Posted on 10/20/2005 10:58:49 AM PDT by Crackingham
A federal appeals court here heard arguments yesterday that a public school's effort to acquaint students with Islam went too far by having the students don Islamic dress, recite phrases from the Koran, and mimic the fasting associated with the Muslim observance of Ramadan.
Two Christian families from Contra Costa County, Calif., east of Oakland, charged in a 2002 lawsuit that a role-playing curriculum used to teach seventh-graders about Islamic history and culture violated the Constitution's prohibition against the establishment of religion. The students also engaged in a "race to Mecca."
A federal judge in San Francisco threw out the case in 2003, but the families appealed. An attorney for the families, Edward White III, told a three judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday that during the eight-week unit on Islam, religious teachings were described as "facts" and students were instructed to wear name tags that included the religion's star-and-crescent imagery. "All of these actions are crossing the line," said Mr. White, a lawyer with a Michigan-based legal advocacy group for Christians, the Thomas More Law Center.
Mr. White also accused the courts of applying a double standard that is more tolerant of Islam in public schools than of Christian and Jewish faiths. "If this case dealt with the teaching of Catholicism ... of course people would say you're endorsing religion," the lawyer said.
The arguments against the curriculum got a skeptical reception from the appeals court judges. Judge Dorothy Nelson said that many aspects of the instruction were cultural and historical. "Doesn't this seem more like a secular experience than a religious experience?" she asked. "Are you saying our children should not be taught the history of all the religions of the world?
(Excerpt) Read more at nysun.com ...
In Rochester MN the school system has a new charter school that caters to the somali's in the area, so they won't feel like 'outcasts' because of their dress and religious beliefs. The articles seem to imply that their parents think the general population is to corrupting and that they aren't excepted by the other children ... etc etc etc .... They have had rooms set aside for prayers for years. Also there is now a Somali boy scout troop.
Personally I don't think I should have to fund a school which is based on their religion. and this is really a religious school, even if it goes by the 'charter' school title.
excepted = accepted
I have a HUGE problem with that. Islam should be exposed for the evil that it is not promoted. Read the rest of my previous post where I suggest just what should be taught about islam that you can bet is not being taught.
Not quite. End this Liberal PC crap everywhere!
It's about time someone confronted this liberalism run amok in our school system.
Because it's NOT Christian or Jewish, and it's the preferred religion of our enemies.
Mark
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