The full story is here:
“The second public school district in Washington state in less than a week was warned that it must “cease and desist” its promotion of Islam through its Ramadan policy that gives Muslim students special privileges.
“The Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund (FCDF) sent the superintendent and school board of Northshore School District (NSD) – located in Bothell, Washington, just 30 minutes from Seattle – a “cease-and-desist” letter demanding that officials put an end to their special Ramadan policy or face legal action.
“FCDF Executive Director Daniel Piedra condemned the policy instructing faculties to make special accommodations for Muslim students during the Islamic holiday season.“The school district’s so-called Ramadan ‘accommodations’ run roughshod over the First Amendment and are a blatant insult to students of other faiths,” Piedra argued in a statement on FCDF’s website. “Under the mantle of ‘diversity’ and ‘inclusion,’ school officials have exalted Islam as the state-sponsored religion. Teachers and parents are outraged, and they should be.”“NSD’s “Diversity & Equity Department” issued school officials its directive to make Muslim students feel comfortable as they receive special privileges not extended to students of other faiths.“[The policy is designed to ensure Muslim students] have the right accommodations and support from teachers and their peers during the Ramadan period,” the district department explained, calling schools to go out of their way to let students conduct their month-long Islamic rituals during Ramadan – which started last week.“An extensive list of ways for teachers to treat Muslim students like a privileged class were outlined.“Plan in advance with Muslim students to allow them to] quietly slip away [for prayer to] avoid calling unwanted attention to them,” the NSD’s Ramadan guidelines read. “When planning school activities and events, think about how it will impact practicing Muslim students [by asking], ‘Will they feel left out? and ‘Will they feel pressured to break their fast before sunset or Iftar (breaking of fast)?’”
What does this mean? Are the other students to refrain from eating in front of Muslim students, so as not to “pressure” them to break their fast? Should teachers, and non-Muslim students, refrain from mentioning food and drink at all, much less eating or drinking in front of Ramadan observers, in order to accommodate the delicate sensibilities of Muslim students who might then be tempted to break their fast?
When “planning school activities and events,” the school should not be taking into account, despite the District’s guidelines, how it “will impact” adherents of one particular religion. The schools should remain scrupulously neutral; they should neither promote nor impede any particular religion. No doubt the observance of Ramadan will affect the ability of Muslim students to participate in some events. For example, they might be weakened by their fast and be unable to take part in regularly scheduled athletic classes and, especially, competitions. But that is part of the price they pay for their observance of Ramadan, rather than a reason to change athletic schedules for all. The same is true for academic subjects; they cannot expect to delay test-taking until after Ramadan, for example. That would create problems about possible cheating (if Muslim students take the same test a few weeks later, classmates might tell them the questions in advance) and would constitute “unreasonable” accommodation.
“In addition, teachers are expected to incorporate teachings of the Islamic faith into their lesson plans.
What? Only teachings of the “Islamic faith”? This is intolerable. In a public school, to “incorporate teachings of the Islamic faith into their lesson plans” is to favor that faith over all others. This clearly violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. It is especially worrisome because one assumes that if such “teachings” –mainly Qu’ranic verses –will be highly selective, leaving out disturbing verses. Instead, it will include only a handful of misleadingly anodyne verses, such as 2:256 (“There is no compulsion in religion”) and a carefully abridged version of 5:32, that appears to condemn killing, when in fact the full verse sets out when killing is sanctioned. Verse 5:33 describes just how that killing should be done..
“A brief mention of Ramadan or a lesson on it may promote the feeling of inclusivity [because] many Muslim students may feel embarrassed to be specially accommodated,” the guidelines continue. “Privately offer information about nutritional adaptations [to Muslim students] while they fast during the day.”
What business is it of the school district to “promote the feeling of inclusivity” for Muslim students? If it truly cared about promoting “inclusivity” for everyone, then it might suggest that a lesson be given about the Qur’anic verse that tells Muslims not to take “Jews and Christians as friends, for they are friends only with each other” (5:51), or about the verse (98:6) that describes non-Muslims as “the most vile of created beings,” verses which certainly prevent inclusivity from the Muslim side. But that, of course, would never happen.
“And teachers must not be remiss to provide special areas for Muslim students, complete with an assortment of Islamic materials for their reading enjoyment.”
Why should there be “special areas for Muslim students”? Can’t they attend all of their classes while fasting? How would being sent to special, for-Muslims-only areas help them to observe Ramadan? Or are these “special areas” intended to be places where Muslim students should gather at lunch time, instead of going to the lunchroom, where the sight of food might be too much for them to bear? They ought to be able to handle that glimpse of mystery meat, or pizza, or a tuna salad sandwich, without having to break their fast. And even in the lunchroom, they can sit together with other Muslim students, playing cards or computer games, or even doing some homework. There is no need to set aside another room just for Muslim students to congregate during lunch hours. And why should only “an assortment of Islamic materials” be provided “for their reading enjoyment’? Are teachers now supposed to decide what constitute “Islamic materials”? This insistence on providing “Islamic materials” clearly promotes Islam and violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Let the students bring whatever they wish to read at the lunch hour. It’s their business and should not be that of the school district or the teachers.
