>>>The religion of the public schools (NWO) is ENVIRONMENTALISM the greenie weenies want to take over. Al Gore helped get this moving faster.
Here are some more tidbits I've been clipping in my folders on that:
Islam's Intent: Force or Persuasion
Islam’s number one priority is to make all the world Islam, either by persuasion or force, and during his term, President Clinton provided both by weakening our defenses and surrendering our children in public school without a whimper. "Negotiations for peace" would be better described as laying down dead.
Each time America suffered a terrorist attack, President Clinton issued statements promising to "find the terrorists" only to: pardon 16 terrorists convicted of executing 130 bombings; refuse delivery of Osama bin Laden from the Sudan; repeatedly refuse detailed information about al-Qaeda and Osama between terrorist bombings; shut down investigations of Islamic charities; radically downsize our military and gut the CIA. (1)
Robert Baer, a 21 year veteran of the CIA’s Directorate of Operations states:
"Whether it was Osama bin Laden, Yasir Arafat, Iranian terrorism, Saddam Hussein, or any of the other evils that so threaten the world, the Clinton administration seemed determined to sweep them all under the carpet."(1)
Battleground: Public School
So just what DID President Clinton do? He "negotiated." Evidence shows Clinton cut a deal with Islamic leaders to legalize and protect Muslim indoctrination in our public schools. If Clinton could give Islam the conversion of our youth, Islam's resolve to destroy America would be appeased.
This was a tricky business with secular groups campaigning to strip all reference to the Bible and Christianity from schools. Therefore Clinton colluded with secular and religious-sounding groups and based his new Presidential Guidelines (2) on a document drafted by the American Muslim Council, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the ACLU which owns the copyright and many of the very groups attempting to censor Christianity today. (3).
In the guidelines, every single "religious expression" that opens the door for Islam came equipped with a clause of escape, (2a) a backdoor for the ACLU to attack should anything Christian dare enter public schools under the same guidelines as Islam employs.
Clinton then presented these guidelines as originally drafted by "35 religious groups" and named it "Religious Expression in Public School. "Clinton failed to inform us, however, that these particular "religious groups" share a commitment to separation of church and state, as stated on the ACLU original draft. America, tired of censorship of Christian faith and noting the support of "35 religious groups", gratefully accepted these guidelines, only to wonder why Christianity is continuously outlawed while Muslim indoctrination overwhelms our schools, including children praying to Allah, memorizing the Quran and fasting for Ramadan.
Clinton included assurance that all students would be coerced to attend their Muslim lessons. He went beyond the American Muslim Council/ACLU's guidelines and added a clause stripping us of parental rights and religious freedom:
"Students generally do not have a Federal right to be excused from lessons that may be inconsistent with their religious beliefs or practices."
That explains why parents cannot opt children out of these inductive classes for Islam, a huge loss of our religious freedom.
Clinton's Steps of Betrayal
Clinton met frequently with Abdurahman Alamoudi, executive director of the American Muslim Council who participated in the original draft. Alamoudi supports Hezbollah and Hamas and was arrested on 9/28/03 for illegally receiving funds from Libya. Alamoudi was also friend and adviser on Islamic affairs to Hillary Rodham Clinton. Large meetings and events with Muslim leaders at the White House became commonplace, including celebrating the end of the Ramadan fast, (Eid) which Hillary claimed as "an American event." Secretary of State Madeline Albright hosted Moslem groups, where she discussed recruiting Muslims for State Department posts. (1b)
Then in 1995, Clinton presented his Religious Expression in Public School guidelines, and through his Secretary of Education, described these guidelines as drafted by "35 religious groups" listing eight names that sound Judeo-Christian, educational or patriotic, omitting the other recognizable culprits. Some of these "religious groups" have been filing lawsuits against the Bible while demanding a proselytizing version of Islam be forced down our throats today. (5) Clinton proved full knowledge and deceptive intent by falsely presenting these guidelines as drafted by "religious organizations." (compare both documents [2] [3])
See Clinton's "Religious" Groups Scrutinized
These guidelines greatly impact public schools today. CNN’s Lou Dobbs interviewed Nadine Strossen, President of the ACLU on Dec. 19, 2003. Strossen referred to these guidelines as the authority to support the ACLU’s lawsuits restricting Christmas celebrations and removing Nativity scenes from public schools. Strossen haughtily smiled as she said, "...and all these religious groups agreed to it!"
