspects were located.

“Let me say that Kent School District has zero tolerance for any acts of bigotry, hate speech, harassment, intimidation, or bullying,” Kent School District Executive Director Chris Loftis said in a statement. “While reports of this type are rare and as in this case, usually isolated events,  we take each and every report and concern very seriously, investigate it thoroughly, and take the most corrective action available to us to deliver the message that this sort of behavior is against our core values and will not be accepted.  We are one of the most diverse school district in the state and country and welcome adherents to many and all faiths into our student, staff, and community populations.  We reject the efforts of anyone to divide us or to hurt those in our service and care.”

Cox Media Group