Islamic indoctrination case - La Plata High School, Maryland

[SAVINGRACE]

"John Kevin Wood and his wife, Melissa, are now being represented by the Thomas More Law Center in a lawsuit against La Plata High School in Maryland over “Islamic indoctrination” in an 11th grade World History class.

The case drew national attention when John Wood was banned from entering school property after he objected to assignments to affirm statements such as the “Quran is the word of Allah revealed to Muhammad in the same way that Jews and Christians believe the Torah and the Gospels were revealed to Moses and the New Testament writers.”

On Oct. 22, TMLC said, Wood, who had witnessed “the destruction caused in the name of Allah” serving in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, demanded his daughter be given an alternative assignment after discovering she was being forced “to repeat the religious tenets of Islam.”

“She was required to write how the prophet Muhammad was visited by the Angel Gabriel and preached that there is only one true god, who is Allah. The assignment made her write that Mohammad is the messenger of Allah and that the Quran is holy text,” TMLC said.

‘The assignment required her to affirm that ‘Allah is the same god that is worshiped in Christianity and Judaism’ and that the ‘Quran is the word of Allah revealed to Mohammad in the same way that Jews and Christians believe the Torah and the Gospels were revealed to Moses and the New Testament writers.’ The assignment also forced young women such as the Woods’ daughter, to fill in the following sentences: ‘Men are the managers of the affairs of women’ and ‘Righteous women are therefore obedient.’”

John Wood contacted the school, but officials refused to provide another assignment for his daughter, and he refused to allow the “Islamic indoctrination.”

Read more at wnd.com/2014/11/marine-dad-banned-from-school-over-islam-lessons-fights-back/#cVEqfxoX3gxkq2Yp.99

 

[adf417]

Me think they should hire a lawyer straight out of the Watchtower organization then just sit back and watch.

 

[Usagi]

I suspect that the assignment involved knowing (and therefore being able to repeat) the tenets of Islam rather than accepting them. The article tends to leave out the questions the kid was answering and leaves the impression she was just being asked to write those things as if affirming them.

My schooling taught me about far worse things than the beliefs of Muslims, including the beliefs of the Nazis and of pre-American Civil War slaveholders. It certainly wasn’t teaching me those things were true, only that I needed to know what they were.

Usagi

 

[GaryTaylor]

Why does one need to know the tenants of Islam for history? Its confusing history with religion. Its not a fact an angel visited anyone, its a belief. Some believe ETs are among us also, does history teach this too?

 

[Usagi]

Why does one need to know the tenants of Islam for history? Its confusing history with religion. Its not a fact an angel visited anyone, its a belief. Some believe ETs are among us also, does history teach this too?

Islam, like Christianity, has had a considerable influence on history.

I suppose schools could avoid the specific tenets of religions when teaching about them as historical forces, but frequently the tenets are part of the story. In my (public) junior high, I did a report on the differences between Catholicism and Orthodoxy in history class, and at another time I made a little illustrated “children’s book” about the story of Gautama Buddha’s enlightenment, because I was interested in those topics. At no point did the school try to push belief in any of those faiths, nor was I “selling” any of them when I presented the information to the class. It was just more knowledge about the world.

It’s true that belief in things like angelic visitations, in Islam or Christianity or any other religions, should be stated as belief rather than fact in a history class. That’s why I’d like to see the questions this little girl was answering. If the question is “How do Muslims believe Islam was started” and she gave the answer about Gabriel, that looks a lot more sensible than if the question where “What significant thing happened to Muhammad in X year?”

Ultimately, doyou really think that actual indoctrination in the tenets of any religion in a public school would be permitted for long, if it were occurring?

Usagi

 

[Hobbes42]

Hmmmmmm.

Generally one needs to learn about religion when learning about world history. Learning what others believe isn’t in any manner the same as believing it oneself!

Otherwise, my collegiate course in world religions would have me a very confused Sikh/Hindu/Confusionist/Christian/Muslim/Daoist/Jainist/Buddhist

 

[Usagi]

Addendum: I had somehow gotten the impression that this was a rather young child, like 7 or so. Re-reading, I see that she’s a high school junior. That persuades me even more that her dad misunderstood the situation and overreacted. Someone in her late teens both ought to know about the world’s various cultures and religions from a historical perspective and ought to be able to differentiate between being taught information and being taught the truth of certain beliefs. My World Civ class that I mentioned earlier was in ninth grade, two years earlier than this girl’s, and we were perfectly able to learn about the histories of Islam and Buddhism and even medieval Catholic Europe without thinking we were having any of those religions pushed on us.