President Clinton and these "religious" partnerships opened wide the doors to our children's forced "education" of a fairytale Islam, while the ACLU continues to convince the courts to censor the Bible and anything Christian.(4) (4a) Shamefully, the ACLU simultaneously fights for such causes as mandating freshmen to read selected quotes from the Koran. (5) The ACLU and the like issued the rules to go to court with, and Clinton knowingly presented them as his own "Presidential Guidelines" as he made surreptitious speeches with much aplomb about God. America swallowed it hook, line and sinker.
Clinton’s religious guidelines were applauded by Islamic organizations such as SoundVision, which reminds Muslims it is their RELIGIOUS OBLIGATION (Dawa) to promulgate Islam and methodically explains how in public school today, thanks to Clinton:
"In the U.S. one of the strongest arguments in favor of seeking religious accommodation for your child is Clinton's 1995 statement of principles addressing the extent to which religious expression and activity are permitted in public school. This was given to every school district in the United States."(6)
Footnotes:
(1) A quick review of Clinton’s response (in bold) to terrorist bombings:
Feb 1993 World Trade Center bombing
April 1995 Oklahoma City Federal Building bombing
1995 Clinton shut down the investigation of Islamic charities (1)
Nov 1995 Military Training Ctr in Riyadh bombed
Feb 1996 Sudan offered to deliver Osama bin Laden, rejected by Clinton (1)
June 1996 Khobar Towers bombed
July 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games bombing
July 1996 US Military barracks bombed in Saudi Arabia
Aug 1996 Sudan offered detailed info of Osama & al-Qaeda, Clinton rejected it (1)
1996 State Depart Dossier spelled out Osama’s intentions, but Clinton chose not to act (1)
April 1997 Sudan offered detailed info of Osama & al-Qaeda, again Clinton rejected it (1)
Feb 1998 Sudan offered detailed info of Osama & al-Qaeda, again Clinton rejected it (1)
Aug 1998 Two American embassies bombed in E. Africa
1998 Clinton finally ordered strikes but the timing and political motives have been highly controversial (I am certain Democrats would rather drop where this is going)
Aug 1999 Clinton pardoned 16 terrorists convicted of executing 130 bombings
Oct 2000 Bombing of the USS Cole
(2)
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION THE SECRETARY
Religious Expression in Public Schools
http://www.ed.gov/Speeches/08-1995/religion.html
(3)
NOTE: You may want to clip this from below. The ACLU has since removed the page from public view and it is only available in caches.
Religion In The Public Schools:
A Joint Statement Of Current Law
The Constitution permits much private religious activity in and about the public schools. Unfortunately, this aspect of constitutional law is not as well known as it should be. Some say that the Supreme Court has declared the public schools "religion-free zones" or that the law is so murky that school officials cannot know what is legally permissible. The former claim is simply wrong. And as to the latter, while there are some difficult issues, much has been settled. It is also unfortunately true that public school officials, due to their busy schedules, may not be as fully aware of this body of law as they could be. As a result, in some school districts some of these rights are not being observed.
The organizations whose names appear below span the ideological, religious and political spectrum. They nevertheless share a commitment both to the freedom of religious practice and to the separation of church and state such freedom requires. In that spirit, we offer this statement of consensus on current law as an aid to parents, educators and students.
Many of the organizations listed below are actively involved in litigation about religion in the schools. On some of the issues discussed in this summary, some of the organizations have urged the courts to reach positions different than they did. Though there are signatories on both sides which have and will press for different constitutional treatments of some of the topics discussed below, they all agree that the following is an accurate statement of what the law currently is.
