Posted on 12/13/2004 8:27:50 PM PST by Kuksool
Political correct “diversity” advocates are often more solicitous of Muslim and non-Christian “holy days” than those celebrated by Christians, despite our nation’s Biblical heritage.
In Naperville, in my own back yard, school District 204 (Indian Prairie School District) not only tolerated but encouraged school remembrance of the Muslim holiday, Ramadan (which ended last month).
The following email was sent to administrators of School District 204 in Naperville-Aurora, urging special recognition of the Muslim holiday, Ramadan. I have yet to receive a return call from the author of the memo, Donna Crawford, Assistant Superintendent Elementary Education, asking if the same official respect has been accorded Christmas, as a Christian holy day. Emphasis is added:
"To: 204 Administration List
Subject: [204 Administration List] Ramadan begins 10/15
"Ramadan begins today and ends Nov 14th. For more than a billion Muslims around the world -- including some 8 million in North America -- Ramadan is a "month of blessing" marked by prayer, fasting, and charity. Ramadan observance focuses on self-sacrifice and devotion to Allah (God).
"For our Muslim students, staff and parents, please be mindful of fasting by offering alternative activity options during lunch period or other activities which may include food and beverages. Asking students about ways in which they may want to be accommodated is beneficial. Accommodations are especially important in regards to physical education classes. P.E. teachers may offer alternatives to rigorous physical exercise for the fasting students.
"Schools may also support Muslim students by arranging a place for prayer. The five essential times of prayer include: at first light and before sunrise, between the sun reaching it height and mid-afternoon, between mid-afternoon and sunset, after the sun has finished setting, in the dark of night.
"Students may also be absent from school for required religious observance. Some students will attend school after observing prayers.
"Other information about Ramadan .....
"Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Islam uses a lunar calendar -- that is, each month begins with the sighting of the new moon. Because the lunar calendar is about 11 days shorter than the solar calendar used elsewhere, Islamic holidays "move" each year.
"Muslims practice sawm, or fasting, for the entire month of Ramadan. This means that they may eat or drink nothing, including water, while the sun shines. As with other Islamic duties, all able Muslims take part in sawm from about age twelve (when they reach puberty). During Ramadan Muslims get up early for suhoor, a meal eaten before the sun rises. After the sun sets, the fast is broken with a meal known as iftar. Iftar usually begins with dates and sweet drinks that provide a quick energy boost. Fasting serves many purposes. While they are hungry and thirsty, Muslims are reminded of the suffering of the poor. Fasting is also an opportunity to practice self-control and to cleanse the body and mind. And in this most sacred month, fasting helps Muslims feel the peace that comes from spiritual devotion as well as kinship with fellow believers.
"Ramadan ends with the festival of Eid al-Fitr, which in 2004 occurs on November 14. Literally the "Festival of Breaking the Fast," Eid al-Fitr is one of the two most important Islamic celebrations (the other occurs after the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca). At Eid al-Fitr people dress in their finest clothes, adorn their homes with lights and decorations, give treats to children, and enjoy visits with friends and family. A sense of generosity and gratitude colors these festivities. Although charity and good deeds are always important in Islam, they have special significance at the end of Ramadan. As the month draws to a close, Muslims are obligated to share their blessings by feeding the poor and making contributions to mosques."
Donna Crawford
Assistant Superintendent Elementary Education
Indian Prairie School District 204
Phone 630.375.3025
Fax 630.375.3004
www.ipsd.org
____________________________________________________________________
Now, I'm all for ethnic diversity (my wife Cristina is half Lebanese, and the first in her family to be born in the USA). But isn't it interesting that in Muslim-dominated countries like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, Christians and other non-Muslims are persecuted, while here we not only encourage respect for other faiths but erase our own Judeo-Christian heritage? No healthy civilization censors its own noble history!
America's religious freedom and embrace of immigrants is part of what makes us a great nation, but what the ACLU and its secularist allies refuse to teach the next generation is that our national experiment in freedom was made possible by our Christian heritage. We must not allow those who would strip Christianity from our public life to triumph or it will hasten the moral collapse of our nation.
Thank you for standing for Biblical truth in the culture. May the God of Christmas bless you.
Sincerely in Christ,
Peter LaBarbera
Executive Director
Respond to: info@illinoisfamily.org
On certain holy days of obligation. But the choice was public school or private school. In private school they would have attended mass.
"Since school officials only respect power, it's undoubtedly time to sue them individually and as a group for this sort of nonsense."
No,,,,It is time to declare government schools unconstitutional!
Why are government schools unconstitutional?
They are unconstitutional because NO school curriculum can be neutral. All schools must make choices as to what to include or exclude from its school policies and curriculum. In making these choices the government school WILL establish and uphold the religious beliefs of some, while undermining, diminishing, or creating a hostile religious environment for others.
This flap over Ramadan is merely one of THOUSANDS of issues on which the government school can not be religious neutral.
The following is an excellent essay on why government schools are unconstitutional:
http://www.newswithviews.com/Stuter/stuter9.htm
You said your children were in their 20s now.
In public school, years ago, where were you that we weren't given those days off for observance? I had holy days off when I was in public school.
Back in the old BBS days we had all the time we needed to edit our replies. Every word a Pulitzer. Heh. Times have changed, haven't they?
>180 posted on 12/09/2005 9:37:37 PM CST by Xenalyte
You're asking this a year later?
Need to sue them.
What my point is, religion should be able to be practiced anywhere and anytime a practitioner feels it is necessary. Regardless of whether they are Christian, Jewish, or Islamic(Phoenix)
Ah,,,phoenix...if the government school allowed free expression of religion, any time the student wished, chaos would reign. To prevent chaos the government school represses the First Amendment rights of the student to free speech, free press, free assembly, and free expression of religious belief.
Also,,,since the government school can NEVER be neutral in its curriculum and policy decisions, the government school WILL establish and uphold the cultural, and religious traditions of some while undermining those of other citizens.
This is why government school ARE unconstitutional.
The following is an excellent essay on the unconstitutionality of government schools:
http://www.newswithviews.com/Stuter/stuter9.htm
The problem I have with New York is abortion, it started there and a politician would never get elected without being prochoice. And the fact that the gay community trashed the Cathedral with condoms filled with sperm and threw them all over the church. And it happend more than once. Where was the outcry after the first time?
I can't speak to the abortion thing -- but I do remember the condom incident at St. Pats. The first time it happened was back in the 1980s. It was a radical gay guy who had some followers who targeted the Catholic church and the NY Cardinal. It caused a big scandal. At the time I had gay friends who explained the dynamics to me. There was a guy named larry kramer who started an organization called Gay Mens Health Crisis. He eventually got booted from the organization for being too radical, so he started an organization called Act Up that targeted the CDC, Reagan etc. with civil disobedience. The condom guy was too radical for that group and got kicked out, then did the St. Pats thing. Clearly the guy is out of his mind. At least that's my understanding of it.
For some reason, rodeo is almost as much a religion down here as NASCAR is.
And before the flames start, I am a Texas girl born and bred. I just don't see the utility in a month-long orgy of barrel-racin' and hog-chasin' and feedstock-showin' and cotton-candy-eatin' and diamonds-with-demin-wearin'.
I prefer smaller rodeos attached to county fairs. In particular I like ther cutting horses and talking to the 4H and Future Farmers kids about their animals.
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