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.
(Maryland)—[ http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2016/01/29/lawsuit-publi c-school-forced-my-child-to-convert-to-islam.html?cmpid =NL_tadspth - Reprinted with permission from Todd Starnes/Fox News ]
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. (Screengrab via Clashdaily)
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.
https://www.thomasmore.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/T homas-More-Law-Center-Files-Lawsuit-on-Behalf-of-Marine -Dad-Banned-from-Schoo-After-He-objected-to-Islamic-Ind octrination-Exhibits.pdf - "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. (Photo via Fox News)
"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."
https://www.thomasmore.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/T homas-More-Law-Center-Files-Lawsuit-on-Behalf-of-Marine -Dad-Banned-from-Schoo-After-He-objected-to-Islamic-Ind octrination-Exhibits.pdf - 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.
Visit Todd Starnes' Facebook page by clicking https://www.facebook.com/ToddStarnesFNC - here .
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