Student Prayers
1. Students have the right to pray individually or in groups or to discuss their religious views with their peers so long as they are not disruptive. Because the Establishment Clause does not apply to purely private speech, students enjoy the right to read their Bibles or other scriptures, say grace before meals, pray before tests, and discuss religion with other willing student listeners. In the classroom students have the right to pray quietly except when required to be actively engaged in school activities (e.g., students may not decide to pray just as a teacher calls on them). In informal settings, such as the cafeteria or in the halls, students may pray either audibly or silently, subject to the same rules of order as apply to other speech in these locations. However, the right to engage in voluntary prayer does not include, for example, the right to have a captive audience listen or to compel other students to participate.
Graduation Prayer and Baccalaureates
2. School officials may not mandate or organize prayer at graduation, nor may they organize a religious baccalaureate ceremony. If the school generally rents out its facilities to private groups, it must rent them out on the same terms, and on a first- come first-served basis, to organizers of privately sponsored religious baccalaureate services, provided that the school does not extend preferential treatment to the baccalaureate ceremony and the school disclaims official endorsement of the program.
3. The courts have reached conflicting conclusions under the federal Constitution on student-initiated prayer at graduation. Until the issue is authoritatively resolved, schools should ask their lawyers what rules apply in their area.
Official Participation or Encouragement
of Religious Activity
4. Teachers and school administrators, when acting in those capacities, are representatives of the state, and, in those capacities, are themselves prohibited from encouraging or soliciting student religious or anti-religious activity. Similarly, when acting in their official capacities, teachers may not engage in religious activities with their students. However, teachers may engage in private religious activity in faculty lounges.
Teaching About Religion
5. Students may be taught about religion, but public schools may not teach religion. As the U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly said, "[i]t might well be said that one's education is not complete without a study of comparative religion, or the history of religion and its relationship to the advancement of civilization." It would be difficult to teach art, music, literature and most social studies without considering religious influences.
The history of religion, comparative religion, the Bible (or other scripture)-as-literature (either as a separate course or within some other existing course), are all permissible public school subjects. It is both permissible and desirable to teach objectively about the role of religion in the history of the United States and other countries. One can teach that the Pilgrims came to this country with a particular religious vision, that Catholics and others have been subject to persecution or that many of those participating in the abolitionist, women's suffrage and civil rights movements had religious motivations.
6. These same rules apply to the recurring controversy surrounding theories of evolution. Schools may teach about explanations of life on earth, including religious ones (such as "creationism"), in comparative religion or social studies classes. In science class, however, they may present only genuinely scientific critiques of, or evidence for, any explanation of life on earth, but not religious critiques (beliefs unverifiable by scientific methodology). Schools may not refuse to teach evolutionary theory in order to avoid giving offense to religion nor may they circumvent these rules by labeling as science an article of religious faith. Public schools must not teach as scientific fact or theory any religious doctrine, including "creationism," although any genuinely scientific evidence for or against any explanation of life may be taught. Just as they may neither advance nor inhibit any religious doctrine, teachers should not ridicule, for example, a student's religious explanation for life on earth.
Student Assignments and Religion
7. Students may express their religious beliefs in the form of reports, homework and artwork, and such expressions are constitutionally protected. Teachers may not reject or correct such submissions simply because they include a religious symbol or address religious themes. Likewise, teachers may not require students to modify, include or excise religious views in their assignments, if germane. These assignments should be judged by ordinary academic standards of substance, relevance, appearance and grammar.
8. Somewhat more problematic from a legal point of view are other public expressions of religious views in the classroom. Unfortunately for school officials, there are traps on either side of this issue, and it is possible that litigation will result no matter what course is taken. It is easier to describe the settled cases than to state clear rules of law. Schools must carefully steer between the claims of student speakers who assert a right to express themselves on religious subjects and the asserted rights of student listeners to be free of unwelcome religious persuasion in a public school classroom.
a. Religious or anti-religious remarks made in the ordinary course of classroom discussion or student presentations are permissible and constitute a protected right. If in a sex education class a student remarks that abortion should be illegal because God has prohibited it, a teacher should not silence the remark, ridicule it, rule it out of bounds or endorse it, any more than a teacher may silence a student's religiously-based comment in favor of choice.
b. If a class assignment calls for an oral presentation on a subject of the student's choosing, and, for example, the student responds by conducting a religious service, the school has the right -- as well as the duty -- to prevent itself from being used as a church. Other students are not voluntarily in attendance and cannot be forced to become an unwilling congregation.
c. Teachers may rule out-of-order religious remarks that are irrelevant to the subject at hand. In a discussion of Hamlet's sanity, for example, a student may not interject views on creationism.