“Create] comfortable safe spaces for Muslim students with] books, magazines and other things to keep students busy,” the guidelines direct school officials. “Teachers,] if you are aware of practicing Muslim students in your school and are still unsure about how to support them during Ramadan, don’t hesitate to ask them privately what they need.”
This is more unconstitutional entanglement with religion. The role of a public school teacher is not “to support [Muslim students] during Ramadan.” Teachers are to avoid privileging one faith above all others. There’s no need to accommodate those observing Ramadan with “comfortable safe spaces” (“safe” in what sense? From the islamophobic stares and teasing of non-Muslim classmates? Is that what the district’s guidelines are implying goes on?) with “books, magazines, and other things.” Students can bring books to read from home, along with the textbooks they routinely carry, and which they can read, or study, during the lunch hour, should they wish. The teachers should not be in the business of making sure everything possible is done so as to lighten the burden of those observing Ramadan. Their task is to remain neutral as to all matters of religion.
‘FCDF informed the district’s leaders that overseeing students’ religious rituals is well beyond their duties as instructors.“Administrators and teachers must never be placed in the position of monitoring a child’s compliance with a particular religious requirement, such as prayer, dietary restrictions or wearing a head covering,” FCDF’s cease-and-desist leader argues, noting that under these circumstances, the First Amendment requires neutrality on religion.
“The letter also makes it clear that public school officials are prohibited from favoring a particular religion at school.“While students are allowed to practice their religion, the team [at FCDF] said, and “nothing in the Constitution prohibits public schools from accommodating students’ religious exercise,’ public schools are not allowed to have policies or practices that ‘convey a message that a particular religion, or a particular religious belief, is ‘favored,’” “FCDF said the district must “restore the rights of non-Muslim students of faith to be treated equally under the law’ and review all instances in which the school’s Ramadan policy was enforced.”“Multiple complaints” from the community were waged against the school’s newly enforced pro-Muslim program, and one teacher in the school district just northeast of Seattle asked for legal assistance to keep Islam from infiltrating her classroom.“An anonymous Northshore teacher contacted FCDF and said the district’s pro-Islam ‘diversity’ mandates are being forced on teachers,” FCDF informed. “The teacher stated the district’s oppressive policies “need[ed] to be exposed.’”
Several demands were made on the district by FDCF – if it wants to avoid a lawsuit:
- Rescind the Ramadan Policy
- Restore the rights of non-Muslim students of faith to be treated equally under the law
- Undertake a review of all instances in which District officials enforced the Ramadan Policy
- Inform staff and parents of the District’s unlawful actions and your efforts to remedy them
NSD will be sued if attorneys discover its failure to take action within five business days.
- ‘Piedra is amazed that teachers are expected to implement Islamic instruction in their classrooms when most don’t even have a clue about student’s free speech rights.
“No doubt school officials have a difficult job in accommodating their students’ needs, but one may wonder how these ‘educators’ are qualified to teach our children when they can’t even comprehend basic First Amendment principles,” FCDF’s legal expert noted.
The school officials appear not to understand that, in making “reasonable accommodation” to students’ religious needs, they cannot favor one religion over another. The Ramadan Policy of this school district goes beyond “reasonable accommodation.” It is promoting Islam.
Similarly, the schedules of athletic events and competitions should not change to accommodate those weakened by fasting. Nor should homework assignments, or schedules of tests, exams, and papers, be modified — that is, postponed until after Ramadan ends –so as to accommodate Muslim students. That would constitute promotion of Islam.
In Washington State, the Northshore School District is about to get a lesson in Constitutional law from the Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund. The District’s excessive accommodation of those students who are observing Ramadan, and thus its promotion of Islam, clearly implicate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Let’s hope that the Northshore School District — and any school districts similarly inclined — will take that lesson to heart.
captainduckman says
If this is a government funded or accredited school, they should be instantly punished under the establishment clause as what they’re doing is establishing islam as a school religion.
The Political Oracle says
Please visit https://youtu.be/sMfXdjbHloc to learn about what religion is not. Contact your local, state and federal presentatives to educate them.
