CA School District Forces 7th Graders to 'become Muslims' for Three Weeks -- Federal Lawsuit Filed

Thomas More Law Center ^ | Wed, Jun 26, 2002

[Republican_Strategist]

(ANN ARBOR, MI) – According to a federal lawsuit filed in San Francisco on Monday, 7th grade Christian students across California were forced to pretend they were Muslims for three weeks, praying in the name of Allah the Compassionate the Merciful, chanting Praise to Allah, picking a Muslim name from a list to replace their own name and to stage their own Jihad via a dice game.

The Thomas More Law Center, a national, public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, representing parents and four children, filed the lawsuit against the Byron Union School District and various school officials to stop the use of the “Islam Simulation” materials in the Byron/Excelsior Public School in Byron, California.

At issue is a three-week segment of the seventh grade “World History” class using the textbook “Across the Centuries” published by Houghton Mifflin and supplemented by Islam simulation materials. Students were told that “you and your classmates will become Muslims.” To receive points toward their overall grade, students were encouraged to dress as Muslims and to use such phrases in their speech as “Allah Akbar,” which is Arabic for “God is great”. Students were required to memorize Muslim prayers, fulfill the Five Pillars of Faith and fast during lunch period to simulate fasting during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

While portraying Islam in a positive light, “Across the Centuries” used by schools throughout the nation, ” portrays Christians as intolerant persecutors of Jews and non-Christians. Houghton Mifflin and the publishers of the Simulation materials acknowledge they were influenced by various Muslim organizations.

Richard Thompson, Chief Counsel for the Thomas More Law Center, commented, “parents with children in this course were totally caught off guard and had no idea what their children were being taught.”

Said Thompson, “This is unbelievable. While public schools prohibit Christian students from reading the Bible, praying, displaying the Ten Commandments, and even mentioning the word “God”, students in California are being indoctrinated into the religion of Islam. Public schools would never tolerate teaching Christianity in this way. Just imagine the ACLU’s outcry if students were told that they had to pray the Lords Prayer, memorize the Ten Commandments, use such phrases as ‘Jesus is the Messiah,’ and fast during Lent.”

According to Thompson, “Although it is constitutional for public schools to have an instructional program about comparative religion or teach about religion and utilize religious books such as the Bible in courses about our history and culture, the Byron Union School District crossed way over the constitutional line when it coerced impressionable twelve year olds to engage in particular religious rituals and worship, simulated or not.”

The Thomas More Law Center defends the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through litigation, education, and related activities. The Law Center provides its services at no charge, and depends on individual donations, foundations, and corporations for financial support. The IRS recognizes the Law Center as a 501(c)(3) organization and donations are tax deductible. You may contact the Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit its website at www.thomasmore.org.

[Nuke'm Glowing]

Hmmm, let's try teaching the students who are Jewish to be Catholics, the Muslims to be Baptists and see what the ACLU does. As if we didn't know already.

This is terrifying. Not so much that they did it, but that the NEA funded socialists actually believed in the program. My kids will never attend a public school.

[subterfuge]

Pretty scary that parents are letting this happen too. Oh, Kalifornia. Nice place to visit.

[cajungirl]

Hey in the name of sexual acceptance, let the little ones pretend to be gay for a week. How's about letting them pretend to be criminals for a week, yadda, yadda. I think this is just so unbelievable it sounds like some sort of joke from the Onion. I also wonder why the parents didn't keep their kids home, go protest at the school etc.

[evolved_rage]

The tiny little thoughts that creap across these educrats minds as they drive their rusty Chevette to school every day. Amazing. But Islam has a point, they would kill most members of the NEA for their life choices.

[BJClinton]

A rebuttal from Islam Online

Soon thereafter, the offices of the superintendent of Byron Union School District were flooded by over 500 telephone calls, and Excelsior Principal, Nancie Castro, said that she has received over 200 hate e-mails.

In a letter to parents obtained by IslamOnline, Castro wrote: "The staff of the Byron Union School District, and especially of Excelsior School, have spent the last two days fielding indignant and often threatening phone calls, and hate e-mails - mostly from outside the area - based on an inaccurate, rumor-filled story that appeared in an Internet newsletter and was subsequently picked up by radio talk shows. They unfairly accused the Byron Union School District of instructing our students in an intensive three-week course on Islam."