Distribution of Religious Literature
9. Students have the right to distribute religious literature to their schoolmates, subject to those reasonable time, place, and manner or other constitutionally- acceptable restrictions imposed on the distribution of all non-school literature. Thus, a school may confine distribution of all literature to a particular table at particular times. It may not single out religious literature for burdensome regulation.
10. Outsiders may not be given access to the classroom to distribute religious or anti-religious literature. No court has yet considered whether, if all other community groups are permitted to distribute literature in common areas of public schools, religious groups must be allowed to do so on equal terms subject to reasonable time, place and manner restrictions.
"See You at the Pole"
11. Student participation in before- or after-school events, such as "see you at the pole," is permissible. School officials, acting in an official capacity, may neither discourage nor encourage participation in such an event.
Religious Persuasion Versus Religious Harassment
12. Students have the right to speak to, and attempt to persuade, their peers about religious topics just as they do with regard to political topics. But school officials should intercede to stop student religious speech if it turns into religious harassment aimed at a student or a small group of students. While it is constitutionally permissible for a student to approach another and issue an invitation to attend church, repeated invitations in the face of a request to stop constitute harassment. Where this line is to be drawn in particular cases will depend on the age of the students and other circumstances.
Equal Access Act
13. Student religious clubs in secondary schools must be permitted to meet and to have equal access to campus media to announce their meetings, if a school receives federal funds and permits any student non-curricular club to meet during non-instructional time. This is the command of the Equal Access Act. A non-curricular club is any club not related directly to a subject taught or soon-to-be taught in the school. Although schools have the right to ban all non-curriculum clubs, they may not dodge the law's requirement by the expedient of declaring all clubs curriculum-related. On the other hand, teachers may not actively participate in club activities and "non-school persons" may not control or regularly attend club meeting.
The Act's constitutionality has been upheld by the Supreme Court, rejecting claims that the Act violates the Establishment Clause. The Act's requirements are described in more detail in The Equal Access Act and the Public Schools: Questions and Answers on the Equal Access Act*, a pamphlet published by a broad spectrum of religious and civil liberties groups.
Religious Holidays
14. Generally, public schools may teach about religious holidays, and may celebrate the secular aspects of the holiday and objectively teach about their religious aspects. They may not observe the holidays as religious events. Schools should generally excuse students who do not wish to participate in holiday events. Those interested in further details should see Religious Holidays in the Public Schools: Questions and Answers*, a pamphlet published by a broad spectrum of religious and civil liberties groups.
Excusal From Religiously-Objectionable Lessons
15. Schools enjoy substantial discretion to excuse individual students from lessons which are objectionable to that student or to his or her parent on the basis of religion. Schools can exercise that authority in ways which would defuse many conflicts over curriculum content. If it is proved that particular lessons substantially burden a student's free exercise of religion and if the school cannot prove a compelling interest in requiring attendance the school would be legally required to excuse the student.
Teaching Values
16. Schools may teach civic virtues, including honesty, good citizenship, sportsmanship, courage, respect for the rights and freedoms of others, respect for persons and their property, civility, the dual virtues of moral conviction and tolerance and hard work. Subject to whatever rights of excusal exist (see #15 above) under the federal Constitution and state law, schools may teach sexual abstinence and contraception; whether and how schools teach these sensitive subjects is a matter of educational policy. However, these may not be taught as religious tenets. The mere fact that most, if not all, religions also teach these values does not make it unlawful to teach them.
Student Garb
17. Religious messages on T-shirts and the like may not be singled out for suppression. Students may wear religious attire, such as yarmulkes and head scarves, and they may not be forced to wear gym clothes that they regard, on religious grounds, as immodest.
Released Time
18. Schools have the discretion to dismiss students to off-premises religious instruction, provided that schools do not encourage or discourage participation or penalize those who do not attend. 20. Schools may not allow religious instruction by outsiders on premises during the school day.
