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Court clears school of pushing religion with lesson on Islam
San Francisco Chroncile ^ | 11/18/05 | Bob Egelko

Posted on 11/19/2005 8:57:21 PM PST by freespirited

A Contra Costa County school was educating seventh-graders about Islam, not indoctrinating them, in role-playing sessions in which students used Muslim names and recited language from prayers, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday.

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a lawsuit by two Christian students and their parents, who accused the Byron Union School District of unconstitutionally endorsing a religious practice.

"The Islam program activities were not overt religious exercises that raise Establishment Clause concerns,'' the three-judge panel said, referring to the First Amendment ban on government sanctioning a religion.

During the history course at Excelsior School in the fall of 2001, the teacher, using an instructional guide, told the students they would adopt roles as Muslims for three weeks to help them learn what Muslims believe.

She encouraged them to use Muslim names, recited prayers in class and made them give up something for a day, such as television or candy, to simulate fasting during Ramadan. The final exam asked students for a critique of elements of Muslim culture.

The brevity of Thursday's ruling "underscores the fact that what the district and its teachers did was entirely within the mainstream of educational practice,'' said Linda Lye, attorney for the Byron schools.

Edward White of the Thomas More Center, the attorney in the case for the two children and their parents, said he will ask the full appeals court for a rehearing. He said the panel failed to address his argument that the district violated parents' rights.

"What happened in this classroom was clearly an endorsement of religion and indoctrination of children in the Islamic religion, which would never have stood if it were a class on Christianity or Judaism,'' White said.

E-mail Bob Egelko at begelko@sfchronicle.com.

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: appealsruling; california; contracostacounty; dhimmitude; education; idolatry; indoctrination; islam; judgislators; judicialtyranny; letspretend; muslims; ninthcircus; publicschools; religionofpeace; religiousbigotry
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I have an idea. All members of the National Education Association should be required to pretend they are Republicans for three weeks.
1 posted on 11/19/2005 8:57:23 PM PST by freespirited
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To: freespirited

If this was Christian, would it have stood?


2 posted on 11/19/2005 8:59:44 PM PST by NapkinUser ("Our troops have become the enemy." -Representative John P. Murtha, modern day Benedict Arnold.)
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To: freespirited

Oh my God,the 9th circuit again.


3 posted on 11/19/2005 9:00:47 PM PST by Mears (The Killer Queen)
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To: freespirited
U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton ruled in favor of the school district in 2003, saying that the class had an instructional purpose and that students had engaged in no actual religious exercises.

--

One of three Judges on the panel, she is a Clinton appointee, 2000

4 posted on 11/19/2005 9:01:52 PM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Monthly Donor spoken Here. Go to ... https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: NapkinUser
If this was Christian, would it have stood?

My opinion? Not a chance.

Also little chance if it had been let's pretend we are Jewish for three weeks.

5 posted on 11/19/2005 9:03:26 PM PST by freespirited
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To: freespirited

Inconsistent ruling with this court's past decisions.

If reciting the pledge of allegiance with the words, "under God" is unconstitutional, then forcing children to recite religious prayers as part of a lesson in a religion is also unconstitutional.

One can learn a lot about Islam without having to recite prayers, or pretend to be Muslim. In fact, all other religions taught by this teacher were probably done so using a more secular method of merely covering the history, basic beliefs, tenets, and teachings, and demographics - just as religions of the world have been taught all over the country for decades. Why is this teacher allowed to deviate when teaching about Christianity using actual rituals and prayers is considered illegal?


6 posted on 11/19/2005 9:05:13 PM PST by coconutt2000 (NO MORE PEACE FOR OIL!!! DOWN WITH TYRANTS, TERRORISTS, AND TIMIDCRATS!!!! (3-T's For World Peace))
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To: All

Correction re my post #4, Judge Hamilton is the US District Judge that ruled in favor of the school district in the case leading up to this appleal case, she is not on the 9th Circuit panel that ruled today but was appointed by Clinton in 2000..


7 posted on 11/19/2005 9:05:17 PM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Monthly Donor spoken Here. Go to ... https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: NapkinUser
Christian nothing; the 9th Circus is usually crazy as hell about letting ANY religion in public schools, even if the school isn't directly condoning it, just allowing the kids to do it on their own.

Except Islam, of course.

