“Do you Shower with your Hijab?”

Abstract

Abstract In this article, I use data from a Critical Participatory Action Research (CPAR) conducted in a high school in Salt Lake City, Utah to understand how racialization influences the sense of belonging for Muslim girls who veil. Using data collected through high school students’ questionnaires, Muslim girls’ personal experiences, and interviews with administration and faculty, I investigate how non-Muslim peers and school staff perceive Muslim girls at Mount Top High, a suburban high school. These perceptions shape the way members of the school community interact with Muslim girls and have a great impact on students’ sense of belonging and academic achievement.