Posted on 01/12/2002 12:15:27 PM PST by John Jorsett
BYRON -- Seventh-graders dressed in Muslim clothing, citing Islamic proverbs and calling each other Muslim names are stirring up a dispute in a small rural school in east Contra Costa County.
Sept. 11 probably heightened the negative reaction to the history class.
"It's just bad timing. They started this in the middle of October, right after the terrorist attacks. They could've put it more toward the end of the year or something. It's just bad timing," said Don Dutra, parent of a seventh-grader.
An article on a World Wide Web page and callers on Friday-morning radio talk shows added fuel to the controversy.
Nancie Castro, principal of Excelsior School in Byron, said her school is following state guidelines on the study of ancient civilizations, not promoting Islam. The classroom teacher was not available for comment.
"We're teaching the California standard, which is written out in detail on the state education department's Web site," Castro said. "Every school in California is teaching this curriculum; if people have a problem they need to take it up with the state."
Roger Wolfertz, deputy general counsel for the California Department of Education, said he received a dozen calls about the issue Friday.
"The law allows districts to teach about religion as long as they don't advocate or indoctrinate it or teach students how to pray. That is a provision of the law," he said.
The state education department Web site outlines the curriculum for sixth- and seventh-grade social-studies classes on world history and ancient civilizations. It includes studying how religions relate to various cultures.
Religion has always been a sensitive subject for schools, said Tom Adams, the administrator for curriculum framework at the state education department.
"State guidelines (for seventh grade) do include a unit on Islamic civilization in the medieval world," Adams said. "However, it should be an academic approach on the historical significance of the religion. It should not be construed as an endorsement of it."
While the state does set guidelines for the curriculum, Adams said individual districts and teachers create the lesson plans.
He would not say whether the assignments, such as memorizing Islamic proverbs, were appropriate lessons.
"I cannot comment on the specifics because I have no firsthand knowledge of what is really going on there, but there is nothing in the state curriculum that would call for that," he said.
Dutra, whose daughter is taking the class, said he brought the issue to Castro's attention two months ago.
"She told me it was through the state's requirements, but they were talking about dressing up in (traditional Muslim) clothes and I wasn't going allow my daughter to participate in that," he said.
Dutra said he's not against Islam, but there's a double standard.
"I'm a Catholic. If they were teaching Christianity in schools, people would lose their jobs," Dutra said.
Castro said students were given the option, for extra credit, to dress as Muslims would.
Seventh-grade world history covers a variety of ancient civilizations. Castro said the discussion of religions is included as they relate to the development of societies.
"Students learn about Hinduism, Christianity and other religions. They're learning about ancient cultures and what their beliefs were," she said.
Castro said three parents called who objected to having their children participate in this particular portion of the class. Those students were given alternate assignments.
"We have never endorsed a religion or tried to indoctrinate our students with a particular religion. We do offer alternatives," she said.
Another example of the saddest of the many sad truths about modern education: it's a child-minding service rather than an attempt to promote true learning.
Who approved this stuff?
We need the address of the school District.
We need contacts at the State Department of Education.
My state representatives I can deal with.
And they will hear from me big time.
The bastards in the liberal media NEVER give credit to WorldNetDaily. NEVER.
There is no difference between giving extra credit for something, and taking away points for not doing it. Points are fungible, they have the same value no matter how you earn or lose them.
LOL. Don't give them any ideas FITZ.
Byron Union School District
14401 Byron Highway
Byron, CA 94514
Phone: 925/634-6644
Fax: 634-9421
Thanks to Freeper Loyalist for digging this up. (At least that is best attribution I can make at this point.)
Anyway, I was able to get through to the Castro Chick's (principal) VxMail fairly easily.
Call and H.I.S.S.!!! Harass, Invalidate, Shame and Scorn.
That's true too, it's all just entertainment, but it is dangerous having the students pretending to be Muslims just like it would be to have them dress up like Hitler's youth and act out, pretending they are Nazis.
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