Islamic group pressures school board to remove Jewish and Christian holiday. (Florida)

Florida Family ^ | February 20, 2007 | David Canton-Executive Director

[mmanager]

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a national Islamic organization, has pressured the School District of Hillsborough County to remove the Jewish and Christian holidays Yom Kippur, Good Friday and Easter Monday from the school calendar.

School board members proposed removing the religious holidays during a workshop on Tuesday, February 20, 2007. Ahmed Bedier, with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), was there closely monitoring the meeting. The school board members were not considering the addition of a Muslim holiday during this meeting only the removal of Christian and Jewish holidays at the bequest of CAIR.

The school board members will take their vote on Tuesday, February 27, 2007.

"'We're tentatively optimistic - if they follow through with the vote,' said Ahmed Bedier, spokesman for the local chapter of the Council of American Islamic Relations." The Tampa Tribune reported on Wednesday, February 21, 2007, Metro Section, page 1.

This is the same school district that blocked emails from our supporters in November 2005 on this same issue. We are currently involved in litigation against the school district for violating our First Amendment "right to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

Please send your email to encourage these school board members not to erase Jewish and Christian holidays at the demands of this Muslim organization.

HISTORY ON THIS ISSUE

Ahmed Bedier, executive director of the Tampa Bay chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, asked the school board in 2004 to include a Muslim holiday in the calendar. This request led to the recommendation in October 2005 to substitute secular holidays for Yom Kippur, Good Friday and Easter Monday.

However, the school board declined to follow the recommendation to remove these religious holidays after receiving emails from Florida Family Association supporters.

Ahmed Bedier and the Council on American-Islamic Relations continued to communicate their demands with school board officials from November 2005 until today.

School board members met during a workshop today, Tuesday, February 20th, where they proposed removing the religious holidays. Ahmed Bedier, with the Council on American-Islamic Relations, was there closely monitoring the meeting. The school board members were not considering the addition of a Muslim holiday during this meeting only the removal of Christian and Jewish holidays.

The School District of Hillsborough County is poised to approve the removal of these religious holidays from the 2007-2008 school calendar during their regular meeting on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 at 5:00 PM.

Please send your email to encourage these school board members not to erase Jewish and Christian holidays at the demands of this Muslim organization.

[mmanager]

"This is the same school district that blocked emails from our supporters in November 2005 on this same issue. We are currently involved in litigation against the school district for violating our First Amendment "right to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

Please send your email to encourage these school board members not to erase Jewish and Christian holidays at the demands of this Muslim"

We must stop this nonsense now. Everytime we here this kind of crap we need to be writing our congressman. If they don't respond, vote them out. Between CAIR and the ACLU this is embedded into our system.

[xcamel]

Welcome to "Dhimmi World"

[mmanager]

"This is the same school district that blocked emails from our supporters in November 2005 on this same issue. We are currently involved in litigation against the school district for violating our First Amendment "right to petition the government for a redress of grievances."
Please send your email to encourage these school board members not to erase Jewish and Christian holidays at the demands of this Muslim"

We must stop this nonsense now. Everytime we hear this kind of crap we need to be writing our congressman. If they don't respond, vote them out. Between CAIR and the ACLU this has become embedded into our court system.

fixed it.

[proudofthesouth]

I hope they don't give in!

[ml/nj]

The only reason for closing a school on a Jewish holiday like Yom Kippor is that a substantial number of the students and/or the teachers would be expected to be absent anyway. I'm Jewish. My elementary school had a Jewish student majority. But back in the 50s that school was open, at least when I started there. Note that I don't think the Islamic Swine should be dictating to the school either, but most of these "religious" holidays should be matter of practicality.

ML/NJ

[proudofthesouth]

Email letter and addresses are at the link at the top of the article.

It took me just a few seconds to send mine.

[Dallas59]

Islam is NOT compatable with other religions or Western societies...

[TXBubba]

The only reason for closing a school on a Jewish holiday like Yom Kippor is that a substantial number of the students and/or the teachers would be expected to be absent anyway. I'm Jewish. My elementary school had a Jewish student majority. But back in the 50s that school was open, at least when I started there. Note that I don't think the Islamic Swine should be dictating to the school either, but most of these "religious" holidays should be matter of practicality.

I agree with you. And as a Christian myself I think they should remain open during the Christmas holiday if they refer to it as "Winter Break". They can take "Winter Break" the first week in December if it truly isn't related to Christmas.

[Freeper]

Robert Spencer gave a great lecture about Islam and Muhammed at the Heritage Foundation last November. You can watch the video by clicking here.

Every American should watch the lecture and at least consider Spencer’s arguments. I happen to find them quite convincing.

[Gay State Conservative]

If I stated my thoughts on this frankly,I'd be banned for life.The lest vile word I would have used in that frank post would have been "knuckledraggers".

[weegee]

Islam is compatible so long as all other societies bow to their muslim masters. Of course, the primary Islamic state, the one EVERY muslim prays to five times a day, does not permit Jews to enter its borders, non-muslims to practice their religions, nor non-muslims to enter the segregated city of Mecca.

Who are these "moderate" muslims again? They certainly don't speak out against such injustice, instead they pray to it.

[weegee]

They claim it is a "holiday season" but this week we had Presidents Day followed by Mardi Gras (which is observed in Southern Louisiana), and Ash Wednesday. Don't recall anyone saying "Happy Holidays".

[ExTexasRedhead]

Is there a way to boot out School Board members like a RECALL? If so, I would say get going and dump the sorry lot of anti-American cowards.

[luckystarmom]

I never had those days off growing up in Texas back in the 60s & 70s.

[SJackson]

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[expatguy]

They will. In fact, all of you will.

[ZULU]

Muslims don't belong here, Islam is a death cult not a religion and these creatures shoild all be rounded up and shipped back to Mecca with a one-way ticket.

[Cvengr]

Not a problem. Be sure the school menu has a healthy dose of Bacon Cheeseburgers, Pork Chops, Sausage, and disallow any observance of Ramadan.

[veronica]

WTF??? This is so sickening!!

[Peach]

For your e-mail groups.