Community Rallies Around Muslim Teacher Told to Hang Herself

DACULA, GA — The Dacula High School community is rallying around a Muslim teacher who says she received a note urging her to hang herself with the headscarf she regularly wears.

Mairah Teli, who teaches language arts at the school, posted an image of the note on her Facebook page on Friday.

"Mrs. Teli. Your head scarf is not allowed anymore. Why don't you tie it around your neck & hang yourself with it on your neck instead of your head. — America," the note reads.

Teli said the note was put in her classroom on Friday.

"As a Muslim, I wear a headscarf as a practice of my faith," she wrote. "I want to share this to raise awareness about the reality and climate of our community. Spreading hate isn't going to 'make America great again.' "

She completed her post using the hashtags #DonaldsAmerica #NotIntimidated #HereToStay #LoveTrumpsHate.

On Tuesday, the post had been "liked" nearly 4,000 times and shared 1,675 times.

Since Trump's election last Tuesday, incidents of racism and hatred have come to the forefront of the national conversation. The Southern Poverty Law Center is monitoring reports of racist harassment and intimidation and has recorded 201 such incidents across the country as of Nov. 11.

On Monday, Dacula High Principal Bryan Long wrote a post on the school's website condemning the letter and supporting Teli.

"We want you to know that we take any threat against a teacher seriously and are doing all we can to find the student involved and hold them accountable," Long wrote. "As we do in Dacula, we will use a difficult situation to bring us together rather than pulling us apart! Let's rally around Ms. Teli and show her that this note is not America or Dacula. #OneFamilyOneDacula."

In a pair of follow-up posts on Facebook, Teli said she has received an outpouring of support since making the note public.

"I am overwhelmed and deeply touched by all of the outcry and support that I have received in the past 24 hours," she wrote. "I can't even begin to articulate how touched I am to be receiving messages from all over the country with your support. I want to sincerely thank you for your kind words and well wishes. I feel your support affirms that our country is built on morals of compassion and kindness."

She said she is particularly pleased with how the Dacula High community has responded.

"They have voiced anger and have been tirelessly working to identify who sent this note," she wrote. "I have full confidence that they are taking the appropriate steps to handle this matter."

In what she called her final statement on the matter, she reached out specifically Monday to the person who wrote the note.

"(I)f you are reading this, I want to begin by saying that I am not angry. I don’t believe that begrudging someone will result in anything positive," she wrote. "As a teacher, I believe situations like this one serve as 'teachable moments.'

"I hope that you have been following along this conversation that has been taking place and that you see the amount of people from around the world who have sent so many kind messages full of support and love. The world is a better place when we all do our part to understand, empathize, and care for one another ... . (K)now that despite what you have written to me, I still want for you all of the things that I want for myself. I pray that God blesses you with guidance and wisdom."

Images via Mairah Teli Facebook page