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From left, Raham Khodadadadeh, Larry Peifer and Mona Mahmoudi at a recent screening of the documentary “To Light a Candle,” at the Vista Library. The documentary tells of the religious persecution and blocking access to higher education of people of the Bahá’í religion in Iran. Photo by Tony Cagala
From left, Raham Khodadadadeh, Larry Peifer and Mona Mahmoudi at a recent screening of the documentary “To Light a Candle,” at the Vista Library. The documentary tells of the religious persecution and blocking access to higher education of people of the Bahá’í religion in Iran. Photo by Tony Cagala
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Students of Bahá’í religion banned from pursuing higher education in Iran still find ways to learn

VISTA — Just six months ago Raham Khodadadadeh arrived in the U.S., leaving Iran, the country he was born and raised in. Some two months ago, he was enrolled at MiraCosta College — all in the name of pursuing his higher education.

In Iran, Khodadadadeh, 34, was banned from receiving any access to higher education. That’s because he’s of the Bahá’í faith, a religious minority in Iran, which has been subject to religious persecution, including not being able to study in any of Iran’s colleges and universities.

“It’s impossible,” he said of receiving higher education as a member of the Bahá’í religion in Iran.

Though Khodadadadeh is not without higher education under his belt.

Where the Iranian government was blocking access to college, people of the Bahá’í faith were finding their own way to achieve access to higher learning.

Khodadadadeh is one student of many that have “graduated” from the Bahá’í Institute for Higher Education (BIHE), of which his father was one of the founders.

BIHE began as a sort of underground university founded entirely by volunteers more than 20 years ago, to provide Bahá’ís a chance to pursue their higher education.

From makeshift classrooms in people’s homes when it began in 1987, BIHE has now shifted more to the Internet with online courses taught at the bachelor’s and master’s degree levels from volunteering professors around the world.

Though it’s not an accredited university, the students that do complete the coursework, which is recognized by more than 100 universities and colleges, receive a certificate.

Larry Peifer has been a faculty member of BIHE since 2009.

Despite being suppressed, Peifer said the students in Iran are so jovial and motivated.

“I’ve taught at universities here, the difference is like night and day,” Peifer said. “The motivation to learn is very high.”

Students in Iran don’t pay for the courses, but they do have to qualify, Peifer said. They have to take an entrance exam and an English proficiency exam because all of the courses are taught in English.

He said Iran’s government is aware of the online university and that sometimes things get blocked, but overall, he’s found that the students will find a way to get access.

The persecution of the Bahá’ís is the subject of a new documentary, “To Light a Candle,” from journalist Maziar Bahari. Bahari, who was also imprisoned in Iran in 2009 without any charges filed against him, was the subject of the feature film “Rosewater.”

Mona Mahmoudi also grew up in Iran. She came to the U.S. in 1970 where she would earn her bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. in mathematics. She had the plan of going back to Iran to really be a “shaker and mover” of things, she said.

But things had changed significantly in Iran with the 1979 revolution. Both of her parents had been executed for being associated with the Bahá’í faith.

Mahmoudi, who now lives in Carlsbad, was featured in the documentary. She said the number of Bahá’ís in Iran is unknown, because while a lot have left the country, there are people that are converting to the faith, but don’t say anything for their safety.

“In Iran you can never be sure. There is risk possible,” Khodadadadeh said. He continues to teach Sociology online with BIHE while undertaking his own courses here.

He described his experiences teaching students still in Iran as difficult, but also meaningful, powerful, and illuminating. “Because there are people who are very eager to learn and they have no other opportunities.”

7 comments

Ramin Taghdiri March 24, 2015 at 9:45 pm

Education is a right, not a crime. Thank you for writing this article.

Nasrin B March 24, 2015 at 8:05 pm

It is so sad that people are blocked from going to school simply because of their faith. Thank you for this informative article.

Judy Maddox March 24, 2015 at 3:38 pm

Great and accurate article. These people are my heroes as for the sake of education they go more than the distance. I used to be a teacher and then a librarian and so I appreciate their efforts. Education should be a right not a privilege and definitely not a crime!

Sabi Tavakoli March 24, 2015 at 2:13 pm

It is indeed a very informative article

Sabi Tavakoli March 24, 2015 at 2:12 pm

It is indeed a very informative article.

roco N March 23, 2015 at 11:26 pm

This was a very informative article, thanks for bringing information like this from around the world that touches the human heart.
I can not believe that in the 21st century there still exists such barbaric treatment of human beings, how can getting a university education become a crime, how can they put people in jail for teaching regular college classes, this would have been unbelievable a 1000 years ago as it is now.
We should all say something for this kind of genocide, write to our congressman follow this site to see what can be done to support these poor 18, 19 year old students.

Celia Taghdiri March 23, 2015 at 9:06 pm

Thank you for bringing attention to such an urgent matter – an informative article.

Comments are closed.