A few months back This American LIfe did a show on a muslim family that had problems with their kid in school, after 9/11. Basically, because of the actions of a dickhead teacher, a little girl was tormented to the level of physical illness, and a family was abused and threatened. The mother consulted the teacher and the principal, and they essentially did nothing.

The reason i'm posting this here is that all the problem were actually started a year AFTER 9/11 when the teacher passed out a document that stated muslims want hate American and they all want to kill Christians. Then it was made worse where as part of a Christmas lesson, the teacher told the single muslim student that she, and everyone else, should believe in Jesus to be saved. If it was just the teacher, it wouldn't be a problem. But the teacher's comments and actions caused the other students to viciously harass the daughter.

Obviously, the parent eventually ended up suing the school, and the school ended up having "diversity training" for the teachers, but only after lots of damage was done.

But, overall, I think the story shows the importance of tolerance and diversity, which are almost, unfortunately, bad words to many conservatives nowadays.

link to podcast:
http://www.thislife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=322

link to article about podcast:
http://muslimahmediawatch.blogspot.com/2008/01/american-life-includes-muslims-too.html

3/24/2008 12:20:32 AM

let's at least hope that teacher was barred from ever setting foot in a classroom again

3/24/2008 12:34:39 AM

And just to encourage people to listen to the podcast (you can put it on your iPod), the ending has a humorous story about a jewish person in an ad agency trying to make commercials for muslims and blacks.

3/24/2008 12:41:27 AM

I think I heard that same show on NPR. I remember the principle's defense was that the "muslims are bad" pamphlet was a district wide response to 9/11 and not material specific to their school or teacher.

Muslims are bad might be a new focus to it, but alot of schools have a christianity is good doctrine which can still single students out. I had plenty of teachers growing up that would talk about Jesus in the classroom. My 7th grade science teacher often ended classes with a 10 minute bible discussion.

3/24/2008 5:42:17 AM

I agree with the Teachers and Principals 100% in ideology.


but there's no place for this in the schools. Leave them alone.

3/24/2008 8:58:52 AM

This is a perfect example of why religion does not belong in the schools. Or for that matter, anywhere else outside of...well, church.

I am tolerant of opinions, but not actions. If you want to be an idiot and think that Muslims are evil, it is your freedom to do so. But by all means, please keep that shit to yourself, at a bare minimum don't let it escalate into verbal and physical abuse of others. If you don't like other people's different religious ideas, fine, but learn to respect that you aren't going to convert them anymore than they're going to convert you and convince you to accept their god/gods as the true way.

It is my opinion that religion is the cause of 99% of the world's problems in the first place, but that doesn't mean I'm going to go around and assault all Christians. Your belief in fairy tales does not cause anyone any harm by itself, and so I respect your beliefs. But the moment you cross that line, all you do is affirm my own biases, as well as the biases of others.

[Edited on March 24, 2008 at 3:10 PM. Reason : blah]

3/24/2008 3:09:42 PM

Christofascists are taking over our country.

3/24/2008 3:13:10 PM

Jesus, Donnie, you sure seem to have turned into a jerk.

3/24/2008 3:36:03 PM

This is why we should keep the government out of education. If this was a private school then the student in question would have demanded a refund, gotten it, and gone across the street to another private school.

Since it was a public school, the student's only choice was to sit there and take the abuse until a judge finally ordered the school to stop many months later.

3/24/2008 3:50:53 PM

^ Indeed. One size does not fit all. That said, even if I was the principal of a Christian school I would not support the teachers actions (supposing they have not been mischaracterized) because it was certainly not very Christian to single the girl out. I mean he could just have stated the truth of the gospel and let God convict her personally, the personal pressure in public situations is a bad idea in my estimation because it leads people to either be offended or make insincere commitments.

On the other hand it is about time we spent more time critically appraising the beliefs goals of the Muslim world. Certainly the all Muslims are terrorists approach is simplistic fear mongering. But the, aw there is no difference between Christianity and Islam, remember the Crusades! is just as simplistic and perhaps more dangerous to western civilization in the long run. Radical Islam exists and must be countered.

