The Council on American-Islamic Relations is calling for an investigation into an incident in which the wrong name was printed beneath a yearbook photo of a Muslim student at Los Osos High School.
Bayan Zehlif, a Muslim student who wears a hijab, found her photo in the school yearbook with the name of another student — Isis Phillips. Attorneys with CAIR’s civil rights division are concerned the incident may be racially motivated.
“We join with the family in their concern about a possible bias motive for this incident and in the deep concern for their daughter’s safety as a result of being falsely labeled as a member of a terrorist group,” said CAIR-LA Executive Director Hussam Ayloush. “No student should have to face the humiliation of being associated with a group as reprehensible as ISIS.”
Zehlif, who’s set to graduate from Los Osos, took to social media to express her dismay.
“I am extremely saddened, disgusted, hurt and embarrassed that the Los Osos High School yearbook was able to get away with this. Apparently I am ‘Isis’ in the yearbook,” Zehlif posted on Facebook. “The school reached out to me and had the audacity to say that this was a typo. I beg to differ, let’s be real.”
According to CAIR’s statement, the student and her family were deeply embarrassed after seeing the picture in the yearbook and have suffered a great deal of emotional and psychological distress. It’s unlikely that the student will return to school until the issue is resolved appropriately.
Mat Holton, Superintendent of the Chaffey Joint Unified School District, quickly responded to media inquiries.
“It was brought to the attention of LOHS administration late Friday, May 6, after yearbooks were distributed to 287 seniors, that a student was incorrectly identified as a different Los Osos student whose first name is Isis,” Holton said. “The families of both students have been contacted to offer a sincere apology and to assure them that a thorough investigation would be conducted.”
Zehlif and her family could not be reached for comment. The family is requesting that their daughter’s privacy be respected and are asking that all media inquiries be directed to CAIR-LA, according to CAIR’s statement.
Holton said no additional yearbooks will be distributed until the misprint is corrected. The school is also asking that any books already distributed be returned.
“The yearbook publisher has already been contacted and is working on a solution to remedy this unfortunate situation,” Holton said. “If they find that a student acted irresponsibly and intentionally, administration will take appropriate actions.”
School administrators said they want to assure students, staff and members of the community that this regrettable incident in no way represents the values, or beliefs of Los Osos High School.
“They have high expectations for student media and will continue to work diligently to ensure that all future student productions and publications are held to the highest possible standards,” Holton said.