Appendix
Organizational Signers of "Religion in the Public Schools: A Joint Statement of Current Law"
American Civil Liberties Union
American Ethical Union
American Humanist Association
American Jewish Committee
American Jewish Congress
American Muslim Council
Americans for Religious Liberty
Americans United for Seperation of Church and State
Anti-Defamation League
Baptist Joint Committee
B'nai B'rith
Christian Legal Society
Christian Science Church
Church of Scientology International
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America,
Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs
Federation of Reconstructionist Congregations and Havurot
Friends Committee on National Legislation
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Guru Gobind Singh Foundation
Interfaith Alliance
Interfaith Impact for Justice and Peace
National Association of Evangelicals
National Council of Churches
National Council of Jewish Women
National Jewish Community Relations Advisory Council (NJCRAC)
National Ministries, American Baptist Churches, USA
National Sikh Center
North American Council for Muslim Women
People for the American Way
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Union of American Hebrew Congregations
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
United Church of Christ, Office for Church in Society
(1b)
Excerpts: Clinton's ties with Islam
"Government has also failed the American people. Much has been made of the way that the Clintons opened the White House (including the Lincoln Bedroom) to their Hollywood backers, but those revelations obscure how the Clintons went to bed with Muslim groups. The Clintons sent Ramadan greetings to the Muslim community, audaciously speaking on behalf of the American people, and have hosted Eid celebrations at the White House, which Hillary has called "an American event." This article, http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2000/11/6/170946.shtml , reveals the close relationships between the Clintons and another Muslim pressure group, the American Muslim Council, which drew up the list of invitees to the White House. Even daughter Chelsea got in on the act, flattering her Muslim hosts in Pakistan by telling them that she was taking a course in Islamic history at Sidwell Friends School - her proud father related this fact at an Eid dinner and says the world "can learn a lot from Islam."
(5)
Posted: August 30, 2002
1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2002 WorldNetDaily.com
Mainstream America is reeling with absolute shock from the politically correct decision of the University of North Carolina requiring incoming freshmen to read "Approaching the Qu-ran: The Early Revelations."
The book clearly is a defense of Islam that conveniently leaves out verses that call for the murder of infidels. UNC Chancellor James Moeser, defended his position of assigning the book saying, "It helps us from demonizing a whole group of people with being an enemy simply by practicing the same religion."
Apparently the sacred American Civil Liberties Union doctrines of the separation of church and state only apply to Christians and Jews. How else can you explain why the North Carolina ACLU went to court to support the University of North Carolina's mandatory reading assignment of the pro-Islam book for incoming freshmen?
UNC was challenged by concerned groups in the state, but the ACLU rode to the rescue and a federal appeals court sided with the university.
Try to imagine the ACLU's legal response had UNC Chancellor Moeser assigned all incoming freshmen to read the Old Testament or the Talmud before being admitted. All hell would have broken loose. Yet, there is no hesitation to demand freshmen students be indoctrinated with a theological virus that birthed the murder of almost 3,000 Americans on 9-11.
The First Amendment of the Constitution demands that the government take no position on religion. It is expressly the will of the people. Yet the ACLU in its relentless attack on any form of Christianity comes to the defense of the Islamic faith in a tax-supported University defying the establishment clause of the First Amendment of the Constitution.
For those of you lost in the fog created by politically correct educators and the absolutely biased ACLU to lead you into believing that Islam is a faith of love and peace, please note this quote from Winston Churchill:
That religion [Islam], which above all others was founded and propagated by the sword – the tenets and principles of which are ... incentives to slaughter and which in three continents had produced fighting breeds of men – simulates a wild and merciless fanaticism.
This statement from the brilliant political mind that detected and exposed the dangers of communism to the Western world with his "Iron Curtain" speech at Westminster College in Fulton, Mo.
For those who believe Sir Winston was biased, let's turn to the actual text of the Koran. All Americans need to know there are two editions of the Koran: One in Arabic and the other in English. The English version is much more mild than the hardcore fundamentalist Arabic version.
Sura 5, verse 85 prophesies an inevitable conflict between Muslims and non-Muslims. "Strongest among men in enmity to the believers [Muslims] wilt thou find the Jews and pagans."