Usagi

 

[oldcatholicguy]

This doesn’t sound like indoctrination at all.
She is taking a Social Studies/World History course that teaches about different cultures and religions…therefore, she must learn about the beliefs of each culture/religion and write about them for assignments.

If the students had to say an Islamic prayer every morning out loud that had nothing to do with their studies, that might be considered indoctrination (as it would if it was a Christian prayer or Jewish prayer, etc)

Sounds like the father is over-reacting because of his own personal, psychological and traumatic experiences while fighting as a Marine.

The wording of this article is so biased and bigoted, it makes me cringe. The student didn’t have to “affirm” anything. She wasn’t “forced” to “fill out sentences”.
Oh, brother.
The “article” doesn’t give the school’s side of the story at all, or explain that there was a good reason why a “no trespass” was issued against the father–threats and danger to the staff and students.

Here’s more info from the school’s perspective:
Charles County Public Schools, the district in which La Plata High School is located, released a statement to parents about the situation:

Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) social studies curriculum** adheres to the Maryland World History curricular standards*** that are a requirement for all counties in the state. These standards include an analysis of the elements of culture such as art, music, religion, government, social structure, education, beliefs and customs in societies throughout history. Regarding the study of history specifically, the standards also state that **students should be able to analyze the customs and beliefs of world religions **and their expansion, as well as how their establishment has impacted other areas of culture, and in certain times and regions, even caused conflict.

The particular unit in question at La Plata High School is on the formation of Middle Eastern empires in which students learned the basic concepts of the Islamic faith and how it, along with politics, culture, economics and geography, contributed to the development of the Middle East. Other religions are introduced when they influence or impact a particular historical era or geographic region. For example, when reviewing the Renaissance and Reformation, students study the concepts and role of Christianity. When learning about the development of China and India, students examine Hinduism and Buddhism.

There is also misinformation about why the school issued a No Trespass Order on a parent. This parent threatened to cause problems that would potentially disrupt La Plata High School this morning. To ensure the safety of students and staff at the school, the school administration placed a No Trespass Order on this parent.
A representative for the school stated none of the materials in question are religiously indoctrinating in nature and the lesson is a part of a larger world history curriculum.

La Plata High School Principal Evelyn Arnold filed for a no-trespass order against Kevin Wood of La Plata Thursday, Oct. 23.
“The assignment has been given for years,” said Katie O’Malley-Simpson. "This particular parent had a problem with the assignment last Thursday.
“It is unusual [to ban a parent from a school],” she added. "We don’t file no trespassing charges lightly. We would only do that when we feel someone has threatened the safety of staff and students."

.

Given what you cited I really fail to see how this is indoctrination. Trying to learn about the history of the Middle East without knowing something about Islam is like trying to learn the history of Europe without knowing something about Christianity.

 

[GaryTaylor]

Islam, like Christianity, has had a considerable influence on history.

I suppose schools could avoid the specific tenets of religions when teaching about them as historical forces, but frequently the tenets are part of the story. In my (public) junior high, I did a report on the differences between Catholicism and Orthodoxy in history class, and at another time I made a little illustrated “children’s book” about the story of Gautama Buddha’s enlightenment, because I was interested in those topics. At no point did the school try to push belief in any of those faiths, nor was I “selling” any of them when I presented the information to the class. It was just more knowledge about the world.

It’s true that belief in things like angelic visitations, in Islam or Christianity or any other religions, should be stated as belief rather than fact in a history class. That’s why I’d like to see the questions this little girl was answering. If the question is “How do Muslims believe Islam was started” and she gave the answer about Gabriel, that looks a lot more sensible than if the question where “What significant thing happened to Muhammad in X year?”

Ultimately, doyou really think that actual indoctrination in the tenets of any religion in a public school would be permitted for long, if it were occurring?

Usagi

Right, I think first the course curriculum should be reviewed and there’s no doubt as we see the issue could be sensitive. The emphasis in most high schools in social studies is on the political, economic, military, and social history in regard to religion. Perhaps there are educators in the high schools who have a vast education of various religious beliefs and worship in all the major religions. I don’t know, which is why the curriculum in regards to educators needs to be balanced.

