Each week a discussion question will be posted here for students to respond to. Students are encouraged to thoughtfully respond and make connections between their thoughts and the posts of others.
We will be reviewing responses and drawing for prizes based on participation! Teachers are welcome to have students write their responses in class or use as an extension opportunity. Class responses can be submitted by teachers if needed.
Participants are encouraged to include teacher's name and school at the bottom of their post to help with prize distribution.
Week 1 Discussion: Do you think Azeem has been wrongly accused? Why do you think some people say he's innocent and others aren't so sure?
Had students use Padlet today to answer Week #1 Discussion question. Some good answers were provided but I plan to go back and discuss all answers that were given.
ReplyDeletehttps://padlet.com/lynn_filippelli/t17el5czbe35
Lynn Filippelli - Grade Seven - Portage View P.S.
Yes, I do think that Azeem has been wrongly accused because people are judging him based on his culture, race and background. They don't know anything about him so they shouldn’t just be making assumptions. So i think that some people say he’s innocent because he’s a
ReplyDeletevery nice person, but some people find him guilty because his race.
Warnica Public School
Mlle.Tosh- Gr. 7
Yes, I do think that Azeem has been wrongly accused because people are judging him based on his culture, race and background. They don't know anything about him so they shouldn’t just be making assumptions. So i think that some people say he’s innocent because he’s a
ReplyDeletevery nice person, but some people find him guilty because his race.
Warnica Public School
Mlle.Tosh- Gr. 7
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteYes, I do think that Azeem has been wrongly accused because people are judging him based on his culture, race and background. They don't know anything about him so they shouldn’t just be making assumptions. So i think that some people say he’s innocent because he’s a
ReplyDeletevery nice person, but some people find him guilty because his race.
Warnica Public School
Mlle Tosh-Gr.7
I think that Azeem was wrongfully accused because he is muslim. Some people thought he was guilty most likely because he is muslim. They think all muslims are terrorists which is so wrong. And they think that because some terrorists are muslim. But I think that in the end Azeem will have nothing to do with the bomb threat. I think the people don’t think that Azeem is guilty because they know him and he wouldn't do that or maybe because their going against the stereotype that all muslims are terrorists. I don't think he is guilty because of the way everybody in the book is saying how nice he is and also because I think it was wrong for the police just to take him away. Overall I don't think he's guilty.
ReplyDeleteHi our names are Teagan. S, Hudson. B, and Kiersten. H we are from Warnica Public School, Barrie, Ontario. We are a couple of Grade 7 students in the french extended program and our wonderful teachers name is Mlle. Tosh. We are a group of students who passion in reading and writing also we are adoring this book.
ReplyDeleteThis is our response for Week 1’s Question “Do you think Azeem has been wrongly accused? Why do you think some people say he's innocent and others aren't so sure”? We hope you enjoy. :)
We think Azeem was wrongly accused because judged off his race and religion. We think just because you believe in something different and run with a different group of people doesn't mean you should be accused of criminal offense.
Thank you for reading our response paragraph to Week 1’s Question “Do you think Azeem has been wrongly accused? Why do you think some people say he's innocent and others aren't so sure”? We love bifocal and hope to continue reading!
~ Hudson. B, Kiersten. H, Teagan S.
~ Grade 7
~ Mlle .S. Tosh’s Class
~ Warnica Public School
Yes, because the reason that the police arrested Azeem is because he’s Muslim. Azeem is just a regular high school student . The police had no right to arrest Azeem without any actual evidence. They searched through his locker after he was arrested. They abused their power as police officers.
ReplyDeleteYes I think the police should have questioned him a lot more because he might have been innocent. The cops could have interrogated his family and might have found more info on him actually being a part of the terrorist. I don’t think he’s guilty because he is only 17 years old. Just because he is muslim does not mean he is a terrorist. We will have to see how it plays out.
Yes because they judged them by skin color and that’s not right. There is no evidence to back up there actions. It was not fair.
Yes because the only reason they were arrested was because of their skin colour. That is really racist and against the law. The cops that made the arrest should have been more gentle.
We think Azeem is wrongly accused for these following reasons.
ReplyDeleteThe police has accused him of being a terrorist just because he looks like a muslim which frankly the police are not allowed to by law. Which secures our stance that he is wrongly accused of terrorist activity at the age of 17. This also occurs with Haroon for the same exact reasons. The world has become so fragile with stigmas around muslims and their “connection” mind the quotations, with terrorists like Al qaeda and ISIS which they even thought in the book he could be connected with Al Qaeda but those claims we ignored. Also another loophole in the police’s reasoning is that all the other suspected “terrorists” were Christians and yet they take in a “suspected” muslim.
