Officials in numerous school
districts have pointed to state standards, which are largely aligned
with national Common Core standards, that dictate what students must
learn and the lack of an opt out process for objectionable lessons.
(Blountville, TN)—[EAG News]
A Tennessee parent is on a mission to rid her daughter's school
district of lessons on Islam she contends are offensive to Christians,
and she has at least some board members on her side. (Photo via EAG News)
"My child's religious beliefs were violated," Bluff City Middle
School parent Michelle Edmisten told Sullivan County board members on
Monday, the Time News reports.
Edmisten pointed to a Pearson text that delves into Islam used by her
daughter's seventh-grade social studies class and mandatory lessons she
believes promotes the religion used by terrorists to justify violent
acts against Americans.
Questions about the text book were first raised at last month's Board
of Education meeting by local resident Joe Cerone, whom board members
refused to allow to speak Monday because he lives just outside of the
school district's boundary, according to the news site.
Edmisten said her daughter refused to complete lessons on Islam that
go against her Christian faith, and was issued zeros for the assignments
as a result.
"Those are zeros that we proudly took and will not compromise," she said.
"I will not give up this fight," Edmisten vowed. "Right this wrong tonight."
"It is time as parents, teachers, and administrators we stand up and
take back our families, our schools, and our country," she said to
applause at the standing room only meeting on Monday, according to WJHL.
The
criticism comes after numerous parents across Tennessee, Georgia, and
other states objected to education standards on teaching world
religions, particularly Islam, in public schools. Many parents expressed
frustration that approved texts focus too heavily on Islam while
largely ignoring Christianity, and include lessons that force students
to recite the Islamic conversion prayer and participate in other
questionable conduct, EAG News reports. (Screenshot via The Blaze)
Officials in numerous school districts have pointed to state
standards, which are largely aligned with national Common Core
standards, that dictate what students must learn and the lack of an opt
out process for objectionable lessons.
Tennessee state officials are currently reviewing social studies
standards with a focus on scrutinizing religious lessons, but are not
expected to implement any changes until 2019-20, which parents like
Edmisten believe is far too long.
"I would like to see the Pearson book yanked from the school
immediately. I would like to see parents, Christians, veterans, anyone
that's anyone, stand up for this fight," she told WJHL.
Board member Mark Ireson offered a motion near the end of
the Monday meeting to grant Edmisten's request and remove the Pearson
text "because it does not represent the values of the county," but the
motion was tabled after Director of Schools Evelyn Rafalowski intervened
to point out the proper protocol for changing text books, which
requires a study committee and public comment at future meetings.
Board chairman Michael Hughes and Rafalowski pointed out to the Times News
that Tennessee students do not have the option of opting out of the
Islam lessons, and there is currently only two state-approved social
studies texts for seventh-graders: the one offered by Pearson and
another by McGraw-Hill.
"It's not like we have the option to get rid of the book, and get a
book that don't have those standards, so then the question becomes, can
we find a textbook that is that much different, and is it worth it,"
Hughes said.