Could be little more than nothing also.

 

[John_Lazarus]

Hmmmmmm.

Generally one needs to learn about religion when learning about world history. Learning what others believe isn’t in any manner the same as believing it oneself!

Otherwise, my collegiate course in world religions would have me a very confused Sikh/Hindu/Confusionist/Christian/Muslim/Daoist/Jainist/Buddhist

 

[GaryTaylor]

Otherwise, my collegiate

I’m sorry we are talking high school and not college.

 

[HelenRose]

I would be interested to know how Muslims were required to answer questions about Christianity and Judaism.

I wonder if the school treads a little bit more carefully in asking a Muslim child to answer questions that place their beliefs on the same footing as that of other religions.

I wonder if the children are being taught that the fast expansion of the Islam advance during the 8th, 9th and 10th centuries were by military conquest using the tactics: 1) Become Muslim, 2: If you are Christian pay taxes, 3: Or die.

 

[benjohnson]

‘The assignment required her to affirm that ‘Allah is the same god that is worshiped in Christianity and Judaism’ and that the ‘Quran is the word of Allah revealed to Mohammad in the same way that Jews and Christians believe the Torah and the Gospels were revealed to Moses and the New Testament writers.’

This would be a sticking point for many Lutherans - there’s plenty of Lutherans that view the depiction of God by Muslims as to be entirely incompatible with the Christian understanding of the Trinity. That Muslims expressly deny the divinity of Christ is a bridge to far.

It would be ok to acknowledge that Muslims may think that we’re worshipping the same God, but even though I enjoy my Muslim friends and neighbors, I couldn’t affirm that without all sort of caveats.

 

[Usagi]

I would be interested to know how Muslims were required to answer questions about Christianity and Judaism.

We haven’t enough information, since we don’t even know if there are Muslim students at the school. I don’t see any reason why they wouldn’t be treated the same, though.

I wonder if the school treads a little bit more carefully in asking a Muslim child to answer questions that place their beliefs on the same footing as that of other religions.

Probably not. A public school has no business doing anything other than placing all religions on the same footing when discussing their history.

I wonder if the children are being taught that the fast expansion of the Islam advance during the 8th, 9th and 10th centuries were by military conquest using the tactics: 1) Become Muslim, 2: If you are Christian pay taxes, 3: Or die.

I suspect your take is somewhat simplified (I wouldn’t want them teaching some Baptists’ idea of how the Catholic Church maintained dominance either), but I’m sure they teach the historical warts of all the major religions covered in the course. One group conquering and subjugating other groups seems to be how most of human history worked, unfortunately, and we all have some ancestors (biological, cultural, and spiritual) who did it.

Usagi

 

[Usagi]

This would be a sticking point for many Lutherans - there’s plenty of Lutherans that view the depiction of God by Muslims as to be entirely incompatible with the Christian understanding of the Trinity. That Muslims expressly deny the divinity of Christ is a bridge to far.

It would be ok to acknowledge that Muslims may think that we’re worshipping the same God, but even though I enjoy my Muslim friends and neighbors, I couldn’t affirm that without all sort of caveats.

Jews also expressly deny the divinity of Christ, but it’s hard to argue that they worship a different God, since we got Him from them. Likewise, Islam borrows ideas (including a lot about its deity) from a combination of Jewish and Christian sources. It’s not like they spontaneously and independently chose to mention Adam, Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus as spiritual antecedents.

The point isn’t a theological affirmation that we all agree about God or are equally in the right about His characteristics, but a purely historical affirmation that the three religions and our ideas of God have connections and roots in common.

Usagi

 

[Gabriel_of_12]

Wake up people, the education systems in the free world is just the beginning to proselytize the Islamic religion.

Islam seeks it’s political agenda’s when they carry a majority vote in our local, state and federal political arenas.

The news reported that the U.S has on the table negotiating Nuclear agreements with Iran, If the U.S and the Western Europeans will allow their Iranians students to be educated in our own college campus’s.

Islam is not just moving in on this school. Look to Detroit Michigan and their local politics. Islam is on the move and they are motivated by their religious/political movement to seek converts or make converts. It’s no secret, Islam’s religious leaders have spoken to the West. “by your Liberal laws, Islam will conquer you”.

