South Philadelphia Students Hold Town Hall On Islamophobia
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Students at the Academy at Palumbo High School in South Philadelphia conducted their own Town Hall Tuesday afternoon to talk about what they say is a rise of Islamophobia.
Palumbo students and several teachers crowded into the school library for a forum led by Muslim students who say they wanted to speak up and set the record straight about their faith and lifestyle.
They say they worked with a group of teachers to organize the event in the wake of world events and increasingly hostile political rhetoric.
One student made it clear he's been shocked by how some Muslims are being treated.
"I never knew a religion had a face. Like, I didn't know that you could look like something. Now you don't go up to somebody and say like, you look Buddhist, or you look Christian. It just doesn't make sense. No religion comes with a face."
Palumbo teacher Colleen Lawson helped to organize the forum.
"We're able to give them a voice to speak to their peers, that it could be a very powerful tool in helping to make sure that those ideas don't seep into our school," Lawson told KYW Newsradio.