AUGUSTA CO., Va. - The Augusta County school board is responding to a recent controversy surrounding a homework assignment.
When the world geography class at Riverheads High School in Staunton was on the subject of major world religions, homework on Islam asked students to copy religious calligraphy.
It read: "Here is the shahada, the Islamic statement of faith, written in Arabic. In the space below, try copying it by hand. This should give you an idea of the artistic complexity of calligraphy."
The illustrative classical Arabic phrase was the basic statement in Islam. It translated to: "There is no god but Allah, and Mohammed is the messenger of Allah."
The public reaction was so negative that every school in the county closed on Friday as a safety precaution.
Eric Bond, division superintendent, is sending a message to parents on Friday afternoon on behalf of the school board. Bond defended the homework assignment, saying that it was consistent with the Standards of Learning.
"Neither these lessons, nor any other lesson in the world geography course, are an attempt at indoctrination to Islam or any other religion, or a request for students to renounce their own faith or profess any belief," he said in a statement. "Each of the lessons attempts objectively to present world religions in a way that is interesting and interactive for students."
Bond said the school board is always willing to meet with parents about curriculum questions and concerns.
Here is the full letter that will be sent to parents: We appreciate parents bringing concerns directly to our attention, and we are always willing to meet with parents about curriculum questions and concerns. On Friday, December 11, 2015, the principal of Riverheads High School, one of its teachers, and central office staff met with parents to discuss such concerns. Superintendent Dr. Eric Bond agreed to meet one-on-one to further discuss such concerns with a parent on Tuesday, December 15, 2015, at 11 a.m., but the parent declined to attend that meeting. School administration believes any discussion about curriculum should be based on a clear understanding of the facts.
As a part of a high school world geography course and consistent with the Standards of Learning, when students study a particular geographic region, the Virginia Department of Education Curriculum Framework and Scope and Sequence for World Geography includes the region’s culture, language, economy, foods, predominant religions, and political climate. As a part of each regional unit, students are invited to participate in hands-on activities intended to give them a better objective understanding of the region and its culture (including its religions) and to allow for interactive learning.
When they study a geographic region, students study the religion and written language of the region. Consequently, students learn about Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, and Islam, among others. In one class, an assignment on religion and culture in the unit on the Middle East involved an Islamic statement of faith, written in Arabic. The students were presented with the statement to demonstrate the complex artistry of the written language used in the Middle East, and were asked to attempt to copy it in order to give the students an idea of the artistic complexity of the calligraphy. The statement presented as an example of the calligraphy was not translated for students, nor were students asked to translate it, recite it or otherwise adopt or pronounce it as a personal belief. They were simply asked to attempt to artistically render written Arabic in order to understand its artistic complexity. The students in the class will engage in similar calligraphy and drawing assignments when they study China, its unique written language and the yin and yang (a traditional symbol in Taoism and Confucianism).
Students learn material from the SOL Curriculum Framework in order to recognize cultural regions around the world by identifying characteristics of the “cultural landscape†such as dress, architecture, statues, monuments, music and art so the student can understand how cultural differences and similarities can link or divide regions. Students also learn about the cultures and the religious practices of the geographic regions they study. In one class during their study of the Middle East, students were taught about the modest dress adopted by many in the Islamic faith and were invited to try on a scarf as a part of an interactive lesson about the Islamic concept of modest dress. The scarf used in the activity was not an actual Islamic religious hijab. The students in the class can engage in similar assignments when they study China and Africa: student volunteers will be able to try on actual traditional Chinese clothing (chan song) and traditional African clothing (shuka). In addition, the students will be invited to observe and touch Buddhist prayer beads during the unit on China.
Neither these lessons, nor any other lesson in the world geography course, are an attempt at indoctrination to Islam or any other religion, or a request for students to renounce their own faith or profess any belief. Each of the lessons attempts objectively to present world religions in a way that is interesting and interactive for students.
“””The students were presented with the statement to demonstrate the complex artistry of the written language used in the Middle East, and were asked to attempt to copy it in order to give the students an idea of the artistic complexity of the calligraphy. “””
I call b.s. Of all the writings in Arabic they could have picked they chose that one. And, we’re supposed to believe it was meaningless.
I will not read or be responding to the content of any of your posts. If you continue to post to me, some may conclude that you are a stalker.
The letter from the school reeks so bad that the stench is coming through the screen.
Where did they introduce Hebrew and have the students copy the Ten Commandments in it?
Of NT Greek and have the students copy in it that Jesus is Immanuel, that is God with Us, or copy that Jesus is Lord, or maybe what Pilate wrote and nailed to the cross?
There’s far more effort expended in *educating* the kids about the finer points of islam than any of the other religions they studied from the tone of the letter.
All they did was defend their actions. They did not prove in the least that it was part of an equitable treatment of world religions in that class.
And besides, nobody but an educrat would believe what comes from another educrat when they are defending themselves against the ire of rightfully indignant parents.
BS pure and simple, from the school board. They’re just covering their butts.
Sorry, the assignment was wrong, and anyone who taught it, or anyone who oversaw these teachers should be fired and permanently banned from similar work.
I took comparative religion in high school, and while we learned about many world religions, including islam, we were not instructed to write or recite any religion’s profession of faith.
This is like having a bunch of Orthodox Jews who are studying the culture of fundamentalist evangelicals in Appalachia and giving them an assignment reciting the words, “Jesus, I acknowledge you are the Son of God and God the Son, and died for my sins, and I invite you into my heart to be my Lord and Savior.”
As a devout Catholic, I recognize that would be deeply inappropriate. I recognize that the “teachers” of such propaganda should be fired, but this is worse. For many moslems, the recitation of the islamic profession of faith makes one a moslem.
Bullsh*t. You got caught, and now you simply trying to cover your islam-enabling *ss.