 

[oldcatholicguy]

Wake up people, the education systems in the free world is just the beginning to proselytize the Islamic religion.

Islam seeks it’s political agenda’s when they carry a majority vote in our local, state and federal political arenas.

The news reported that the U.S has on the table negotiating Nuclear agreements with Iran, If the U.S and the Western Europeans will allow their Iranians students to be educated in our own college campus’s.

Islam is not just moving in on this school. Look to Detroit Michigan and their local politics. Islam is on the move and they are motivated by their religious/political movement to seek converts or make converts. It’s no secret, Islam’s religious leaders have spoken to the West. “by your Liberal laws, Islam will conquer you”.

You mean Muslims are no different than any other group in that they would prefer the laws and society to reflect their values and make this preference known by exercising their right to vote into effect laws and politicians that hold their values? Shocking.

It’s a shame we can’t Catholics to do similar. We might have a legal system and society that protects everyone’s right to live instead of what we have now.

 

[Gabriel_of_12]

You mean Muslims are no different than any other group in that they would prefer the laws and society to reflect their values and make this preference known by exercising their right to vote into effect laws and politicians that hold their values? Shocking.

It’s a shame we can’t Catholics to do similar. We might have a legal system and society that protects everyone’s right to live instead of what we have now.

No, you misunderstand. Islam has no society which has a record of success in freedom and liberty of individuals. Islam has a history of conflict among it’s own followers. Islam does not seek to build it’s own society, it seeks to take over other societies and implement their mixture of politics and religion.

It’s this mixture of religion and secularism is what set’s Islam very different than any other group who seeks to conquer the world in the name of Allah.

Catholicism survives in all different facets of societies, be it, free, communistic, Royalty, Emperor’s, tribal, because Catholicism does not seek take over governments and to change the cultures, languages, customs or political views.

You are mistaken, Islam according to their teachings and prophecies and main goal is to convert or make everybody Muslim, Islam’s history proves they are successful at this only by conflict, conquering the innocent, remove any and all opposition by military might and implement secular rule and law mixed with religion power.

Islam does not seek to save souls in the name of love and peace, but to conquer souls by conversion in attacking another’s belief system with false pretenses, or if during conflict convert or die.

The Jewish and Catholic faith have a history which predates Islam’s existence. The Jewish and Catholic faith proves that the mixing of secular powers with religion leads to catastrophic outcomes.

Islam being an infant religion compared to Catholicism and Judaism, has not learned this lesson. But has changed it’s technique to conquer instead of an all out war. Islam moves under the pretense of peace into free societies to out populate, integrate societies, become leaders in these societies to change and convert them to Islam.

Once Islam reaches it’s pinnacle in a society, the majority will be Muslim and a false peace will transpire here. Speaking from Islam’s history not an opinion, Islam proves from her history in it’s own lands, when the majority is Muslim conflict, death and war ensues with Muslims. Mainly due to their secular government mixing with their religion.

Corruptima Optima Pessima = Ultimate Power Corrupts.

 

[oldcatholicguy]

No, you misunderstand.
I’m pretty sure I don’t.

Islam has no society which has a record of success in freedom and liberty of individuals.
Success in freedom and liberty of individuals isn’t actually what us Catholics are supposed to be using to gauge how good or bad a society is.

Islam has a history of conflict among it’s own followers.
Um, do we Christians really want to use internal conflict as a measure of how just or unjust, moral or immoral a religion is?

Islam does not seek to build it’s own society, it seeks to take over other societies and implement their mixture of politics and religion.
Seeking to take over other societies and implementing their mixture of politics and religion would be seeking to build their own society.

It’s this mixture of religion and secularism is what set’s Islam very different than any other group who seeks to conquer the world in the name of Allah.
My understanding of Islam is that there is no real division between what is religious and what is secular. As for societies that mix the two together, you might want to look at modern Western societies and the rise of such concepts as “cultural Christianity”.

Catholicism survives in all different facets of societies, be it, free, communistic, Royalty, Emperor’s, tribal, because Catholicism does not seek take over governments and to change the cultures, languages, customs or political views.
Catholicism survives because it is founded upon the truth and the truth always survives and because of God’s protection. As for Catholicism not seeking to take over governments, change cultures, languages, customs, or political views- um, yeah it does. It’s kind of the point since all those save language are rooted in or based upon morality and theology/philosophy of justice.