The Political Oracle says
correction: representatives, not presentatives.
owensgate says
I read “preventatives” the first time, seems more appropriate. 🙂
BVC says
I think most of us speak fluent typonese ?
gravenimage says
🙂
Clayton Norcroft says
The United States is discovering all over again just how useful its Constitutional Amendments are. They may mean some pain for Christians and Jews, now and then, but the legal power to curtail Islam in America is something for Americans to be proud of and to prize.
gravenimage says
Christians and Jews are not a threat, nor are their faiths violent. Effots to legally curb the violence of Islam should not harm those of peaceful faiths.
Mark Spahn (West Seneca, NY) says
We can applaud the efforts of the Northshore School District (NSD) Diversity and Equity Department. Surely all the members are volunteers; public money wouldn’t be spent on salaries for such frivolous purposes.
And we should view Ramadan as an opportunity for education. The
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freshman_15
refers to the 15 pounds of weight gained during a student’s first year at college. As a lesson in statistics and nutrition, we can run an experiment to see whether there is a similar weight gain during the Noctural Gluttony Festival celebrated by Muslim students during the merry month of Ramadan. All we need do is record students’ weight at the beginning and end of the month. What is the correlation between Ramadan weight gain and religion? Is it any different between Muslims and kafirs?
And to help our Muslim fellow students with their religion, it will be a mitzvah to make a delicious display of eating lunch in their presence. This will earn them many a qirat of credit that they can spend later on houris in heaven.
owensgate says
If religion is so damn inappropriate for secular schools, WHY are they trying so hard to accommodate islam?
GreekEmpress says
Love that Dan Piedra and FCDF!!
I know I must sound like their latest cheerleader, but I love the fact they’re fighting CAIR’s unreasonable demands!!
Go FCDF!!!
Lydia Church says
My solution in the meantime?
In that situation, I teach Christianity instead!
What can they do to me? Fire me for teaching religion?
When they already ordered for the teaching of religion to be done?
Fire me for not teaching the religion they want taught? Which is making special accommodations to single out one religion for promotion and against the law?
Haaaa-haaaa!
Let them boil in their anger over it then!
gravenimage says
Washington State: school district promoting Islam is called to account
………………..
*Good*.
Olli Hekkala says
It would be interestin to learn islam and its history comprehensively on religious stydy classes. Beyond that, religion should be privately driven activity In state institutions.
If muslim wants to take a brake for ramadan, why not let him do it. Give materia and let them homeschool and if there are exams, why not Give them different guestions as for anyone Who skipped some tests.
David Cooper says
yes–now that topic of islam historywhiich must sure expose the truth of Jihard,the execution/beheading of infidels who refuse to covert,the taking of women and you girls as sex slaves…All as mandated by their perfect man,prophet moh. since that first victory in battle of the Valleys,Medina627AD.( 900 Jew infidels beheaded in 1 day).A suitable entre for the thousands of jihards over the folowin 1400 years,conquoring Christian,Jewish,Hindu and Buddhist lands ,vanquising inhabitants from Medina to Egypt ,Morocco,Turkey Pakistan,Afganistan etc etc.Estimated over 780million victims.making the Crusades,Hitler,Mao etc look ammaturish. Islam history indeed. Not for the squeamish.
BVC says
Olli…
If you give them different questions, they will shout that their exam was tougher then the one given to the rest of students. Muslims love to play the victim and this gives them yet another chance to cry FOUL.
Linda Goudsmit says
Where did Washington State – and every other state – get their pro-Muslim, anti-Christian, antisemitic, anti-American, pro-globalism curriculum content? Pearson Education of course! Pearson Education is the British multi-national multi-billion dollar education company that has 60% control (2017) of American textbooks thanks to Obama’s Common Core and Connect All Schools programs. Please read my article, “The Humanitarian Hoax of Pearson Education: Killing America with kindness” to fully understand the sinister plan to indoctrinate our children to be self-loathing Americans in preparation for life as global citizens in an internationalized, globalized world under the auspices of the United Nations. The multifaceted Culture War against America and against our America-first President Donald J. Trump is a globalist war against American national sovereignty that begins in K-12.
http://goudsmit.pundicity.com/22688/the-humanitarian-hoax-of-pearson-education
lindagoudsmit.com
goudsmit.pundicity.com
gravenimage says
Thank you for the link, Linda.
abad says
Thank you for that link, Linda, and an important insight on Pearson.
Another excellent reason why religion has no role in American schools. The First Amendment.
Arnold Jackson says
The only reason why people pander to Muslims is because they are scared of Muslims.
Grow a spine, some guts, or balls and stop kowtowing to murderers.
brane pilot says
The greatest legal disaster in US history was the decision by the SCOTUS to install atheism as the official state religion, to the exclusion of all others.
This leaves the door wide open for a single religion to game the system by claiming victim status and ‘diversity’ requirements.
Guess which one?
gravenimage says
There is no official state religion in the United States, brane pilot–that is enshrined in the First Amendment.