US teacher placed on leave after calling Palestinian child a terrorist

School district vows zero tolerance following teacher's derogatory comment.

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A teacher in Pennsylvania has been placed on administrative leave following allegations of calling a Palestinian American middle school student an extremist, sparking outrage among human rights groups and the local Muslim community.

The incident reportedly occurred during an after-school programme when the student requested a seat change.

According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the teacher responded, "I do not negotiate with terrorists."

The Central Dauphin School District confirmed the teacher’s suspension pending an investigation.

"We have zero tolerance for racist speech or discriminatory behaviour," the district said in a statement.

CAIR, which is providing support to the student’s family, condemned the remark as an example of rising anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian sentiment in the United States since the onset of the Israel-Gaza conflict in October 2023.

"This incident reflects a worrying trend of bias targeting Palestinian Americans," CAIR said.

It called on the school to implement anti-bias training to prevent similar occurrences.

This case comes amid a wave of violence targeting Muslims and Palestinians in the US, including a stabbing attack on a 6-year-old Palestinian American boy in Illinois and the attempted drowning of a 3-year-old girl in Texas.

Advocacy groups are urging stricter measures to combat hate crimes and ensure safe spaces in educational institutions for all students.