Allahu Akbar is an Arabic phrase, meaning “God is greater” and is usually used in prayer, but has been stereotyped as a battle cry in terror attacks.
Avondale College principal Lyndy Watkinson provided a general statement condemning bullying.
“We are a multicultural and diverse school. Avondale College rejects any kind of behaviour which bullies, harasses or causes others to feel unsafe,” Watkinson said.
“If an occasion arises where a student does not meet these expectations our response is likely to include disciplinary action alongside restorative and educative work.”
Avondale College School Board presiding member Dave Erson told the Herald the incident occurred at the college “some months ago”.
“All matters were dealt with fully at the time in accordance with the law and school policy, including disciplinary, restorative and educative actions,” he said.
The first video was posted on July 2 and has amassed over 1.8 million views on TikTok.
The video was captioned, “First ever culture day and this happens.”
A second video of the incident, posted by the same account, received over 380,000 views.
The incident comes after a recent study found more than half of Muslims living in New Zealand have experienced discrimination.
Massey University lecturers Dr Fatima Junaid and Dr Shemana Cassim said incidents like the one at Avondale College “can have a polarising effect.”
Junaid and Cassim published the study, “Muslims’ experience of inclusion, discrimination and Islamophobia in Aotearoa NZ” this year.
“In our research, we found that media was one of the key factors in presenting the incorrect stereotypes.
“We also found that high school students were mostly likely to be targeted in relation to Islamophobia. This would not come as a shock to many, but perhaps validates the worries of many Muslims.”
Young Muslim people can be negatively impacted by seemingly “offhand” or harmless “jokes”, Junaid and Cassim said.
“Research has already shown that humour is often used in cases of ostracism, racism and discrimination, and we heard the same in our study that it is often not overt, but more subtle where people say that they were ‘just joking’.”
Junaid and Cassim said education is the key to preventing such incidents.
“Importantly, it should not be the responsibility of the Muslim students on their own to correct the wrongs and stand up for themselves.
“Teachers and staff too have a responsibility here to model and foster compassion and kindness for all.
“To Muslim youth don’t let such events get to you.”
