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Tuesday, June 10, 2008

NEWS: Principal May Be Replaced After Muslim Presentation

Here's some proof of the ignorance and Islamophobia that exsists in this nation subhanAllah.


HOUSTON -- The Friendswood school district board will meet Tuesday night to discuss the replacement of a principal who invited two Muslim women into her school to teach students about their culture, KPRC Local 2 reported.

The presentation created a controversy in the southeast-side town.

Approximately 800 seventh- and eighth-grade students saw a PowerPoint presentation put together by the Council on American-Islamic Relations just before school on May 22

Asma Siddiqi helped present it. She said it was simply meant to explain Muslim tradition and culture, not to promote the religion.

"I didn't expect people to get upset because, I mean, we were just there telling kids, you know, this is who we are," Siddiqi said. "I explained what the holy book was, which is the Koran."

But plenty of parents were upset, such as Kim Leago. She was angry that she was not told her eighth-grade son would attend the presentation.

"If they're going to squeeze in religion, which is not allowed in school, why did they choose that religion? With the war and everything, I just don't think that was the right choice," Leago said.

Principal Robin Lowe allowed CAIR to make the presentation because a few weeks before, a Muslim student had been bullied and beaten at the school.

But criticism from Leago and other parents, which was echoed on local talk radio programs, resulted in Lowe being reassigned.

That move upset parents who believe Lowe was made a scapegoat. Both sides will tell it to the school board Tuesday night.

http://www.click2houston.com/education/16562511/detail.html

So parents are more concerned that people came to the school to teach the kids what Islam really was, rather than the fact that a child was bullied and beaten up in school because of his religion? Now that's just sad. We're talking about the safety and well being of children here! What are these people so afraid of? It saddens me how people take small matters and totally blow them out of proportion- just like last week or so and the Rachel Ray in a 'kifayah' in a Dunkin Donuts add.... calm the heck down losers... it's REALLY not that serious!

A lot of times Muslims are blamed for being 'antisocial' and not educating their communities about Islam- which is partially true. But in many cases when we do stand up and try and inform people of who we are and how we too are just people tryna get by in life, they take it and flip it into us trying to convert or brainwash them. It's like no matter what we do, we'll be attacked. This is the time we live in... and yet I always like to keep in mind... we are still growing as a faith. Despite all this nonsense... Islam is gaining more and more followers everyday, walhamdulillah.

6 comments:

Adventurous Ammena said...

subhanallah :( i really dont understand what the big deal is.. i dunno about USA but in uk we have religion classes (its in school!) Im sure if it was buddism, or judaism parents wouldnt be demanding a written notification. 'and with the war and everything' subhanallah.. surely thats more reason to do islam??

Desert Housewife A. (The Canadian in Jubail) said...

*ugh*

time to get a life, lamers

HF said...

wow ignorance really IS a bliss eh! Parents are gettin upset coz their kids are being taught to be civilized n accept ppl of all faiths n cultures? Truly saddens me.

بنت بيتر said...

i love your blog :) and ma shaa Allah... u put me on your profile! woo hoo!

Umm Ibrahim said...

Assalaamu alaikum,

Subhan Allah. :(

"If they're going to squeeze in religion, which is not allowed in school..."

Was thinking the same as Ammena... is comparative religion not part of the curriculum in the US? In the UK the children learn about the major faiths of the world including Islam (also Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism...). I'm surprised if it is not... or perhaps it varies from state to state.

Lazeena Umm Yusuf said...

Well I can speak for NJ at least- and we have some hardcore comparitive religion classes.. but those are in high school. I'm not sure they would have comparitive religion down south.. it just doesnt sound like something they would do, unfortunately