http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/feb/25/texas-students-dress-burqas-taught-call-muslim-ter/

The Washington Times ^ | February 25, 2013 | Jessica Chasmar

[cunning_fish]

A Texas lawmaker is launching an investigation after a high school teacher reportedly invited her female students to dress in burqas and refer to Muslim terrorists as “freedom fighters.”

State Sen. Dan Patrick told Fox News he is very disturbed by a Facebook photograph posted by one of the students in a world geography class at Lumberton High School, which showed them in Islamic garb. He also is investigating reports that the students were forced to write an essay based on an article in The Washington Post that blamed Egypt’s turmoil on democracy rather than the Muslim Brotherhood.

“Parents are very sensitive to any issue that seems to be anti-American — that blames democracy for some sort of trouble in the world,” he told Fox.

[svcw]

Were the students tied to a chair and threatened with electric shock if they didn’t write the paper.......how were they forced or have they just been taught to be cowards and not stand up for what they beleive.

[Aria]

Ahh...part of CSCOPE wherein I understand the teachers, under penalty of law, are prohibited from answering parents questions about the curriculum.

No way would my kid be in one of these schools.

[GraceG]

I would have made one out of this

And sent my kid to school in it to mock the pile of crap repressive totalitarian system masquerading as a religion.

[Casie]

From my inbox:

It appears that we have a group that is focusing on spreading fear about curriculum tool that we use, called C-Scope. Lumberton does not “promote” Islam, but “teaches” a world history as defined by the state of Texas’ objective called the TEKS. Key point. The teacher is a veteran teacher and she is Jewish. Now of all people, if anyone had an agenda to teach the negative aspects of Islam, it might be her. The teacher was teaching about culture and not about a dangerous radical religion .

Question, it more dangerous to teach: “Fear and ignorance” or “educate and understanding”.

I have two daughters, and if nothing else, this gives me an opportunity to discuss the negative oppressive nature of the religion, but at the same time, that people thrive on hate and misinformation.

John Valastro

Superintendent
Lumberton ISD

409-923-7504 Secretary

409-923-7506

409-923-7505 Office

My reply:

Thank you for the reply. If misinformation is indeed out there, perhaps it is you that need to better inform your parents and community. But do not be surprised if the general public still does not agree with your exposing children to Islam.

There is no justification for putting girls in burkas. I am not speaking from "fear and ignorance". I am speaking as a woman who correctly views a burka as a symbol of sex slavery.

[Colorado Doug]

Okay, so I wrote the school to offer my support for their actions. /s

Here was their lousy, disingenuous reply:

Lumberton ISD Response to CSCOPE and Promotion of Islam

Recently a picture had surfaced showing five students dressed in burqa's (Islamic attire) in a World Geography classroom at Lumberton High School. The lesson that was offered was not a written CSCOPE lesson; however it informed students to the customary culture of the people in the Middle East. The lesson that occurred was presented on February 1, 2013. As part of the curriculum from the World Geography TEKS (as prescribed by the state of Texas), the students are to study the culture (TEKS number 17):

"Culture. The student understands the distribution, patterns, and characteristics of different cultures." The student is expected to:

(A) describe and compare patterns of culture such as language, religion, land use, education, and customs that make specific regions of the world distinctive;

(B) describe major world religions, including animism, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Sikhism, and their spatial distribution;

(C) compare economic, political, or social opportunities in different cultures for women, ethnic and religious minorities, and other underrepresented populations; and

(D) evaluate the experiences and contributions of diverse groups to multicultural societies."

The lesson that was offered focused on exposing students to world cultures, religions, customs, and belief systems. A description on the whiteboard behind the students show the splits in religions: Islam (Sunni and Shia), Judaism (Reform, Conservatives, and Orthodox), and Christianity (Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant). Clothing expresses the individual culture. The lesson is not teaching a specific religion, and the students volunteered to wear the clothing.

The portrait focused only on Middle Eastern attire and the students are wearing variations of this customary attire found in the Middle Eastern culture. This portrait does not reflect the entire aspect of the lesson. The lesson encompassed diversity education so students receive a firm understanding of our world and why people are motivated differently.

Lumberton ISD has purchased the CSCOPE curriculum however; the teachers are not required to teach the lessons that are provided. The school district follows the Year at a Glance, a scope and sequence of the adopted Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, as well as the Instructional Focus Document which explains the Rationale, Common Misconceptions for students, TEKS, and the Key Academic Vocabulary that supports conceptual development. The district has great teachers and supports the teachers and their individuality in methods of instructional delivery.