3/24/2008 4:13:59 PM

Quote :

"That said, even if I was the principal of a Christian school I would not support the teachers actions (supposing they have not been mischaracterized) because it was certainly not very Christian to single the girl out. "

Well, a muslim wouldn't be going to a Christian school anyway, so I don't see how this is really applicable.

But the point that you seemed to miss was that the authority figure's official position caused the KIDS to completely flip out and start tormenting the girl. The teacher's brief statements were only the catalyst that caused the young, impressionable kids to start being mean.

Quote :

"On the other hand it is about time we spent more time critically appraising the beliefs goals of the Muslim world. Certainly the all Muslims are terrorists approach is simplistic fear mongering. But the, aw there is no difference between Christianity and Islam, remember the Crusades! is just as simplistic and perhaps more dangerous to western civilization in the long run. Radical Islam exists and must be countered. "

I don't know if you can tell, but there is an implicit tone in your statement here that muslims should be treated with extra caution over Christians. Around young kids in school, they would easily pick up on this doubt, and run with it, which is largely what happened in this case (although the teacher was probably being more blatant).

That's part of the problem in this case is that apparently if someone wants to say something bad about non-Christians, people feel it's okay, if you note the boiler plate caveats. There's nothing wrong with critically talking about religions, even islam, but you have to be very careful particularly around kids so as not to mislead them.

3/24/2008 4:27:36 PM

Well, I do think Muslims should be treated with extra caution. So your comments are apt. Apt I say.

Muslims and nonbelievers in general might go to Christian school. For academics, or sports or whatever. Not all Christian schools insist the students sign a statement of faith, the one I attended didn't as I recall.

I can't agree that we should measure all of our words against what some bad kids might do. I'd rather speak the truth as I see it, give my reasoning and let it stand at that. Then if the kids start bullying someone on whatever issue I get out Mr. Paddle and put them in their place. Or, I might deny them recess or well just do whatever to get them where it hurts.

3/24/2008 5:59:52 PM

Quote :

"If it was just the teacher, it wouldn't be a problem."

Yall are gonna be shocked to hear ME say this, but WRONG. The moment a teacher starts proselytizing in a public school, there is a problem. That the kids responded negatively towards the one Muslim student is a symptom of the original problem.

3/25/2008 4:26:34 PM

As a teacher who specifically teaches about religion in school, I have something to say here.

First, teaching religion in school is not unacceptable. In fact, it should be required. Teaching about the origins of each faith worldwide, how it influences the decisions of various people, what their basic beliefs and tenets are, and how that determines their customs and behaviors is NECESSARY. I teach Africa, Asia, and the Pacific, so that means I cover Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Confucianism (lightly), Shinto (lightly), Buddhism, and Hinduism over the course of my year. The differences between many of the peoples in the world today are directly attributable to religious differences and intolerace, and without teachers educating students about people of various faiths, that will continue.

I look at it as my responsibility not to make any judgements regarding religion for students. I tell them that I can tell them the facts of various religions and what people who are representing those religions may or may not do, but it is for them to make the final call. I personally am non-religious, but I ensure that I do not allow my stance on things to color their perspective. I try to teach them that religion is religion, and people are people, and the same motivations that cause one group of people to do things will cause another to oppose them.

All that being said, this teacher was a fucknut. It is the responsibility of the teacher to preserve the dignity of the minority in a classroom more than the majority, whatever group that minority represents. The majority in a school can always take solace and gain support from those around them with similar beliefs, and because of the cliqueish nature of school to begin with, any student who is different faces a real danger of being ostracized by students to begin with. A teacher should protect them and shelter them from others and educate those to prevent the kinds of feelings this girl went through.

[Edited on March 25, 2008 at 6:00 PM. Reason : hmg]

3/25/2008 6:00:11 PM

Quote :

"Well, I do think Muslims should be treated with extra caution. So your comments are apt. Apt I say. "

You may believe that, but in no way at all is it right to give this impression to 4th or 5th graders that the muslim student (whose mother is a white american if that eases your suspicions) they've been getting along fine with hates you and your country.

3/25/2008 7:01:01 PM