Adam and Jameel Siam, who are students at Williamsville East High School, say that for the past two years they’ve been the targets of anti-Muslim bullying, which the school has done nothing to end. The brothers say they have to constantly be on alert while attending classes for fear of insults or punches being lobbed at them. The problem has become so persistent that it filtered out of the school hallways and into the family’s front yard, where eggs and rocks have been flung at the home, causing broken doors and windows.
“I can’t live a normal life now, especially how they came to my house. It’s not only at school that I need to be afraid, it’s that I have to be afraid everywhere I am now.” Jameel Siam told WIVB 4.
Their mother, Rehab Siam, also said that the racial tensions have been festering for a while now, but that her repeated complaints to the school asking for help have been ignored.
“We’re born and raised in America, me, my children,” she said. “So, for us to be looked at like we’re less than everybody else is pretty sad.”
School administrators have pushed for expulsion hearings for both brothers following their involvement in numerous fights. The Siam’s say they were defending themselves because the school wouldn’t step in to end their harassment.
“You don’t know if someone is going to come up behind you or come right up to you and say something. You always have to watch where you are, what you’re doing, who’s around you. You always gotta have a watch out.” Adam Siam said.
The school district declined to comment on the case, as it is a student disciplinary matter, but said in a statement that they take the allegations of “harassment, bullying, insensitive or intolerant behavior very seriously.”
Amherst police are still investigating the vandalism, as well as a report from a December fight. The Siam’s disciplinary hearing has been pushed back from Monday.
Featured image screengrab via video.
