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A public high school has been accused of radical Islamic indoctrination by forcing children to profess the Muslim statement of faith, ordering them to memorize the Five Pillars of Islam and teaching that the faith of a Muslim is stronger than the average Christian, according to a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday. 

Thomas More Law Center filed the lawsuit on behalf of John and Melissa Wood. They accuse La Plata High School in Maryland of subjecting their teenage daughter to Islamic indoctrination and propaganda. And when Mr. Wood complained – the school banned him from campus.

“Defendants forced Wood’s daughter to disparage her Christian faith by reciting the Shahada, and acknowledging Mohammed as her spiritual leader,” Thomas More president Richard Thompson said.

The Shahada is the Islamic Creed, “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.”

The Thomas More Law Center said that for non-Muslims, reciting the statement is sufficient to convert one to Islam.

“The course also taught false statements such as Allah is the same God worshipped by Christians and Islam is a ‘religion of peace,’” Thompson said.  

Good grief. It sounds as if somebody turned La Plata High School into a taxpayer-funded Madrassa.

A spokesperson for Charles County Public Schools told me they have not seen the lawsuit and declined to comment.

Also named as defendants were the Charles County Board of Education, principal Evelyn Arnold and vice-principal Shannon Morris.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court, alleges that students spent only one day studying Christianity and two weeks studying Islam.

“During its brief instruction on Christianity, Defendants failed to cover any portion of the Bible or other non-Islamic religious texts, such as the Ten Commandments,” the lawsuit states. “Instead, the class included disparaging remarks about Christianity and the Pope.”

Students were also allegedly instructed that “the Islamic religion is a fact while Christianity and Judaism are just beliefs.”

“Such discriminatory treatment of Christianity is an unconstitutional promotion of one religion over another,” Thompson said. 

“United States Supreme Court precedent does not create a double standard that allows for the promotion of Islam in our public schools while disallowing and silencing teachings of Christianity and Judaism,” the lawsuit states.

According to copies of classroom assignments, the school taught that “Most Muslims’ faith is stronger than the average Christian.”

They also instructed students that Islam is a peaceful religion and they treated conquered nations with kindness and respect.

On a side note, I’m sure there are plenty of Syrian and Iraqi Christians who would love to weigh in on that classroom lesson.

The school also served as apologists for the Islamic faith, according to a hand out titled, “Islam Today.”

“Nowhere in the Koran does it say you will go to paradise if you martyr yourself with a suicide bomb,” the handout stated. “Important: The majority of Muslims do not live this way.”

The school also instructed students on jihad “a holy war waged on behalf of Islam as a religious duty; a personal struggle in devotion to Islam especially involving spiritual discipline.”

If La Plata High School wanted to teach children about jihad, they should’ve replayed the video footage of what happened on September 11, 2001 – or the Boston Marathon bombing – or the San Bernardino massacre or the Chattanooga attacks.

The incidents alleged in the lawsuit occurred during the 2014-15 school year. 

Wood, who is a Marine veteran, called the school on Oct. 22, 2014 to voice his alarm over his daughter’s assignments. He requested his daughter be allowed to opt-out of the lessons and be given an alternative assignment.

The following day the vice principal told Wood that his daughter was required to take the class and would receive “zeros” on any incomplete assignments even if the assignments violated the family’s religious beliefs and heritage.

It’s unclear what was said in the telephone conversations – but on Oct. 24th Wood was notified by the school’s resource officer that he would no longer be allowed on school property – for any reason whatsoever.

Wood contends in the lawsuit that he never threatened any physical harm against the school or anyone in the school.  The lawsuit alleges the ban is unfounded and retaliatory.

Folks, our public schools have become indoctrination centers – promoting Islam and marginalizing every other religion. I’ve reported on similar incidents across the country.

Why hasn’t the Freedom From Religion Foundation weighed in? What about the American Civil Liberties Union? Their silence is peculiar.

I suspect their reaction would have been a bit different had La Plata High School been baptizing children and forcing them to memorize John 3:16.

 

Todd Starnes is host of Fox News & Commentary, heard on hundreds of radio stations. His latest book is "God Less America: Real Stories From the Front Lines of the Attack on Traditional Values." Follow Todd on Twitter@ToddStarnes and find him on Facebook.

 

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"Why hasn’t the Freedom From Religion Foundation weighed in? What about the American Civil Liberties Union? Their silence is peculiar."

