Theodore's World: M is for Muslim, C is for Cult and it's in American Schools

« Khameini: Don't masturbate during Ramadan | Main | Stuff Your Face ~ New Gitmo Torture »

October 05, 2006

M is for Muslim, C is for Cult and it's in American Schools



Appeal on school's lesson in Muslim culture is rejected


San Francisco Chronicle

The U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal Monday by evangelical Christian students and their parents who said a Contra Costa County school district engaged in unconstitutional religious indoctrination when it taught students about Islam by having them recite language from prayers.

The court, without comment, left intact a ruling by the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco last November in favor of the Byron Union School District in eastern Contra Costa.

The suit challenged the content of a seventh-grade history course at Excelsior Middle School in Byron in the fall of 2001. The teacher, using an instructional guide, told students they would adopt roles as Muslims for three weeks to help them learn what Muslims believe.

She encouraged them to use Muslim names, recited prayers in class, had them memorize and recite a passage from the Quran and made them give up something for a day, such as television or candy, to simulate fasting during the month of Ramadan. The final exam asked students for a critique of elements of Muslim culture.

The students and parents who sued argued that the class activities had crossed the line from education into an official endorsement of a religious practice. A federal judge and the appeals court disagreed, saying the class had an instructional purpose and the students had engaged in no actual religious exercises.

Linda Lye, a lawyer for the school district, said the same instructional material remains available for classes, though it is not required.

"I'm delighted that the Byron Union School District can put this case finally behind it and get on with educating children and exposing them to the world's great cultures and religions in an appropriate way,'' Lye said.


Wild Thing's comment.....

They will conquer us by terrorist acts or by rulings like this.

Posted by Wild Thing at October 5, 2006 12:44 AM


Comments

Do Bhuddism, Hinduism and Mormanism get equal time? What is going on in our country. Why do such loony, insane ideas exist, and even get to the Supreme Court?

Posted by: TomR at October 5, 2006 04:09 AM


Their is no such thing as Separation of Church and State in the Constitution. That said, if it were Christianity that was in question, we all know how the courts would rule and it wouldn't be favorable to Christians.

Why are the courts so dead set against the principals and foundations on which this country were founded on? Even though some of the Founding Fathers weren't Christians, they recognised the value of Christian Principals and extolled their virtues, basing our Constitution on them. They knew you didn't have to be a Christian to benefit from virtues of honor, decency, integrity, and honesty; Judo-Christian values

Posted by: BobF at October 5, 2006 08:07 AM


Tom that is amazing to me too that this would even get to the Supreme Court. My understanding is it is not easy to get something to that level.

This was weird too how that Lyle person said...."exposing them to the world's great cultures and religions in an appropriate way"

Weird to use the word exposing and not teaching. I don't know it just adds to the ugly feeling of how they are forcing this stuff on children in our country.

Posted by: Wild Thing at October 5, 2006 09:01 AM


Bob I just don't get it.

I agree Bob, "Why are the courts so dead set against the principals and foundations on which this country were founded on?" .....if nothing else it shows me we are in a very scary place in this country, very concerning to me.

Posted by: Wild Thing at October 5, 2006 09:02 AM


Support school vouchers for everyone and school choice for everyone. The left will cry foul at that: No choice, unless it's abortion; seperation of church and state screeds. How about my tax dollars going where I want them to go. Enough kids go from public schools to private schools (via vouchers/choice), they might get a clue.

Posted by: raz0r at October 5, 2006 09:32 AM



This is what to expect when you have to deal
with the 9th Circus Court of Appeals...the Sr.
Judges wife is a top offical in the ACLU,do we
have a little conflict here???? Factoid!!!!
their rulings are over turned more than any
court in the Country!!!95%

Posted by: Tincan Sailor at October 5, 2006 11:26 AM


razOr yes, things sure have changed since I went to school.

Posted by: Wild Thing at October 5, 2006 11:33 AM


Tincan Sailor, yes I know we have to expect it but it still bugs me. hahaha

Posted by: Wild Thing at October 5, 2006 11:34 AM


BobF, your second paragraph should be in every American History textbook. If history is still taught in public schools?? There were no moslems taming the Western American Frontier or building the most free and capitalistic nation in history.

Posted by: TomR at October 5, 2006 01:30 PM



What the hell!!! you mean to tell me there was
no Hop-a-long Haji???

Posted by: Tincan Sailor at October 5, 2006 05:27 PM


Tincan Sailor, nope. haha

Posted by: Wild Thing at October 6, 2006 02:03 AM