An Easter egg hunt is not the school district “appearing to endorse… a particular religion.” Greg Lipper of Americans United for Separation of Church and State says: “It would be one thing if this were an Easter egg hunt in an otherwise secular setting. But this invitation was for an Easter egg hunt at a Christian church — and so the event has much clearer religious connotations. Context matters.”
Perhaps Lipper would have a case if attendance were mandatory, which it is not — students had to RSVP — or if the church used the event to proselytize, which they deny intending to do: Pastor Neeta Nichols of the Cherry Hill Presbyterian Church said: “There is not a religious component to this event.”
Did Lipper or his organization get as upset when a New Jersey public school accommodated Muslim prayer, or when a San Diego public school gave time for Muslim prayer during school hours, or when the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals allowed Muslim prayers in public school classrooms? Those are much more egregious introductions of religion into the public school setting, no? This one, by contrast, is risible, from Majed Moughni’s expression of woundedness and grievance in the accompanying photo as he holds up the Easter Egg Hunt Ads of Rage (didn’t he feel silly posing for this ridiculous picture?), to the straight-faced reporting of Niraj Warikoo, always a reliable tool of Islamic supremacists, on Moughni’s pre-adolescent son discoursing learnedly about the separation of religion and state.
Pamela Geller has a good article on this here.
“Muslim parent upset over school flyer promoting church’s Easter egg hunt,” by Niraj Warikoo for the Detroit Free Press, April 4 (thanks to all who sent this in):
Some Muslim parents are concerned about public schools in Dearborn handing out flyers to all students advertising an Easter egg hunt, saying it violates the principle of church and state separation.
A flyer headlined “Eggstravaganza!” was given to students this week at three elementary schools in the Dearborn Public Schools district, which has a substantial number of Muslim students. The flyer described an April 12 event at Cherry Hill Presbyterian Church in Dearborn featuring an egg hunt, relay race, and egg toss. It asked students to RSVP “to secure your free spot” and included images of eggs and a bunny.
“It really bothered my two kids,” said parent Majed Moughni, who is Muslim and has two children, ages 7 and 9, in Dearborn elementary schools. “My son was like, ‘Dad, I really don’t feel comfortable getting these flyers, telling me to go to church. I thought churches are not supposed to mix with schools.’ ”
Moughni said he’s concerned about “using school teachers paid by public funds … to pass out these flyers that are being distributed by a church. I think that’s a serious violation of separation of church and state.”
David Mustonen, spokesman for Dearborn Public Schools, did not respond Thursday to several requests by the Free Press for comment.
The pastor of Cherry Hill Presbyterian Church defended the flyer, saying it was approved for distribution by Dearborn Public Schools and is not promoting a religious event.
“It’s designed to be an opportunity to invite the community to come for a day of activity,” said Pastor Neeta Nichols of Cherry Hill. “There is not a religious component to this event.”
“Part of our ministry in Dearborn is to invite the community to let them know we’re here,” she added. “We’re offering various kinds of programming, fun opportunities, so what we can be engaged with the community.”
But Moughni and others are worried that churches are trying to convert their youth through the Dearborn schools. Moughni said his children received flyers for Halloween events at another church last year.
And in recent years, other Muslim parents have complained about what they say are attempts to convert their children. The Conquerors, a Grandville-based group of Christian athletes who display feats of strength to spread the message of Jesus, have performed in Dearborn schools, drawing some concern. In 2009, there was controversy over an assistant wrestling coach who some parents said was trying to convert Muslim wrestlers, which the coach denied.
Moughni said he greatly respects Christianity, but believes that schools should not promote events related to religious holidays. He said he would oppose flyers that promoted events at mosques as well.
Part of the debate centers around whether Easter is entirely a religious holiday, or one that combines Christian and Western cultural traditions such as the Easter bunny and eggs.
Greg Lipper, senior litigation counsel at Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said he has some concerns about the flyer since the event is being held at a church.
“It would be one thing if this were an Easter egg hunt in an otherwise secular setting,” say, the White House Easter egg hunt, he said. “But this invitation was for an Easter egg hunt at a Christian church — and so the event has much clearer religious connotations. Context matters.”
Lipper added that the legality of flyer distribution in schools depends on whether the district is favoring some institutions over others. Schools can’t favor one religion, he said.
“The younger the children, the greater the concern,” Lipper said. “Children are more impressionable than adults, and elementary schoolchildren are more impressionable than any other students. And so the school district has to be especially careful about appearing to endorse … a particular religion.”
joeb says
““My son was like, ‘Dad, I really don’t feel comfortable getting these flyers, telling me to go to church. I thought churches are not supposed to mix with schools.’ ”
His seven year old said this? Liar.