_____

Perhaps not at all peculiar.  I assume they would want to check the story out to see if it is being correctly told and if they find that it is, they can then make a decision on whether to make some public statement or take some kind of action. Neither organization is known to rush to judgment on such matters. They tend to do their homework. Is that not commendable? Todd Starnes is an extremely right wing character and can be depended on to invoke that ideology when reporting on events and persons. However, if all he reports is in fact true, then the teachers and curriculum designers at that school need to be fired.

The topic heading is misleading.  Reciting the Shahada does not convert one to a Muslim, especially in this situation, where students were required to mouth the words of this utterance. Some Muslims might claim  that such a recitation makes on a convert to Islam, but conversion does not miraculously happen through  magic words uttered insincerely.

Last edited by Contendahh
Contendahh posted:

"Why hasn’t the Freedom From Religion Foundation weighed in? What about the American Civil Liberties Union? Their silence is peculiar."

_____

Perhaps not at all peculiar.  I assume they would want to check the story out to see if it is being correctly told and if they find that it is, they can then make a decision on whether to make some public statement or take some kind of action. Neither organization is known to rush to judgment on such matters. They tend to do their homework. Is that not commendable? Todd Starnes is an extremely right wing character and can be depended on to invoke that ideology when reporting on events and persons. However, if all he reports is in fact true, then the teachers and curriculum designers at that school need to be fired.

The topic heading is misleading.  Reciting the Shahada does not convert one to a Muslim, especially in this situation, where students were required to mouth the words of this utterance. Some Muslims might claim  that such a recitation makes on a convert to Islam, but conversion does not miraculously happen through  magic words uttered insincerely.

It's not misleading if that is the way the parents feel. You posted that some might feel it is a conversion. There is no place in public schoòls for things like this to happen. They should be sued, and it should never happen again.

http://www.wnd.com/2016/01/stu...profession-of-faith/

http://www.wusa9.com/story/new...-classroom/18224863/

LA PLATA, Md. (WUSA9) -- Students have a reputation for not liking homework. But, for once, it was a parent objecting to homework.

As Kevin Wood's daughter recently worked on a homework assignment from her La Plata High School World History class, Wood asked her, "What are your history notes on?" He recalled her answering, "Islam."

"I hesitated, counted, three-two-one, no," he said, objecting to that religion being taught in school.

The La Plata High School World History class is currently studying Middle Eastern empires.

Charles County Public Schools said students learn how different empires throughout history were shaped by the different religions, in addition to geography, politics and culture, among other things.

The Wood family requested that their daughter be excused from the lesson on Islam and be assigned another project. The school did not allow it.

La Plata High School ultimately issued a no-trespassing order on Kevin Wood in the hopes of avoiding a confrontation on school grounds, according to Charles County Schools.

Wood said there was no reason for the order as he made no threats.

"We just want to be involved in our daughter's education," said Melissa Wood. "We as parents should be able to choose what our kids are learning."

Charles County Schools told WUSA9 that the World History class is a required course in the county curriculum.

Zainab Chaudry is the Maryland Outreach Manager for CAIR, the Council on American-Islamic Relations. She said she was "saddened but not surprised" when she heard the Wood's objections to Islam being taught in the classroom.

"Unfortunately there is a growing anti-Muslim sentiment in the United States," said Chaudry.

Chaudry points to current events around the world - from beheadings by ISIS to kidnappings by Boko Harram - as culprits of Islam's negative image.

The Woods argued, if you're going to teach Islam, include those current events in the lesson.

"That's I guess our biggest concern right now is how they're teaching it and what is really going on right now in this world," said Melissa Wood.

Her husband Kevin is a firefighter and retired United States Marine. Before being honorably discharged, Kevin Wood said he has been to war, fought against Islamic extremists and watched as those extremists killed his friends.

"[Schools] are not teaching about radical Islam right now - going around beheading people in America and Australia and they're not teaching that. They're just teaching, 'Oh, it's peaceful.' And it's not peaceful," argued Kevin Wood.

"It's important that if these [extremist] groups are mentioned [in schools] and that students are taught about that, that a distinction is made so students understand that these groups are not following the teachings of true Islam," said Chaudry.

Chaudry agreed that extremists, in some ways, have hijacked the religion.

"There is a minority extremist group within every religion that distort the teachings of that religion. Islam is a peaceful religion," she stressed, "It's peacefully followed by 1.5 billion people in all parts of the world."

The Woods say nearly a dozen other La Plata parents have reached out to them in support of their views.

Other Charles County parents seem a bit more comfortable with Islam in the classroom.

"I don't have a problem with it as long as all the religions are taught equally," said Ines Depew. Her daughter will be a student at La Plata High School next year.

John Roberts is the father of current La Plata High School students. He agreed with Depew, as long as religion in the classroom is an academic discussion, not philosophical one.

