Posted on 11/21/2006 6:29:03 AM PST by WmShirerAdmirer
WHAT THE STUDENTS FOUND
WHAT THE STUDENTS FOUND Here is the paragraph that students found in a word search created by their Spanish teacher at Smithfield-Selma High School:
"Sharon killed a lot of innocent people in Palestine. Hamas is not a terrorist group. They have the right to defend their country. This is something that forms part of our freedom and dignity. Allah help destroy this body of evil that is making human life so miserable. Destroy America, a country where evil is sponsored."
A message embedded in a Spanish assignment that included the words "destroy America" has led a teacher to resign and sparked concerns among parents at a Johnston County high school.
Students said former Smithfield-Selma High Spanish teacher Khalid Chahhou gave them an extra-credit "word search" Thursday that required them to translate vocabulary words and find them in a grid of letters.
They started seeing other words such as "destroy" and "terrorist" and eventually put together a few sentences that decry violence against Palestinians and appear to condemn the United States for its involvement in the conflict.
Students alerted the school administration, which confronted Chahhou. Chahhou resigned from the district late Thursday. When reached by phone Monday, he confirmed this account but refused to comment further on the incident.
"I don't want to talk about this dark page in my life any more," Chahhou said.
Sophomore Chris McDaniels said the word search caught his attention because it was handwritten; they were usually typed.
"I think some of the people in the class were kind of afraid, because how the world is today, you never know with people," McDaniels said. "Even if you've known them for a while, they could turn out to be someone completely different."
Shakil Ahmed, president of the Islamic Association of Cary, said Chahhou told him he had made the puzzle when he was upset after seeing news reports of deaths of Palestinians at the hands of Israeli troops.
"He must have gone through an outburst of emotions at that time," said Ahmed.
Ahmed said the act was out of character for the mild-mannered Chahhou, who has taught Arabic and religious studies to children at the mosque of about 200 members since he moved to the area five months ago.
"He's the most softest-spoken, most gentle, kindest person I've come across," said Ahmed, adding that Chahhou was embarrassed by his actions.
But Carla McDaniels, Chris' mother, was one of several parents who wondered how someone with what they see as extremist tendencies ended up teaching at a public school, where he could impose his views on children.
"With him resigning, who's to say he's not going to go to another school district to do the same thing?" Carla McDaniels asked.
She also said she wants to see Chahhou face criminal charges. The school district notified authorities of the incident, but no charges were filed.
A native of Morrocco, Chahhou moved to North Carolina from New York. Ahmed said that Chahhou was working on a doctorate in Spanish in addition to his teaching job.
Johnston officials wouldn't comment on their hiring practices. But Steve Scroggs, who oversees hiring for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school district, said that districts can't discriminate against teachers for their political or religious affiliations.
"You simply can't ask someone's political ideology during an interview, any more than you can ask them their religion, or any more than you can ask them other personal information," Scroggs said.
At least the children reported the situation, rather than go along with it. Could this have anything to do with it happening in North Carolina, instead of say New York or Massachusetts?
Pretty much sums up the democrat talking points...
This guy is now living in Johnston County at great risk. That is the redneck capital of North Carolina, home of moonshiners and such. They don't exactly snuggle up to foreigners who advocate destroying America.
More liberal indoctrination in the Public School System...
Nothing new here -- move along, folks...
/sarc
"Criminal charges"? Being an idiot is no crime. If it were the jails would have 50x as many inmates as they do.
" Being an idiot is no crime. If it were the jails would have 50x as many inmates as they do. "
And the ACLU would be suing over the disproportionate number of Liberals in the Prison System...
They've got guns. Lots of guns.
"He's the most softest-spoken, most gentle, kindest person I've come across," ........... Yeah, Just keep him away from large sharp knives and explosives.
Just making note of the fact that there are now an innumerable number of islamic associations, mosques, and other related entities spread throughout this country. When you think of a place like Cary, NC, who would ever think about there being an islamic association there. I just discovered the other night, that only a few blocks from where I am now living in Greenville SC (having recently relocated to the area), there is a mosque...tucked just off a main highway, next to a church.
Oh man, does America ever need a major wake-up call.
Just what I want....some pinhead named "Khalid" teaching my kid....great!
"He's the most softest-spoken, most gentle, kindest person I've come across,"
fits the profile to a T then.
Johnston County is NOT the redneck capital of North Carolina. It's the moonshine capital of North Carolina.
They hate the West. Why are they here ?
My apologies, I was basing that on my own distant relatives.
Who's to say he's not going to strap explosives to himself and find another way to express his feelings?
In a perfect world he'd be tried as a traitor..... and shot by firing squad.
"Mild mannered" and "gentle" don't go with "Destroy America".
Apologies accepted.
I happen to live in Johnston County.
Oh man, does America ever need a major wake-up call.
With the RATs in power, we might get one. The islamofascists wanted them in power because they knew the RATs would do NOTHING if we were attacked again.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.