Omar Rising

Aiden is positive that many students will sign the petition, but Omar is unsure until he sees that the cafeteria is unusually packed for breakfast. Marwan, Jibril, and Humza are upset about the injustice of the expulsion and want to help save Naveed and Omar. Omar explains the petition. Aiden signs first, and many more follow. Faisal sorrowfully says that students petition the administration every year, but nothing changes. Outraged, Aiden encourages everyone to ask their parents to talk to the school board, and he thinks the students should take direct action as well. Omar senses the unity in the room and mentions that thousands of people gathered to protest during the Women’s March. Humza suggests that the students all stage a walkout, leaving their classes at the same time in protest. Omar worries that they could get in trouble, but Aiden assures him that if everyone participates, they will be fine. When Aiden asks who will help, everyone raises their hands, including some older students. They pick Thursday at 11:00am for the walkout. Omar believes that they will make a difference. He and Naveed feel part of a supportive community.

Marwan and Aiden call Omar to their table in art. Presentations are over, and students now have free time. Marwan shows Omar flyers that depict a fist and advertise the walkout, and he also shows the protest posters that he and Aiden have been making. The flyers urge readers to support “Project Justice” and save Naveed and Omar. The posters read “Justice Now” and “Step Out.” Aiden assures Omar they will be discreet with passing the flyers around classes. Aiden took the “Step Out” phrase from one of Shehzil Malik’s posters. Omar is dumbstruck. Marwan wants to make more posters in the rec room after school. The boys are alarmed when Mr. Adeel surprises them in the midst of their activities. He notices the posters and the flyers. Panicky, Omar begins to explain, but Mr. Adeel just responds that he only sees good artwork and “very good friends” (188).

The day before the walkout, Faisal and others sketch a new mural, but Omar cannot quite see what the subject is. That night, Omar and Kareem worry that although the students have agreed to walk out, they might decide against it when the time comes. Kareem’s father finds one of the flyers, but Kareem assures Omar that Zamir is not going to tell the administration. However, he does not want Kareem involved in the walkout because he worries Kareem will lose his scholarship. Despite this, Kareem still wants to participate. He believes that everyone needs to participate to get the point across, but Omar agrees that Kareem should not take part. Omar would feel terrible if Kareem were expelled on his account. Omar and Kareem lie awake that night. Omar knows that they will need everyone’s participation to save not only himself and Naveed, but future scholarship students as well.

The next day, the atmosphere at school is charged. Omar wonders if everyone will risk themselves to help him and Naveed; even Omar is nervous about walking out. At 11:00, nobody moves at first, then Marwan, Humza, Aiden, and Jibril stand, followed by Naveed and Omar. They walk out of history class and join hundreds of students in the hall. Everyone goes to the soccer field. Kareem joins Omar, despite Omar’s protest and Zamir’s frightened face. On the field, they chant “Equality for all!” and “No way! Let them stay!” (194). Mr. Adeel, Mr. Nawaz, Shuaib, and Basem come outside to watch. Faisal and the upperclassmen paint a new mural showing the sun shining on rows of students whose raised hands hang on to the ankles of boys who are floating away. It reads, “Ghalib Academy—all for one and one for all” (195). Omar helps the others to paint the mural while Headmaster Moiz watches the protest from the stairs.

Later, in Headmaster Moiz’s office, Omar is unafraid. He keeps envisioning the protest and basks in the realization that all the students stood up for Omar, Naveed, and the other “ghost boys.” Omar gives Moiz the students’ petition, and to his surprise, the headmaster praises his grammar and writing. Moiz admits that the walkout was “impressive” and states that Omar reminds him of himself. Omar is surprised to learn that Moiz was in the first class of scholarship students. Of the 20 scholarship students in Moiz’s group, only three graduated, and Moiz always thought that was unjust. Before, Omar believed that Moiz was trying to get rid of scholarship students, and Moiz understands why Omar thought that, but in reality, Moiz was trying to help Omar, Kareem, and Naveed by teaching them in a smaller class. Omar realizes that he has erroneously assumed things about Moiz. Moiz does not control the scholarship requirements, which were created before his position; he must always defer to the rulings of the school board. Omar asks if Moiz will talk to the board about changing the requirements. Moiz agrees to take the petition to them and let Omar know the results.

Kareem and Aiden sadly watch Omar pack to go home. Naveed, who is already packed, joins them. Aiden cannot believe that the walkout was unsuccessful. Naveed is worry-free, for the worst has already happened; they did their best and tried hard to stay, but to no avail. Omar, however, is not at peace. He regrets missing out on so many things like movie nights, all for nothing. Aiden and Kareem encourage Omar and Naveed, promising to stay in touch. Omar understands why Aiden did not make friends at other schools, because it is so hard to say goodbye. Mr. Adeel and Shuaib catch Omar before he slips away without saying goodbye. Due to their support, Omar now finds it hard to leave them. Mr. Adeel tells Omar that they will keep working to change the rules and says that he has talked to Moiz, and that teachers and staff also signed the petition. Shuaib tells Omar that he has a great future ahead of him. Mr. Adeel urges Omar to keep his “stubborn optimism,” but Omar, tired, thinks that doing so is difficult. Riding home with Malik Uncle, Omar cries, thinking of everyone he has failed.

Omar’s mother and Amal greet Omar excitedly and usher him inside for a celebratory meal. Omar cannot disguise his sadness and tells his mother and Amal’s family everything: from the unfair scholarship rules, his struggle with grades, the desperate studying, the petition, and the walkout. Omar apologizes for disappointing his mother. She is teary but not disappointed. Instead, she cries because of the unhappiness and suffering that Omar has endured. Malik Uncle chides Omar for keeping his troubles to himself, but Omar says that his friends and the school community helped him. When his friends and family support him despite his expulsion from school, Omar sees that they all believe in him. He realizes that the “ghost boys” are still out there in the world and knows that if they made it into Ghalib, they are not the kind of boys who would quit trying. Omar thinks he should be stubbornly optimistic about having confidence in himself.

Omar returns to his old life, playing soccer and having book club meetings with Amal. He achieves Naveed’s level of peace and feels that he has done everything possible to stay at Ghalib. He visits the secondary school that Faud and Zaki attend. It is not fancy like Ghalib, but he will still receive an education there. He is considering starting an astronomy club there as well. Although Ghalib’s school board met a while ago, Omar has still heard nothing. Meanwhile, Amal receives an acceptance letter to Iqra, and Omar is genuinely happy for her.

Later, she meets him at the stream and shows him a letter from Ghalib Academy that was mistakenly delivered to another house. She has not read it, but she wants to be with Omar for support when he opens it. Omar knows that regardless of what the letter says, he still has a positive future ahead of him. The letter from the Ghalib Board of Trustees announces that they have changed the GPA requirements for scholarship students to match those of regular students and have implemented a probationary period during which scholarship students can receive help if they are struggling. The board welcomes Omar back to Ghalib. Omar is stunned and excited to return. He knows that everyone at Ghalib helped to make the change happen. There will still be things to improve, but this will make things easier for all future scholarship students. In this moment, Omar realizes that he can overcome any challenge.