"The truth of the matters is a different discussion. It's not the school's responsibility to teach that. History, culture and how they relate makes sense," said Roberts, before he asked, "If I don't know what the competing views say then how could I rationally discuss truth?"

Bonnie Lee, a mother of a Charles County student, pointed out that there are differences in Islamic and Christian theologies and that she favors her Christian roots.

"If somehow that's presented that that's wrong, that's when it it's offensive," said Lee. But if a religion is presented without bias in a classroom, then she is okay with religion being taught.

"If you're going to be able to live in an integrated society it's better to understand it than fear it," added Lee.

"We're not trying to challenge other people's views. But these are our views and they're trying to challenge our views," said Melissa and Kevin Wood.

The challenges seem to be everywhere.

"The fact that there is a lot of fear and anger especially in the western world about the religion emphasizes the fact that we have a lot of work to do," said Chaudry.

A homework assignment from a World History class at

Maryland High School Under Fire Over Islam Curriculum

Public School System Sued for Pushing Islamic Propaganda

Former Marine fought daughter’s high school for promoting Islam
January 28, 2016 3:21 pm
 

A public school system in Maryland is being sued for promoting Islam over other religions.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court Wednesday on behalf of a former Marine and his wife who fought back at their daughter’s high school for forcing students to complete assignments that endorsed Islam.

The Thomas More Law Center filed the civil rights complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, accusing leaders at the Charles County Public Schools of violating the plaintiffs’ constitutional rights.

John Kevin Wood, who served eight years in the Marine Corps, and his wife Melissa objected when they discovered that their daughter’s World History class at La Plata High School was circulating assignments that amounted to Islamic propaganda.

Their daughter and her fellow students were instructed to write out the Islamic creed “Shahada,” which says, “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.” When recited by non-Muslims, the creed amounts to conversion to Islam.

Students were also required to memorize and recite the Five Pillars of Islam and were subjected to disparaging teachings about Christianity.

“Most Muslims’ faith is stronger than the average Christian,” one worksheet read.

The class also spent one day covering Christianity, while teachers devoted two weeks to instructing about Islam.

Upon learning of the lessons prioritizing Islam, Wood, who is Christian, contacted the school and demanded alternative assignments for his daughter. The school refused to allow his daughter to opt out of the assignments and threatened her with failing grades if they were not completed. She elected not to complete the worksheets.

The complaint filed Wednesday charges that the school discriminated against Wood’s daughter “by removing her from the academic environment of her World History class, relegating her to the student library, and issuing her failing grades on assignments because [she] refused to deny and insult her Christian beliefs.”

Following Wood’s complaints, the school principal also banned him from entering school grounds.

The lawsuit was filed against the Charles County Public Schools, the Board of Education, and the principal and vice principal of La Plata High School. It seeks a declaration from the defendants that they violated the plaintiffs’ constitutional rights, in addition to a temporary and permanent injunction barring them from promoting Islam over other religions and from banning Wood from school grounds.

In announcing the complaint, the president and chief counsel of the Thomas More Law Center warned that schools across the nation are forcing such “Islamic indoctrination.”

“Parents must be ever vigilant to the Islamic indoctrination of their children under the guise of teaching history and multiculturalism. This is happening in public schools across the country. And they must take action to stop it,” Richard Thompson, the law firm’s president, said in a statement.

http://freebeacon.com/issues/p...-islamic-propaganda/

Last edited by Bestworking

That should be enough to show the story is true. Another article that I read, and I'm looking for it, said the "study of islam" was not mentioned in the work schedules, and they had two workbooks, one that left out any mention of islam, and mentioned other religions, and the one they used in class, about islam. The one that left out any mention of islam was allowed to be carried home, the one that they used in class to "indoctrinate" the kids was not allowed out of the classroom.

I guess converting to Islam is one way to keep from getting beheaded in the mind of a pro-surrender liberal. But the left forgets that Islamists hate gays, thieves other than rulers, and socialists. Crossing ones fingers behind the back while prostrating oneself during the daily wailings won't necessarily save oneself.

giftedamateur posted:
Contendahh posted:

"Why hasn’t the Freedom From Religion Foundation weighed in? What about the American Civil Liberties Union? Their silence is peculiar."

_____

Perhaps not at all peculiar.  I assume they would want to check the story out to see if it is being correctly told and if they find that it is, they can then make a decision on whether to make some public statement or take some kind of action. Neither organization is known to rush to judgment on such matters. They tend to do their homework. Is that not commendable? Todd Starnes is an extremely right wing character and can be depended on to invoke that ideology when reporting on events and persons. However, if all he reports is in fact true, then the teachers and curriculum designers at that school need to be fired.