PJG says
That was what I was going to say! Do young kids really use expressions like “I don’t feel comfortable …”in this way? Surely not.
Andy says
Christianphobia is shaking muslim people’s faith in dearbon
awake says
Reason number 4,716 as to why no western countries should encourage, or even allow, any Muslims to immigrate into them.
gerard says
Reason number 4,716,000. And counting.
Hans says
Go back to your Muslim countries.. hunt for grenades and bombs.. no need for eggs
exsgtbrown says
Muslim children are not required to have fun and participate in the festivities if they don’t want to….
gerard says
Muslim children are not required to have fun.
That comes later: “strike at their (kuffar) necks”.
veggiedog says
The update I read about this on FB has the local Muslim Community leaders not standing with this man and encouraging Muslims to join in on this event. So now the question, what is the truth here?
Jan says
Veggiedog asks: “what is the truth here”.
I would hazard a guess that the ‘muslim community leaders’ are annoyed with this joyless piece of pig excrement.
Not because they *disagree* with him, but because he is showing the mohammedan agenda too clearly, and they are hoping to keep the filthy kufaar anaesthestised a bit longer.
And what crap, *no* 7 year old would say anything like that .
veggiedog says
My thoughts as well.
Wellington says
My thoughts as well too, veggiedog. It’s not a matter of principle here but rather a matter of strategy.
Muslims lie in wait in a non-Muslim society until their numbers reach such proportions that they no longer even have to pretend to be gracious. So, the guy that complained wasn’t wrong, a la Islam, only his timing was off.
Champ ✿ says
Some Muslim parents are concerned about public schools in Dearborn handing out flyers to all students advertising an Easter egg hunt, saying it violates the principle of church and state separation.
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Oh please–this is simply a sweet invitation to attend a harmless Easter egg hunt at a local church where no one will bite you. Just don’t ‘GO’ if you don’t want to rub shoulders with truly peaceful people and have a little Fun!
b says
Nothing is innocent or harmless for Muslims if it can be twisted to seem like an offence against Islam. If one was to compile a list of things that are not offensive to Islam it would be a very short list.
Champ ✿ says
Indeed! …good point, B 🙂
Defcon 4 says
But I’m upset about the rabid, pervasive Jew hatred found throughout all the holey texts of islam — as well as its anti-Christian bigotry, xenophobia and calls for the persecution and slaughter of anyone n0t-a-m00slime.
veggiedog says
Amen
Kalliope says
@Defcon 4
I saw what you did there…
Fr. Basil says
I’m more upset over having an Easter egg hunt BEFORE Palm Sunday, much less than before Easter itself.
If the mahometans are angry over this, my advice is don’t go.
PJG says
Yes. My kids were never allowed an Easter egg before Easter Sunday.
Champ says
“My son was like, ‘Dad, I really don’t feel comfortable getting these flyers, telling me to go to church. I thought churches are not supposed to mix with schools.’ ”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I find it veeery hard to believe that a 9 year-old would say something so sophisticated. In fact, unlikely. And even if his son DID say this (and I don’t believe that he did), then it’s the parent’s responsibility to correct such wrongheaded notions and statements. But then again this is a “muslim parent” we’re talking about here, so he’s already teaching his children countless wrongheaded ideas already–beginning, but not ending with, the evil and unholy quran. Yeah islam is wholly evil!
Kalliope says
If they don’t like it, they don’t have to go.
No one is twisting anyone’s kūfiyyah in order to force them to attend.
Champ ✿ says
Exactly!
Kalliope says
“The younger the children, the greater the concern,” Lipper said. “Children are more impressionable than adults, and elementary schoolchildren are more impressionable than any other students. And so the school district has to be especially careful about appearing to endorse … a particular religion.”
But, its okay to have ʾIslāmic prayers in school.
You know, ʾIslām?
The religion that says everyone must submit to it, or face extortion (ǧizyah) or murder? Not to mention endorsing misogyny and pedophilia.
If the school district suddenly restored Christian prayer in classrooms, the ACLU would quash it in a heartbeat.
bill says
I thought that according to the constitution No religion was to be allowed in schools at all. Can some American explain how Muslim prayers are permitted?
PJG says
“I have been victorious with terror”. Mohammed, the “prophet”.
Does that answer your question?!
BW022 says
I’m an atheist, but WTF? I go to ‘church’ every week. That’s where our dance class holds its practices. They rent their hall. I’ve also been in churches and mosques in Europe and Egypt — as a tourist and having an interest in history and architecture. I’ve been to a Greek food fair held at a church, weddings in churches, etc. I’ve never felt any need to suddenly become religious.