The most important thing we must all acknowledge is the fact that Azeem is a juvenile age (12-17) which means he must be tried in juvenile court according to the YCJA(Youth criminal justice act). Even though the police have arrested the alleged group of terrorists they do not have any proof of Azeem’s connection to the school bombings. As well you just have to wonder how did they know about the school bombings, was it a tip or were they caught in the act of setting up bombs as well why would they tell the police the other members of the group.
Some people think that he is innocent because he is joyful and nice and his friends know him well, his peers know that he is also innocent. The people that don't know are some of the kids and the staff, they think that as he looks like a muslim he might be a terrorist, But he is an innocent canadian/arabic 17 year old. They might also think as he is a student from there school he might not be a terrorist or a killer. So the staff and the students they are know him well.
I think from the information that has been given to us that Azeem was wrongfully arrested. From what we know Azeem is Muslim, that's all. The only proof that the police had was that they found out that Azeem and another group of people were 'apparently' planning to blow up schools and government buildings. Before everything Azeem was just a normal high school student living his life the way he felt was right. he went to school like everyone else. I think that the police should have at least questioned Azeem more before shoving him into the back of a police car and arresting him. it could have also benefited them by investigating a little bit more. I think that other student believe that Azeem is innocent because they were friends with him and didn't belive that he could be a terrorist. I think that the reason why people don't know if he is or not because they did not really know him and weren't sure of what he is capable of. In the end I think that they at least should have questioned Azeem a little bit more before he was aressted. (Vanessa L, Duff)
ReplyDeleteI agree with Vanessa. The book has only gave us the information that Azeem is Muslim. They did not tell us that Azeem was questioned and if he was, he was all alone and scared. I believe the police officer and everyone in the community of this book that is not Muslim is living in fear. Other Muslim in the past have made horrible decisions in the past that has let down their culture and now the youths of the Muslim have to live with thier consequences. Some of their ancestors painted a bad picture for Muslims, and now people are living in fear of Muslims because of that.
DeleteDi do think azeem was wrongfully arrested. He's just a teenager and he loves his life just like any other person. Just because he's Muslim he's treated differently. Al we know is he's Muslim and I think he's innocent. He seems innocent because he's a tenth grader and I don't think their main priority is to be involved in a suicide bombing. He's young and he seems innocent. My main question is why? Why just because he's of a certain race he's apart of something awful. He's young and naïve and doesn't know much about life. But I garentee he's got his head so far in the clouds that he doesn't know about death. I think he was wrongfully arrested and I believe he's innocent.
Delete(Hanna L, Duff 7)
yes i do think azeem is wrongly accused, why do i believe he's wrongly accused because in this book the police are so racist and discriminating along with some people in this book, but why what does being racist and rude get you, affection? no, warmth? no, friends? no, they get you the "amazingness"of being a bully and THAT'S what makes people not have friends being a bully. the police "believe" he's a terrorist because he's muslim? don't you think that's pathetic because truly i do. what if the world was flipped and whites were the slaves, would you find it fair if just because you'r white you'r accused of being a terrorist. well i don't just because he's muslim does not mean he's a terrorist anyone could be a terrorist the matter what color there skin is. in this book "bifocal" azeem is known as nice and kind hearted not a terrorist that's how his friends and family defines azeem. the definiton of a terrorist is "a person who uses unlawful violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aim" does that sound like azeem? well the answer is no, because the way azeem was explained is the exact opposite of what a terrorist means. do you think that a teenager would have the guts to set smoke bombs off, let alone be a teenage terrorist well i don't, azeem is seventeen, about to start his life i doubt he'd do anything to sacrafice that, i know i wouldn't. people need to learn how to accept everyone and let it be, in my opinion azeem is innocent and there's someone else who should be accused he may be muslim he may not be heck it may be a girl, but the police need to look more into this because they have no actual proof that it was azeem only that he's muslim which shouldn't mean anything because the law is they need actual proof before accusing someone, proof that's not because of the colour of there skin.until they have actual evidence and proof against him, i believe azeem is wrongly accused!
