KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas City school officials are taking a stand against “our country’s long history of racism and xenophobia” with a recently approved resolution to condemn “hateful speech and violent action directed at Muslims.”

“It’s about building an inclusive environment for people so they know they have value,” Kansas City Public Schools board chair Melissa Robinson told the Kansas City Star of the resolution approved Sept. 28.

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District officials collaborated with the Crescent Peace Society, a local Muslim advocacy group, to craft the resolution to go beyond anti-bullying policies to protect Muslim students specifically.

The resolution, titled “Condemning violence and hate speech, expressing support for Muslim students and those perceived as Muslims,” was heralded by Crescent members as a “forward thinking” measure at a time of ethnic tensions in schools and across the country but loudly criticized by many local residents, particularly conservatives.

The resolution states protections for Muslims are necessary because of “the recent escalation of hateful rhetoric against Muslims, those perceived as Muslims, immigrants and people of color is especially harmful to children, as it has a negative impact on their psychological well-being, the health of their peer relationships and their ability to thrive in school,” the Star reports.

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The approved resolution states “there are more than 3 million Muslims living in the United States today, and approximately 30,000 living in the Greater Kansas City area, making invaluable contributions to our economy, our social and political life, and our culture,” and that “discrimination on the basis of religion, and against Muslims and those perceived as Muslims in particular, is deeply embedded within our country’s long history of racism and xenophobia,” the blog Tony’s Kansas City points out.

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The resolution also cites “unprecedented backlash since the September 11th attacks in the form of hate crimes and employment discrimination toward Arab and Muslim Americans and those perceived as Muslim” to justify the special protections for Muslim students.

The resolution concludes:

Now therefore be it resolved, that the Kansas City Public Schools –

(1) Condemns all hateful speech and violent action directed at Muslims, those perceived as Muslims, immigrants and people of color;

(2) Commits to fostering a school environment that promotes respect for and curiosity about all religions and cultures, affirms the equal humanity of all members of the community, and rejects all forms of bullying and discrimination;

(3)Commits to instituting school policies and setting an educational curriculum that reflects the values expressed in this resolution via training of staff and teachers, the inclusion of diverse resources to supplement in-class curricula, and the creation of safe spaces for students to address school-based bullying.

The public backlash to the Muslim resolution was fierce and immediate.

“Wake the … up America!!” one person posted to social media, according to the Star. “Kansas City school forced to submit to Sharia & Islamic supremacy! #BanIslam. #BanSharia.”

Faith blogger Roughneck Infidel also weighed in on the district’s decision to “submit to Islamic supremacy” at the blog causingfitna.

Roughneck Infidel implied that the recently approved measure is a form of voluntary dhimmitude, or oppression of Christians by Muslims in exchange for peace.

The resolution was approved by an 8-0 vote with one board member absent, according to WND.