You are mistaken, Islam according to their teachings and prophecies and main goal is to convert or make everybody Muslim, Islam’s history proves they are successful at this only by conflict, conquering the innocent, remove any and all opposition by military might and implement secular rule and law mixed with religion power.
If Islam is only successful at this by conflict than we really shouldn’t be too concerned about Muslims using peaceful means by which to change society. We should in fact, if your statement is true and our end goal is to not have Islam spread around the world, be encouraging Muslims to engage in peaceful attempts since they apparently won’t work.

Islam does not seek to save souls in the name of love and peace, but to conquer souls by conversion in attacking another’s belief system with false pretenses, or if during conflict convert or die.
According to its teachings it does seek to save souls in the name of love and peace. You can’t cite its teachings to support one argument then the very next paragraph ignore its teachings because they invalidate another argument.

The Jewish and Catholic faith have a history which predates Islam’s existence. The Jewish and Catholic faith proves that the mixing of secular powers with religion leads to catastrophic outcomes.
Which might be of some value if the only three faiths in the world were Judaism, Christianity, and Islam and if there weren’t examples of the mixture of secular and religious powers that didn’t end in disaster. Also, Judaism has a history of the mixture of secular and religious power ending in disaster?

Islam being an infant religion compared to Catholicism and Judaism, has not learned this lesson. But has changed it’s technique to conquer instead of an all out war. Islam moves under the pretense of peace into free societies to out populate, integrate societies, become leaders in these societies to change and convert them to Islam.
Which conflicts with your prior comment about Islam only succeeding through conflict. It also assumes a global, organized, and centralized effort and mission in the Muslim community which doesn’t actually exists.

Once Islam reaches it’s pinnacle in a society, the majority will be Muslim and a false peace will transpire here. Speaking from Islam’s history not an opinion, Islam proves from her history in it’s own lands, when the majority is Muslim conflict, death and war ensues with Muslims. Mainly due to their secular government mixing with their religion.
Either there will be a false peace or a lot more conflict. You can’t have it be both.

Corruptima Optima Pessima = Ultimate Power Corrupts
All power corrupts would be more accurate.

 

[Gabriel_of_12]

oldcatholicguy;12540982]
Islam does not seek to build it’s own society, it seeks to take over other societies and implement their mixture of politics and religion.
Seeking to take over other societies and implementing their mixture of politics and religion would be seeking to build their own society.]

No, no your post have no relation to my posts.

**This will suffice all your misunderstanding of my posts. Islam does not build a model of it’s own society for all to follow, because it is always in conflict period. History proves Islam takes over an existing society it never builds and implements it’s laws and religion. In short Islam takes the spoils and fruits of conflict from these societies already in place into it’s bosom and Implements Islam **.

Can you give one model today of Islam’s own model of society lived by all Muslims that utopia of peace among all Muslims it seeks? Islam’s own history by conquering others from it’s past history has never reached it’s zenith It proclaims.

It’s funny, you take the liberal view such as stating; Well Christians do no better? I am not comparing Christianity to Islam as you falsely do and as Muslims try to do to justify their atrocities against humanity in the name of Islam. But, a liberal argument will argue; Well, those who murder in the name of Islam do not represent the peaceful Islam.

I say take your head out of the sand, because Islam’s founder practiced these same atrocities against humanity in the name of Islam, just as it is practiced today.

Sure, there are peaceful Muslims who practice Islam who come in the name of Islam, but the radicals of the same Islam breed from the same tree.

I would love to accept Islam as a religion of peace. But their history disproves it and proves Islam as a religion in continue conflict. I am still looking for that model Islam makes about a peaceful religion? And please don’t bring the Jewish or Christian faith in a point Muslims make who proclaim Islam is a religion of peace.

**Until you can prove a model society of Islam as a peaceful religion, your posts serve no meaning to the discussion by trying to implement other religions as examples for Islam’s justification if it claims to be a religion of peace.

Your posts do not justify Islam’s claims of peace, when you look to compare Islam to other faiths in order to justify Islam’s false claim as a religion of peace.**

If the Allah in the Quran teaches Muslims to lie and deceive as a good virtue to practice in Islam. Which side of Islam’s deception do you follow and believe?

Your wrong, all power does not corrupt. it is Ultimate power of religion and secular power which corrupts. The power of God who is all is not corrupt, and the power God gives to give witness is never corrupt.