<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="left"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Assalamu aleikum,</font></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="left"><br>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="left"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">If you do have children in high school Please help a Muslim friend to finish her Ph.D before March (or she will be in trouble) and if you don't have children in high school, please forward this e mail to your Muslim friends across the states.</font></div>
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</font></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></font>INVITATIONAL
FLYER
FOR PARENTS OF AMERICAN MUSLIM HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS</div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><i style="">In the tradition of
greeting in the Muslim faith,</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><i style="">Assalaamu Alaikum</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><i style="">(Peace be upon you)</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><i style=""> </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">Dear Respected Parent,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">My name is Shifa Podikunju Hussain. I am a
doctoral
candidate in the school counseling program in the Department of
Counselor
Education at the University
of Florida. I
write to
request your help in my research on adolescent Muslim students living
in the U.S.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">My doctoral dissertation research is entitled<b style="">, “Acculturation issues of Muslim high
school students in the U.S.”</b><span style=""> </span>This
study received funding in part from the
Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling,
a
division of the American Counseling Association.<span style=""> </span>The
major research activity is completion of
an approximately 10-minute, online survey by high school-age Muslim
students. I
am contacting you because you are the parent of a student eligible to
participate in my study, and your consent is need for your student to
participate.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">As an American Muslim and a high school counselor
for more
than eight years, I have worked with Muslim and other bi-cultural teens
who
face issues associated with adaptation to mainstream American society.
I am
aware that parents often feel overwhelmed when faced with the deluge of
cultural differences that affect their children in schools and in
society. This
study is intended to be a foundation of discovery for actual issues
that young
Muslims face growing up in America.
<b style=""><i style="">I
am interested in learning about Muslim high school students’ opinions
in topics
such as relationships with peers including Muslims and non-Muslims, the
roles
of boys and girls in family life growing up in America, how Muslims are
treated
in America, and how connected Muslim boys and girls feel growing up in
America.<span style=""> </span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><b style=""> </b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">The results from this study should be helpful to
educators,
parents, children, and educational professionals in ways beneficial to
all. It
also may be that this research will help alleviate some of the
misconceptions
that the larger society may have about Muslims living in America.
<b style=""><i style="">If you have any other questions
or would like to contact me regarding this study or the survey, you can
welcome
to call me at 352-339-4588 at any time, or my supervising professor at
the University
of Florida, Dr.
Larry Loesch at
352-392-0731, extension, 225. </i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><i style=""> </i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><i style="">This study is not
connected to your school and will not impact the
academic standing of your student in any way. The school is asked to
only
distribute this informational flyer to Muslim students known to the
school
counselor. </i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">Muslim high school age students from across the United States
are being requested to participate in this research by completing an
approximately 10-minute online survey. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><i style="">If you are willing for
your child to participate in this 10-minute
survey, <u>please email me at <a href="mailto:hussain.shifa@gmail.com">hussain.shifa@gmail.com</a>
for information on the survey website address and the Personal
Identification
Number (PIN) needed to participate.</u> All participants receive the
same standard
PIN number and therefore cannot be identified by this PIN.</i></b> Use
of the PIN
number is part of the informed consent process.<span style="">
</span><b style="">By providing the URL and PIN to
your child, you are acknowledging informed consent for your child to
participate in my search</b>.<span style=""> </span>You may
withhold consent simply by not providing this information to your
child. This
procedure has been approved by the Institutional Review Board of the University of Florida (<b style="">Protocol
#2007-U-1056</b>). </div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><i style="">I would appreciate your
participation in this pioneering study on the
acculturation issues faced by the Muslim children growing up in America.
</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">I thank you in advance for your generous
participation and
your contribution to the literature on Muslims and their needs in America.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><i style="">In the tradition of
the Muslim faith,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><i style="">Jazakallahu Khair</i>,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">(May God grant you good)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">Shifa Podikunju Hussain M.Ed., Ed.,S., <span style=""> </span>Larry Loesch,
Ph.D., NCC</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">Doctoral Candidate<span style="">
</span>Professor,
Counselor Education</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">University
of Florida<span style="">
</span>University
of Florida</div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:shifaph@ufl.edu">shifaph@ufl.edu</a>
or
352-339-4588</div>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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