Speaking to IslamOnline, Castro said that not only Islam, but Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism and other major religions are also taught as they apply to the understanding of history and the development of major Western and non-Western civilizations.

In the letter, Castro wrote: "This is the state approved curriculum, using state-adopted textbooks and has been part of the instructional program in California for over a decade. At no point do we teach or endorse religion, we teach about religions’ impact from a historical context."

---

Are there any FReepers in the area that can support/contest this?

[pray4liberty]

I also wonder why the parents didn't keep their kids home, go protest at the school etc.

My guess is that they probably didn't know about it until it was a done deal.

That's usually how parents find things out...after the fact.

[YourAdHere]

Leave it to California.

[Bobby777]

http://www.hti.umich.edu/k/koran/

"The Women" [4.89] They desire that you should disbelieve as they have disbelieved, so that you might be (all) alike; therefore take not from among them friends until they fly (their homes) in Allah's way; but if they turn back, then seize them and kill them wherever you find them, and take not from among them a friend or a helper.

[4.91] You will find others who desire that they should be safe from you and secure from their own people; as often as they are sent back to the mischief they get thrown into it headlong; therefore if they do not withdraw from you, and (do not) offer you peace and restrain their hands, then seize them and kill them wherever you find them; and against these We have given.you a clear authority.

The Dinner Table - [5.51] O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people.

The Cattle - [6.146] And to those who were Jews We made unlawful every animal having claws, and of oxen and sheep We made unlawful to them the fat of both, except such as was on their backs or the entrails or what was mixed with bones: this was a punishment We gave them on account of their rebellion, and We are surely Truthful.

The Immunity - Denial of Deity of Christ and His Messiahship - [9.30] And the Jews say: Uzair is the son of Allah; and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them; how they are turned away! (MAY ALLAH DESTROY JEWS AND CHRISTIANS)

[9.5] So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

The Congregation [62.6] Say: O you who are Jews, if you think that you are the favorites of Allah to the exclusion of other people, then invoke death If you are truthful. (PLEASE COMMIT SUICIDE)

The Cow - [2.111] And they say: None shall enter the garden (or paradise) except he who is a Jew or a Christian. These are their vain desires. Say: Bring your proof if you are truthful.

The Women - [4.171] O followers of the Book! do not exceed the limits in your religion, and do not speak (lies) against Allah, but (speak) the truth; the Messiah, Isa son of Marium is only an apostle of Allah and His Word which He communicated to Marium and a spirit from Him; believe therefore in Allah and His apostles, and say not, Three. Desist, it is better for you; Allah is only one god; far be It from His glory that He should have a son, whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth is His, and Allah is sufficient for a Protector. (CLEARLY STATES THAT JESUS IS **NOT** THE SON OF GOD)

The Dinner Table - The Dinner Table [5.14] And with those who say, We are Christians, We made a covenant, but they neglected a portion of what they were reminded of, therefore We excited among them enmity and hatred to the day of resurrection; and Allah will inform them of what they did.

[5.72] Certainly they disbelieve who say: Surely Allah, He is the Messiah, son of Marium; and the Messiah said: O Children of Israel! serve Allah, my Lord and your Lord. Surely whoever associates (others) with Allah, then Allah has forbidden to him the garden, and his abode is the fire; and there shall be no helpers for the unjust.

Quran tells Muslims to kill the disbelievers wherever they find them (Q. 2:191), to murder them and treat them harshly (Q. 9:123), slay them (Q. 9: 5), fight with them, (Q. 8: 65 ) even if they are Christians and Jews, humiliate them and impose on them a penalty tax (Q. 9: 29). Quran takes away the freedom of belief from all humanity and tell clearly that no other religion except Islam is accepted (Q. 3: 85). It relegates those who disbelieve in Quran to hell (Q. 5: 11), calls them najis (filthy, untouchable, impure) (Q. 9: 28). It orders its followers to fight the unbelievers until no other religion except Islam is left (Q. 2: 193).

