Posted on 10/02/2006 11:59:58 AM PDT by 300magnum
A Muslim advocacy group's successful argument that a 9th grade student from a Virginia public high school did not have to wear regulation gym attire because of her Muslim religion, has fired up a critic of Islamic radicalism.
The 9th grader at Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke, Va., was "threatened with failing the class if she did not wear shorts," according to a statement released by the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR).
"The student's family contacted CAIR (of Maryland and Virginia) for assistance in resolving the issue. Following discussions with school officials, the student was moved to a different gym class and will be allowed to dress in attire that meets her religious needs," stated CAIR.
The group stated that initially, the girl's teacher told her "the law required that the student wear the shorts."
In light of the dispute over the gym class attire, CAIR also noted that it would conduct diversity training for Lake Braddock's newer staff, as well as "visit local middle and high schools to review their policies for accommodating the religious needs of Muslim students during Ramadan, Eid and throughout the school year."
But Daniel Pipes, a frequent critic of CAIR and the director of the Middle East Forum, told Cybercast News Service that the gym shorts are part of a "campaign" by CAIR to replace rules in the U.S.
It is a campaign "to adapt public schools in the United States to Islamic norms," Pipes said, and "is an integral part of its effort to adapt the country to the Shari'a, or Islamic law."
"Its success in getting the gym rules changed at Lake Braddock [Secondary] School, plus its success in providing 'diversity training' for school staff, have inspired it to become more bold and to 'review the policies' in other middle and high schools in an attempt to bend them too to the Shari'a," Pipes added.
The right 'warm up' suit will let you perspire, evaporate and cool just fine.
If the school rightfully stipulates a health and/or safety reason, then I'll go with the school. I just don't like arbitrary school rules.
It'll take em 3 days to re-write the policy to make it make real sense - from a safety, freedom of movement and health standpoint.
Muslim commuinities belong in Muslim countries.
I thought Section 8 housing was privately owned and the state or fed paid a private owner.
Bump!
I wonder if CAIR would stand up for the right of any American female to enter a mosque during prayers and stand in the middle of all the male muslims? After all it is America and mosques have tax-exempt status which should mean that all taxpayers should have a right to enter.
Yeah, if this were a non-Muslim kid, say, whose parents just didn't want her to wear shorts for general modesty reasons (maybe if she were Amish or Mormon or something), then I don't think anyone would give half a damn. The reaction to this seems entirely too knee-jerk to me.
Um I don't think she is following the rules.
Did someone tie you up and make you eat at that fast food place?
Will someone get a rope, soon.
Pervasive meaning...if Muslims try to systematically change many "routine" culture norms in present US society to conform to Islam, not just school attire...but gender seperation, other tolerances, zoning for place of worship...etc...
How would you like it if Muslims sued a city council to change church zone to be "Mosque exclusive" b/c Sharia law mandates that no other faith can have a place of worship within 20 blocks? (This might be an extreme example, but, Islam is arguably a religon of extremes.)
That escalation in action by muslims, is what I mean by pervasive, and what would cause blow back.
Similar school dress outfits, you're right...but...slippery slope fallacy aside, we'll just have to wait and see.
A private owner can accept section 8, but HUD (Housing Authories) also run their own complexes.... Those big high rises they built all over the country in the 60s were and are not privately owned.
For what it's worth, the Muzzies are right that the schools should not be doing this. Not because of religion, but simply because an arm of the government has no business compelling such a thing.
"There is no reason to force someone to wear revealing clothes in gym class. There are plenty of acceptable options including full-length sweat clothes."
Agreed. What we don't see here, since really only one side is presented (surprize) is that may have already been an option. It was at every public school I went to. Pentecostal girls couldn't wear shorts but participated in PE with kulats, or some such, on.
I suspect we are not being told the whole story here, like why it was necessary to change classes.
American people have to start growing BAllz-----or did we leave them in the billiard hall?
There is a big difference in equesting an exemption on gym wear based upon morality or religion than imposing restrictions on everyone else.
PING....It is starting!
HS Gym classes are not co-ed, but the facilities are often co-ed occupied during gym classes. (Georgia)
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