The topic heading is misleading.  Reciting the Shahada does not convert one to a Muslim, especially in this situation, where students were required to mouth the words of this utterance. Some Muslims might claim  that such a recitation makes on a convert to Islam, but conversion does not miraculously happen through  magic words uttered insincerely.

It's not misleading if that is the way the parents feel. You posted that some might feel it is a conversion. There is no place in public schoòls for things like this to happen. They should be sued, and it should never happen again.

___

If the parents are so ignorant as to actually believe that mere mouthing of the words of the Shahada magically makes one a Muslim, then they are in serious need of some common sense and maybe some counselling.

giftedamateur posted:
Contendahh posted:

"Why hasn’t the Freedom From Religion Foundation weighed in? What about the American Civil Liberties Union? Their silence is peculiar."

_____

Perhaps not at all peculiar.  I assume they would want to check the story out to see if it is being correctly told and if they find that it is, they can then make a decision on whether to make some public statement or take some kind of action. Neither organization is known to rush to judgment on such matters. They tend to do their homework. Is that not commendable? Todd Starnes is an extremely right wing character and can be depended on to invoke that ideology when reporting on events and persons. However, if all he reports is in fact true, then the teachers and curriculum designers at that school need to be fired.

The topic heading is misleading.  Reciting the Shahada does not convert one to a Muslim, especially in this situation, where students were required to mouth the words of this utterance. Some Muslims might claim  that such a recitation makes on a convert to Islam, but conversion does not miraculously happen through  magic words uttered insincerely.

It's not misleading if that is the way the parents feel. You posted that some might feel it is a conversion. There is no place in public schoòls for things like this to happen. They should be sued, and it should never happen again.

>>>>>>

No.  I posted that some MUSLIMS, not parents, might claim that reciting the Shahada makes one a Muslim. Go back and read it.

Contendahh posted:
giftedamateur posted:
Contendahh posted:

"Why hasn’t the Freedom From Religion Foundation weighed in? What about the American Civil Liberties Union? Their silence is peculiar."

_____

Perhaps not at all peculiar.  I assume they would want to check the story out to see if it is being correctly told and if they find that it is, they can then make a decision on whether to make some public statement or take some kind of action. Neither organization is known to rush to judgment on such matters. They tend to do their homework. Is that not commendable? Todd Starnes is an extremely right wing character and can be depended on to invoke that ideology when reporting on events and persons. However, if all he reports is in fact true, then the teachers and curriculum designers at that school need to be fired.

The topic heading is misleading.  Reciting the Shahada does not convert one to a Muslim, especially in this situation, where students were required to mouth the words of this utterance. Some Muslims might claim  that such a recitation makes on a convert to Islam, but conversion does not miraculously happen through  magic words uttered insincerely.

It's not misleading if that is the way the parents feel. You posted that some might feel it is a conversion. There is no place in public schoòls for things like this to happen. They should be sued, and it should never happen again.

>>>>>>

No.  I posted that some MUSLIMS, not parents, might claim that reciting the Shahada makes one a Muslim. Go back and read it.

Contendahh posted:
giftedamateur posted:
Contendahh posted:

"Why hasn’t the Freedom From Religion Foundation weighed in? What about the American Civil Liberties Union? Their silence is peculiar."

_____

Perhaps not at all peculiar.  I assume they would want to check the story out to see if it is being correctly told and if they find that it is, they can then make a decision on whether to make some public statement or take some kind of action. Neither organization is known to rush to judgment on such matters. They tend to do their homework. Is that not commendable? Todd Starnes is an extremely right wing character and can be depended on to invoke that ideology when reporting on events and persons. However, if all he reports is in fact true, then the teachers and curriculum designers at that school need to be fired.

The topic heading is misleading.  Reciting the Shahada does not convert one to a Muslim, especially in this situation, where students were required to mouth the words of this utterance. Some Muslims might claim  that such a recitation makes on a convert to Islam, but conversion does not miraculously happen through  magic words uttered insincerely.

It's not misleading if that is the way the parents feel. You posted that some might feel it is a conversion. There is no place in public schoòls for things like this to happen. They should be sued, and it should never happen again.

___

If the parents are so ignorant as to actually believe that mere mouthing of the words of the Shahada magically makes one a Muslim, then they are in serious need of some common sense and maybe some counselling.

The Muslims are that ignorant. No matter, the school should be sued. All of them pushing Islam in public schools should be sued and the ones responsible also fired.

Last edited by giftedamateur

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