8 posted on 11/19/2005 9:05:35 PM PST by Gordongekko909 (I know. Let's cut his WHOLE BODY off.)
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To: freespirited; GatorGirl; maryz; afraidfortherepublic; Antoninus; Aquinasfan; livius; ...

+


9 posted on 11/19/2005 9:05:39 PM PST by narses (St Thomas says “lex injusta non obligat”)
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To: NormsRevenge

Easy enough to get it reversed. Require they do the same for Christianity...


10 posted on 11/19/2005 9:06:04 PM PST by Pikachu_Dad
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To: NormsRevenge

Apparently saying, "under God" is part of a religious exercise. Saying "in the name of Allah" and "Allah is great" is not a religious exercise.


11 posted on 11/19/2005 9:06:56 PM PST by coconutt2000 (NO MORE PEACE FOR OIL!!! DOWN WITH TYRANTS, TERRORISTS, AND TIMIDCRATS!!!! (3-T's For World Peace))
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To: freespirited
recited prayers in class

Reciting the shahada, Muslim proclamation of faith, ("There is no *** but Allah, and Mohammed is his *****") is the method of conversion to Islam. Whoever says this automatically become a Muslim.

Apologists for Islam explain the conversion is not valid if the person was tricked into saying the shahada but that it is up to a sharia court to decide if the person is an apostate who deserves the death penalty.

12 posted on 11/19/2005 9:07:37 PM PST by Alouette (Gaza: Too small to be a country, too large to be an insane asylum (thanx: Pettigru).)
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To: narses

Yep, let them all dress up as jihadists, just don't let them sing any Christmas carols.


13 posted on 11/19/2005 9:07:45 PM PST by wagglebee ("We are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom." -- President Bush, 1/20/05)
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To: NapkinUser

This is why is best to keep your kids out of the public schools and put them in private schools. Parents have more say and their money speaks very loud. Can't imange role playing that religion to children who are so impressionable. The people should get another lawyer and hope to get another judge on duty. Private school's are the only way to go.


14 posted on 11/19/2005 9:08:42 PM PST by Foxglove (Foxglove)
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To: NapkinUser

Why not ask the teachers to teach a unit on Christianity, and have the students dress up as the disciples for three weeks?


15 posted on 11/19/2005 9:09:15 PM PST by LiteKeeper (Beware the secularization of America)
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To: freespirited
Had we been given this assignment back when I was in 7th grade (in the late 70s) the principal's office would've been stormed by angry parents. .....and I'm talking about a liberal 'hood in So. Cal.

....told the students they would adopt roles as Muslims for three weeks

Fortunately 7th graders don't have the cash to donate to terrorist orgs...

16 posted on 11/19/2005 9:09:53 PM PST by Mr. Mojo
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To: Gordongekko909

Well to be fair, it is the Religion of Peace.


17 posted on 11/19/2005 9:11:40 PM PST by Aetius
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To: Alouette; SJackson; dennisw; Yehuda; sheik yerbouty; Lijahsbubbe
A Contra Costa County school was educating seventh-graders about Islam, not indoctrinating them, in role-playing sessions in which students used Muslim names and recited language from prayers, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday.

How does "recited language from prayers" any different from prayer? Isn't that what a prayer is, reciting the language of the prayer? How would this fly if the students were taught to "recite the language from" the Rosary or the Shema? Are there any Islamic prayers that don't demand submission to and recognition of the Islamic diety?

It was just a matter of time before allah stuck his camel nose under the tent of public schools. After all, long gone are the Ten Commandments to repel this demon.

18 posted on 11/19/2005 9:27:17 PM PST by Thinkin' Gal (As it was in the days of NO...)
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To: freespirited
Anti-educrat, anti-Mooselimb Sarcasm Torpedo ARMED. FIRE!!

I wanna know when they strapped on the shrapnel-laden explosive vests and blew themselves up...

Now THAT'd get the administrators in a quandry--"tolerance" of other cultures (snicker) vs. "zero-tolerance" for weapons.

19 posted on 11/19/2005 9:28:22 PM PST by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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To: Aetius
Aap aap ahh dap dap!!!!!
It's a religion of peace
It's a religion of peace



It aint Slim W, but this'll gitr done!
Kill A Commie For Mommie

Seven Dead Monkeys Page O Tunes

20 posted on 11/19/2005 9:29:47 PM PST by rawcatslyentist ("Why waste time learning, when ignorance is instantaneous"---Hobbes the Tiger)
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