Sura 9, verse 5 states: "Then fight and slay the pagans wherever you find them. And seize them, beleaguer them and lie and wait for them in every stratagem of war."
You can be sure the freshmen at UNC will not be reading these verses. Neither will they read the following:
Sura 5:51 states: "O ye who believe [Muslims] take not the Jews or the Christians for your friends and protectors. They are but friends and protectors to each other. And he among you who turns to them [for friendship] is of them." The message is clear. If you accept a Jew or a Christian as a friend, you are not one of us. If you're not one of us you're an infidel.
Islamic fundamentalists believe the Koran commands them to fight Christians and Jews: "Fight against those who believe not in Allah, nor in the last day, nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and his messenger [Mohammed] and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth [Islam] among the people of the scripture [Christians and Jews] until they pay the Jazyah [a special high tax to be paid only by Christians and Jews who do not renounce their faith and convert to Islam] with willing submission and feel themselves subdued." (Surat At-Taubah 9:29)
Does this sound peaceful? Does this sound like someone you would like to have for a next door neighbor? Taxing people into poverty who refuse to convert to your faith is peaceful? Killing people who do not submit to Islam is peaceful? Islam is a sister faith to Christianity? Not hardly!
Daniel Pipes, historian, writing for Commentary Magazine's November 2001 issue, records the following shocking story:
In June 1991, Siraj Wahaj, a convert to Islam, was a recipient of the American Muslim community's highest honors and had the privilege of becoming the first Muslim to deliver the daily prayer in the U.S. House of Representatives.
On that occasion he recited from the Koran an appeal to the Almighty to guide American leaders "and grant them righteousness and wisdom."
A little over a year later, Siraj Wahaj was addressing an audience of Muslims in New Jersey and articulated a completely different message from his mild and moderate prayer given before the U.S. House of Representatives.
He said: "If only Muslims were more clever politically, they would take over the United States and replace its constitutional government with a Caliphate [Islamic leadership body].
He continued saying: "If we were united and strong, we would elect our own leader and give allegiance to him. Take my word, if the 6 to 8 million Muslims unite in America, the country will come to us."
Is this loyal to America? Is this peaceful? Calling for the overthrow of the United States government is a sister faith to Christianity? Not hardly!
Yet, at the politically correct University of North Carolina, freshmen are required to read the literature that drives Islamic fundamentalists to kill Christians and Jews – to say nothing of destroying America.
(6)
HOW TO GET RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM: A SIX-STEP GUIDE
Does your child need a prayer room to perform Zuhr in during lunchtime? Does he need time off for Juma? Or do you want to convince a teacher or principal to give your daughter the day off for Eid-ul-Fitr?
Whatever Islamic obligation you want accommodated at your child's school, it must be done in a methodical, clear and proper manner.
Shabbir Mansuri is founding director of the Council on Islamic Education in Fountain Valley, California.
He provides tips and advice below for getting religious accommodation for your child.
STEP #1: KNOW THE LAWS ABOUT RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
Knowing what laws and regulations govern the issue of religious accommodation is crucial before attempting to reach the right authorities. It is also important to understand what is defined as a “reasonable limit” on religious freedom.
See Laws You Need To Know About at soundvision.com for the specifics.
In the U.S. one of the strongest arguments in favor of seeking religious accommodation for your child is President Bill Clinton's 1995 statement of principles addressing the extent to which religious expression and activity are permitted in public school. This was given to every school district in the United States.
Get the help of other officials if necessary to properly understand these laws. A good place to check with is The Freedom Forum First Amendment Center. They have produced a booklet entitled A Parent's Guide to Religion in the Public Schools. You can call them at (615) 321-9588.
STEP #2: GET THE SUPPORT OF A TEACHER
“[The first thing I would do is] arm myself with that piece of information and then set up a meeting with the principal of the school along with one of my favorite teacher at the school who will be very supportive, requesting that my son or daughter should be either permitted to [for example] go out to perform Juma prayer at a local Masjid and/or be allowed to perform Juma prayer along with other Muslim students on the school campus,” says Mansuri.
Getting the support of a teacher is crucial, and will help the cause. It will also indicate to the principal that the religious accommodation you are seeking, for instance, Juma prayer, will not interfere with your child's performance as a student.