"Fight those who do not profess the true faith [ISLAM], till they pay the jiziya with the hand of humility." - Koran 9: 29

".... I will instill terror into the hearts of the unbelievers, Smite ye above their necks [CUT OFF THEIR HEADS], and smite all their finger tips of them [CUT OFF THEIR FINGERS]." - Koran 8: 12

"Prophet, make war on the unbelievers and the hypocrites, and deal rigorously with them. Hell shall be their home: an evil fate." - Koran 9: 73

"When you meet the unbelievers in the Jihad strike off their heads [CUT OFF THEIR HEADS] and, when you have laid them low, bind your captives firmly." - Koran 47: 4

"The only reward of those who make war upon Allah and His messenger and strive after corruption in the land will be that they will be killed or crucified, or have their hands and feet and alternate sides cut off, or will be expelled out of the land. Such will be their degradation in the world, and in the Hereafter theirs will be an awful doom...." - Koran 5: 33-34

" Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last day, nor hold the forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and his messenger, nor acknowledge the Religion of Truth from among the People of the Book, until they pay the Jiziyah with willing submission. And feel themselves subdued." - Koran 9: 29

"....the Christians call 'Christ the Son Of God'. That is a saying from their mouth; (In this) they but intimate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth." - Koran 9: 30

"....the People of the Book and the pagans shall burn for ever in the fire of Hell. They are the vilest of all creatures." - Koran 98: 1-8

"Garments of fire have been prepared for the unbelievers. Scalding water shall be poured upon their heads, melting their skins and that which is in their bellies. They shall be lashed rods of iron. Whenever, in their anguish, they try to escape from Hell, back they shall be dragged, and will be told: 'Taste the torment of the Conflagration!'" - Koran 22: 19-22, 23

"And burn ye him in the blazing fire. Further, make him march in a chain, whereof the length is seventy cubits. This was he that would not believe in allah Most high and would not encourage the feeding of the indignant. So no friend hath he here this day. Nor hath he any food except the corruption from the washing of wounds. " - Koran 31-37

[Bob J]

On NOW at RadioFR!

Joining Doug from Upland will be Marsha Richards of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation! The teachers union in the State of Washington does not like the people at EFF. They would love to whack their knuckles with a ruler, give extra homework, keep them in at recess, and give them detention!

Click HERE to listen LIVE while you FReep!

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[TopQuark]

I also wonder why the parents didn't keep their kids home, go protest at the school etc. Precisely. This garbage has been approved becuause parenting in this country is dead for all practical purposes. The did not protest because it would delay their trip to the mall or, G-d forbid, make them miss a reality TV show, or wrestling.

[ladylib]

Who knows? It will all come out in court anyway.

[BJClinton]

It will all come out in court anyway.

Hopefully. Of course, this is California.

I want to know if they covered the atrocities perpetrated by Islam as thoroughly as the Spanish Inquisition.

[Mamzelle]

re:O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people. )))

The irony of this...Mohammed took Christian and Jewish women as concubines. I supposed he did not regard them as "friends." One Coptic Christian bore him a male child, who died at about age one--he may have married this one, I believe I remember her name as a form of "Mary". A Jewish captive woman has been credited with poisoning him.

[Mamzelle]

re:"poisoning him"

Upon edit, I meant poisoning Mohammed, not the child. While Mohammed did not die from this poisoning, it is said that it hastened his death.

[TheEngineer]

7th grade Christian students across California were forced to pretend they were Muslims for three weeks, praying in the name of Allah the Compassionate the Merciful, chanting Praise to Allah, picking a Muslim name from a list to replace their own name and to stage their own Jihad via a dice game.

California... sheeesh. And remember... John Walker Lindh is from California... I wonder if he got his start in the "religion of peace" this way?

[ASDFGHJK]

They say it takes three weeks to make a habit.

[TheLurkerX]

I think we should "allow" California to withdraw from the union and then setup border guards all along length of the state. It's just amazing to me that a state with some many financial, criminal and environmental difficulties can still think their way is the right way for everybody. They've s*it in their own messkit, and now they want to crap in somebody else's.

[TheLurkerX]

I think we should "allow" California to withdraw from the union and then setup border guards all along length of the state. It's just amazing to me that a state with some many financial, criminal and environmental difficulties can still think their way is the right way for everybody. They've s*it in their own messkit, and now they want to crap in somebody else's.