A teacher ripped off a student's hijab ... and this is the definition of Islamophobia

In the latest Islamophobic attack, a teacher has been accused of forcibly removing a female student's hijab and exposing her hair.

To add insult to the injury, the teacher in question posted a video documenting the entire incident on Snapchat.

In the video shared on social media, the student can be seen hiding her face and trying to readjust her hijab, while someone - whose face does not show - removes her headscarf and exposes her hair to the class.

According to News 4, who spoke with the victim's family, the incident took place at the New Vision Academy Charter School in Nashville, Tennessee.

Her family was "angry and said this should have never happened," the news channel reported.

The heartbreaking footage, which seems to have been taken by the harasser, was posted on Snapchat with captions that read "pretty hair" and "lol all that hair cover (covered) up."

In the video, the victim tries to fix her hijab while students mock her and touch her exposed hair.

A concerned viewer sent the Snapchat videos to News 4 after seeing them on the teacher's social media account.

According to the viewer, the victim was being told, "her hair was too pretty to be covered."

When News 4 first met with the principal of New Vision Academy, the latter claimed, "the teacher denied making a video and said exposing the girl's hair was not done out of disrespect."

However, in a statement issued on Wednesday, the principal apologized for the incident and announced that the teacher in question has been suspended without pay.

"As a school community, we pride ourselves on embracing and celebrating our racial, ethnic, religious and economic diversity," the statement read. 

"Our students learn, and grow, best when they learn from one another. To foster this environment, all students must feel respected and supported. The actions depicted in the Snapchat video do not reflect the values, culture or climate of New Vision Academy."

Speaking to News 4, Kasar Abdulla, who offers Muslim diversity and sensitivity training in local schools, said she was "discouraged  [...] but not completely shocked" to learn about the incident.

"As a female, and as a mother of three daughters, it should never be okay to rip off an article of clothing off of a female, period," said Abdulla.

Noting the importance of the hijab to those who wear it, she added, "It's (the hijab) a symbol of who you are, and it's a symbol of your faith, and it's a symbol of your identity. So, it needs to be accepted and recognized."

Schools in the United States have witnessed similar attacks against hijab-wearing students who are often preyed upon by Islamophobic bullies. 

Earlier this year, City Education Department officials in New York fired a substitute teacher after he ripped a hijab off the head of a second-grade student.

According to police reports, the teacher threatened to remove the student's hijab after she misbehaved in class. 

When she refused to follow his instructions, he pulled the hijab off her head, injuring her right eye.