Unless there are priests or people conducting services… a church (mosque, synagogue, etc.) is just a place. Four walls, a floor, and a roof. In this case, you likely don’t even have to go inside.
An Easter egg hunt? That’s what you are afraid of? Do you honestly think your children are going to switch to Christianity just because they heard about an Easter egg hunt (or heck attended it) on church property? Is this any scarier than walking past a church?
Yes… separation of church and state. That doesn’t mean that you hide the existence of religion. My beliefs come from my beliefs… not from ignorance of religions. Yes… churches exist in the United States. So do mosques, synagogues, Buddhist temples, Sikh temples, Hindu shrines, etc., etc. Yes… secular and non-religious events take place as such places — dance classes, weddings, Easter egg hunts, plays, graduation dinners, etc.
I don’t want to live in a world where they only way of protecting myself from an idea is to pretend it doesn’t exist? Does that mean you can’t advertise an egg hunt if… it was in a parking lot across the street from a church, or the owner happened to be a member of the church, or there was a view of the church spire in the distance?
gerard says
“Greg Lipper of Americans United for Separation of Church and State says..”
Does he mean like the separation of church (mosque) and state in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan…?
Oh the hypocrisy of Muslims!!
Bernard Sussman says
There is a certain cute irony in this. For well over a century, Jewish parents have chafed when the public schools were teaching their kids Xmas hymns, trimming the classroom Xmas tree, Santa, Easter pageants, Easter bunnies, etc. Some even complained – and were ignored or worse.
But Jewish parents do not have a reputation preceding them for throwing bombs and the like. Which is why Jewish parents were ignored for more than a century and Moslem parents get very prompt capitulation.
DVult says
Is it just me or does this guy look a bit like a vampire or possibly a zombie? Whatever he is, he is dripping with hatred of americans and christianity.
mad-aussie says
Its OK to force non Muslim School Children to go to a Mosque and pray to a False God . But Easter Egg Hunt is a Problem. If Christian values and traditions offend you then take your young Jihadists to a Terrorist training camp oops! I mean Muslim School and get out of our faces.
bill says
The symbolism of eggs has pagan origins, and is found as far afield as China, which would of course upset Muslims anyway. Today it is just an invitation for families to have fun, which we know is also haram as there is no fun in Islam. Especially in the more extreme Islamic states and with extremist Muslims everywhere.
“Allah did not create man so that he could have fun. The aim of creation was for mankind to be put to the test through hardship and prayer. An Islamic regime must be serious in every field. There are no jokes in Islam. There is no humor in Islam. There is no fun in Islam. There can be no fun and joy in whatever is serious.” — Ayatollah Khomeini
Doc says
Then he should keep his kids home and his mouth shut. This is still the USA if he can’t deal with our traditions let him go back to the dung Hole he came from.
Cassy k says
My child is not “comfortable” watching Muslim children pull out their prayer rug and pray during school hours, but nobody stops them! See the double standard here? Muslims can bring and practice religion in schools, but Christians can’t ? Let’s have a honey ham, yummy!
somehistory says
Kids get flyer, kids show daddy flyer, and kids say, “Can we go, Daddy?”
Kids then get long, hot-breathed lecture after which “Daddy” makes up the lines his kids were supposed to say to him.
somehistory says
Severely off topic: the price of bacon (all pork) is going to rise again due to a virus affecting and causing death to hundreds of thousands of baby pigs. Never been seen in this country before, but often seen in China. Authorities don’t know how it got to the States. I could make some guesses.
Rogelio Hermosillo says
I wonder why we have to accept the schools teaching about Islam in their curriculum, If these people of the so called peaceful religion would see some of the atrocities committed in their countries against Christians and really see the religion for what it is, I wonder how many would follow it. If they do not like our Judeo-Christian country they should leave and go back to their old place….I am not a biased person but enough is enough….
robert eberle says
Now I get it, it’s freedom of religion that Muslims are seeking.
Champ ✿ says
Now I get it, it’s freedom of religion that Muslims are seeking.
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Yeah and all muslims want is for every non-believer to be under islam’s thumb–so they have such a *screaming* double standard!
Johnny Canuck says
“Some Muslim parents are concerned…saying it violates the principle of church and state separation.”
This seems like an odd statement, as to my knowledge, there is no division of church and state in an Islamic country; hence, the failure of Allah worshippers to create a single culturally thriving and economically successful state.
Redhogg says
Yes my Muslim child of “6” said “he fundamentally held a series of concerns in the flyers possible religious implications and should he retain counsel on the matter as his classmate suggested” I said detail your concerns in the deposition your assistant will provide you with after playtime tomorrow then fax it counsel per normal procedure, and keep your finger out your nose in public.