ReplyDelete-marchmont public school
-emmarose
-grade 7
-mrs.leboeuf
we think azeem is being wrongly accused because the only evedence we have is that he is Muslim and they think that he was part of a terrorist group in the woods that had seventeen people involved. His friends and teachers believe he is innocent because he is a friendly kind boy but the people that think he is guilty are scared white people that will believe that any Muslim is a terrorist / killer. That is why we think he is being wrongly accused and because they have absolutly no proof that he's a terrorist.
ReplyDeleteBy: Abby and Tucker
Grade 7 Mrs leboeuf
I think that Azeem is wrongfully acussed because they just suspect that he's guilty. all we know is that the police took him and blamed him for something he may of not even done. I agree with Dominik & Saad by saying that someone might set off the the smoke bombs to get rid of Muslims.
ReplyDeleteGrace and Olivia think that he has been wrongly accused. Like Grace from Warnica Public School, We think that people aren't sure because of his of his race culture and background. They also think this due to they think he is a muslim.
ReplyDeleteMarchmont public school
Gr. 7
Mrs Lebouef
Hi my name is Sam and my teacher is mrs leboeuf and this is my blog. I think azeem was wrongly accused because he was accused for being a terrorist just because he is a Muslim and the rest of the terrorist who where accused where Muslim. Some people think he is a terrorist because he is Muslim, and think he is capable of doing bad things. Other people think he was innocent because he had not been proven guilty. Thanks for listening to my blog
ReplyDeleteI believe Azeem was wrongly accused. In the book he was known as nice, sweet & kindhearted, some one like that wouldnt try to bomb a school. The police dont have proof that he is a terrorist. If you remember from the begining of the book, the officers walked right into the 'reach for the top' room & arrested him right off the bat. They didnt even talk to Azeem or Haroon about the situation. They arested him just because he was muslim and looked like a terrorist. I thought Canada was known for welcoming people in regardless of their race OR religon???!!!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dominik& when they said that some one is probably framing all the muslim students for setting off the smoke bomb just to get rid of them.
The only people who think he isn't innocent are the people who watch the news, & the police. Theres hardly any information on the situation
i also agree with emmarose on the bunch of stuff she said about him being too young. Laura was correct when she said he was being blamed for being muslim, its just a religon that doesnt always agree with other religons.
He is NOT guilty.
i agree with this because i also think students are setting of the smoke bombs to get the Muslims out of the school because they don't like them.
ReplyDeleteDuff
Kayleigh
ReplyDeleteI think Azeem was wrongly accused. Azeem was deffinatly accused just because of his race.
Azeem is muslim and in this book it seems like everyone of high authority is scared// thinks muslims or people of a different skin colour are terrorist.
This bothers me just because you believe in something doesnt mean your a terrorist. In Canada we have a right that claims we are inoccent until proven guilty. stating this I strongly agree with Leah, she made a great point on how we should not be discriminated because of our race.
I believe Azeem was wrongly accused because he was muslim.
Kayleigh
mrs.leboef
gr.7 MPS
I think Azeem has been wrongly accused. You can't just arrest someone because of their race, or with hardly any evidence. The police didn't seem to have that much evidence against Azeem, so why would they just arrest him like that???? I think they should have investigated the situation more before arresting him. Also, the police didn't seem to even think about someone white being one of the terrorists, they just went for the Muslims because it is stereotypical to think the Muslims would be terrorists. Everyone probably had different opinions on this in the book as well. People like Haroon and his parents who know Azeem would know he wouldn't do something like this. And people who don't know him might just assume what they think they know, that all Muslims are terrorists, including Azeem.
ReplyDeleteSierra, Mrs Leboeuf's class, Grade Seven
I think that Azeem Is being wrongly accused, and that people are living in fear of Muslims. The only information the book provides us is that Azeem is Muslim and that he is suspected of being a part of a terrorist group. They never said he was questioned and if he was he would have mostly have been alone and scared. I think because there has been past terrorist attacks that Muslims have been involved in people are now living in fear of it happening again. Just because their ancestors have made poor decisions, Muslim youths are now being judged for their ancestors actions.
ReplyDelete- Rachel V.
- Ms. duffs grade 7 class
I think that Azeem has been wrongly accused. I think this because the police that had arrested Azeem had no real proof that Azeem had committed anything, they just picked the two Arab kids in Mrs. Singh's class.
ReplyDeleteI think some people say he's innocent because they know what kind of person Azeem is, and they know that he's a good and caring person.
I think others say he's guilty because he is Muslim, which is a race that is mostly known for committing terrorist attacks, but not all Muslims are bad or terrorists.
Carson - Miss Duff's Grade 7 Class