Mansuri says that in most cases, these two steps are all that are needed to get
religious accommodation from your child's school.
However, if the principal refuses to grant the accommodation, step three will be necessary.
STEP #3: LEAVE A PAPER TRAIL, BUT FIRST, BE REALLY NICE
“If you find the meeting is not going anywhere then leave a paper trial, meaning, write letters. But before I do that, I would try to do it in a very non-confrontational way by simply sitting down with the principal and a teacher,” says Mansuri.
“Try to understand this process where I want to make sure this is not us versus them, but simply the notion of my exercising my constitutional rights in the most respected [way] with compassionate manners, leaving my ‘baseball bat',” he explains, referring to an approach that is harsh and confrontational.
“I would even set up a meeting at my home with of course the most delicious food that my wife can prepare. The principal and teacher would be very receptive to the idea,” he suggests.
STEP #4: WRITING TO THE SUPPORTIVE TEACHER
“My first letter would be to my kid's favorite teacher to ask the person's advice,” advises Mansuri. “The letter will be to request to meet with teacher, and it will indicate I want to discuss with you my child's religious needs and I would like to share with you what our president has instructed the teachers and schools to accommodate them.” (See a sample letter to the teacher)
Following the meeting, a thank you letter to the teacher should be drafted. It will also indicate you would like to set up second meeting with the school's principal, and ask the teacher if s/he would be kind enough to go with you to discuss the matters the two of you talked about. (See a sample thank you letter to the teacher)
“This will leave two or three letters,” notes Mansuri, but in each letter “the tone of my letter should be my bringing the information as politely as I can. [I am trying to] maintain my rights for the schools to accommodate my child's religious needs. So it's a non-threatening letter.”
STEP #5: MEETING A SECOND TIME WITH THE PRINCIPAL
Before attending this second meeting with the principal and teacher, “I would also arm myself with the district's education code along with the state educational code as it relates to the topics that I'm going to discuss,” says Mansuri.
This can be done by simply calling your district and the state office and asking them to give you the specific educational code that relates to the religious obligation you are seeking accommodation for. That office would fax you the information the same or next day.
Once again, Mansuri stresses that the approach in discussing the matter a second time with the principal should not be confrontational.
“While meeting with the teacher and/or principal, I'm not trying to win an argument by telling them how much I know but rather giving them a very clear understanding that while I understand my rights as a parent, I'm simply there to help them accommodate my child's needs that they are supposed to do anyway,” explains Mansuri.
“Make it a win-win situation, not an us versus them situation, and that in itself is the message of Islam.”
By this step, Mansuri says your child should have his/her need(s) accommodated.
STEP #6: (IF IT'S REALLY NECESSARY) REPEAT THESE STEPS WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPER INTENDANT
You can repeat the letters and meet with the school district superintendent, if the principal still does not accommodate. The superintendent is responsible for all schools in a particular district. Once again, the approach must remain polite and non-confrontational.
Since the president's instructions were issued to districts, it is possible superintendents may be more familiar with them. This should mean your son or daughter will get religious accommodation with virtually no problems.
A Sample Thank You Letter
to teacher on Religious Accomodation
Dear Mr. Lucas:
Thank you for taking the time out to meet with me this week to discuss the issue of religious accommodation in public schools and my daughter Samira's needs in that regard.
In trying to accommodate Samira's need to take a day off from school for the Muslim holiday of Eid-ul-Fitr, I would like to request a second meeting with Mrs. Joan Green, the school principal, to discuss this matter.
I would like to share President Bill Clinton's instructions to schools and teachers about accommodating students' religious needs with Mrs. Green. Your presence at this meeting as Samira's teacher would be a source of strength and support for me, and could contribute positively to the discussion.
This meeting and the information can, hopefully, clarify the issue for all three of us and serve as a guide to further religious accommodation for all students at Belleview elementary school.
Please let me know what day and time would be most appropriate for you so that I can set up this meeting. Thank you again for your co-operation. You may call me at (123) 456-7890 in the daytime or (123) 012-3456 in the evenings.
Sincerely,
Ahmed Khan