WHEREAS, we believe our public servants should aspire to the highest ideals of this nation and not foment divisiveness, xenophobia and hate; and

WHEREAS, according to data from the FBI, hate crimes against Muslims in the United States increased 14 percent in 2014 even as overall hate crimes decreased by 8 percent; and

WHEREAS, in recent weeks, following ISIL and ISIL-related attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, incidents of Islamophobia have occurred in the United States. For example, vandals desecrated mosques and Korans in Florida, Texas and Nebraska; arsonists set fire to a restaurant in North Dakota; a passenger shot a Muslim taxi driver in Pittsburgh, PA; and on Dec. 5, an assailant attacked a Muslim storeowner in Queens; and

WHEREAS, except for Native Americans, we are all immigrants or descendants of immigrants — ­whether on our own initiative or forced here — to the United States; and

WHEREAS, the United States has witnessed centuries of racist or intolerant behavior toward immigrant groups but the majority of its citizens have risen above those biases; and

WHEREAS, UFT members pride themselves on their open-mindedness as well as their commitment to instill peace, compassion and justice in all students regardless of religion, ethnicity and race; and

WHEREAS, as educators and public servants, we strive to educate and care for children so they grow up to be good citizens and make this a country that embraces differences; and

WHEREAS, more than 10 percent of NYC public school children are Muslim, and hundreds of thousands of Muslims live in NYC; therefore be it

RESOLVED that the UFT strongly condemns the actions of all those who threaten the national imperative of acceptance of others; and be it further

RESOLVED, that UFT members will support and protect the rights of Muslims, as they do all members of religious groups, who are our students, our colleagues and our neighbors.