Bahá'í students fight for equality
Aya Khalil
Issue date: 9/27/07 Section: News
Imagine being denied education based solely on a religious belief. Some students in Iran are facing this dilemma, and Bahá'í students at UT are finding ways to help solve this.
Those of the Bahá'í faith in Iran, the largest minority group in the country with about 6 million followers worldwide, have been denied full access to a higher education and have been discriminated against and persecuted by the Iranian government since 1979.
UT's Bahá'í population is taking a step on campus to change the way things are in Iran, even though they are thousands of miles away.
In 1993, the Iranian government officially declared that those of the Bahá'í faith should be expelled from universities.
"[They] have been expelled just for their religion," said Asiyih Modarai, a junior majoring in history and art history, who is also the secretary for the Bahá'í Campus Association at UT.
"The government of Iran sought to deprive its largest minority of a higher education," she said.
However, the Bahá'í Campus Association is taking a step with other Bahá'í students across the country and around the world by denouncing the government's persecution of those of the Bahá'í faith in Iran. Students are writing to university officials as well as government officials, asking them to condemn the denial of higher education based on religious belief only.
If this matter is brought to the attention of the international community and the United Nations, then there is a chance that the Iranian government might change its policies due to international pressure, Modarai said.
Sharon Barnes, associate professor of interdisciplinary studies, is helping Modarai and other Bahá'í students get the message out to faculty. She presented a resolution from the students to the Faculty Senate on Tuesday, where it passed unanimously.
"What has worked for people trying to make change in Iran is international pressure," Barnes said at Tuesday's meeting.
Those of the Bahá'í faith in Iran, the largest minority group in the country with about 6 million followers worldwide, have been denied full access to a higher education and have been discriminated against and persecuted by the Iranian government since 1979.
UT's Bahá'í population is taking a step on campus to change the way things are in Iran, even though they are thousands of miles away.
In 1993, the Iranian government officially declared that those of the Bahá'í faith should be expelled from universities.
"[They] have been expelled just for their religion," said Asiyih Modarai, a junior majoring in history and art history, who is also the secretary for the Bahá'í Campus Association at UT.
"The government of Iran sought to deprive its largest minority of a higher education," she said.
However, the Bahá'í Campus Association is taking a step with other Bahá'í students across the country and around the world by denouncing the government's persecution of those of the Bahá'í faith in Iran. Students are writing to university officials as well as government officials, asking them to condemn the denial of higher education based on religious belief only.
If this matter is brought to the attention of the international community and the United Nations, then there is a chance that the Iranian government might change its policies due to international pressure, Modarai said.
Sharon Barnes, associate professor of interdisciplinary studies, is helping Modarai and other Bahá'í students get the message out to faculty. She presented a resolution from the students to the Faculty Senate on Tuesday, where it passed unanimously.
"What has worked for people trying to make change in Iran is international pressure," Barnes said at Tuesday's meeting.
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