A slight pause on American academia’s out-of-control-freight-train rush to submit to Sharia. But the Hamas-linked Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is still flogging this case in court, hoping to use it to destroy the freedom of speech and criminalize criticism of Islam.
“Arizona community college to pay $155K settlement for directing professor to apologize for Islamic terrorism quiz question,” by Katlyn Patton, FIRE, April 13, 2021:
Maricopa County Community College District will pay professor Nicholas Damask $155,000 in exchange for his agreement not to sue district personnel, who last year violated his expressive rights in an attempt to quell criticism of his quiz questions on social media. The district also pledged to strengthen its commitment to academic freedom.
Damask, who teaches political science at Scottsdale Community College, came under fire on social media last May after a student complained that quiz questions in Damask’s world politics course were offensive to the student’s religious beliefs. Damask said the college suggested it would require him to meet with an Islamic religious leader to review the content of his course because a student complained that three of Damask’s quiz questions about Islamic terrorism were “in distaste of Islam.”
In response, the college directed Damask to issue an apology — pre-written for him by a communications staff member — and implied that he would be investigated. The college ultimately backed down after an urgent letter from FIRE.
Now, the district is finally paying for SCC’s unconstitutional knee-jerk reaction to online criticism….
A lawsuit brought by the Council on American-Islamic Relations remains pending in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. (A district court judge dismissed the lawsuit in August for failure to state a claim, and CAIR appealed.)…
BlackSabbath says
Ban islam in Arizona. It is much cheaper than paying jihadi terrorists.
mortimer says
States actually have a constitutional right over religion which comes from the nation’s founding. Only CONGRESS cannot pass a bill limiting religion.
saturnine says
Not any more. For over 150 years courts have gradually been applying the Bill of Rights to states. It’s called Incorporation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incorporation_of_the_Bill_of_Rights
Today, no state can establish a religion or interfere with free exercise of religion. It also means no state can restrict freedom of speech or ban guns.
jim says
Um but Islam is a certifiable CULT and cults are not protected under US law.
Fritz says
In 1952 it became Law and was reaffirmed in 1965 that Islam is not allowed in the U.S. chapter 2 section 212 . We just have politicians with no back bone.
James Lincoln says
Fritz,
It certainly can be interpreted that way…
https://www.unitedpatriotsofamerica.com/islam-in-america/islam-by-law-is-prohibited-from-us-immigration.html
Fred says
James, I should probably have posted further info.on this issue but did not take the time to do so. I like the site you got the info. from and I signed up for weekly mail. Thanks.
gravenimage says
BlackSabbath, this professor who crirticized Islam is *not* a Jihadi terrorist–just the opposite, in fact.
Buraq says
Do you want to find out if the law where you live is decided by the leftist, Shariah mafia? Find out by saying or publishing the following 3 sentences.
1 I am not a Muslim. 2 I will never convert to Islam. 3 I absolutely reject Islam’s teachings
If the sky falls in on you after saying or publishing these three (anti-Shehada) sentences, then Shariah is running the show where you live. Try it. Test the water.
Keith O says
No mention of sanctions against the turd who brought this false complaint in the first place.
The student should, at the very least be expelled for what he has done.
And “Lack of cair” should be dragged through the courts for defamation.
Michael says
Arizona has some really high paid administrators that are dumber than rocks.
Valkyrie Ziege says
; No one owes anything to violent, bronze-age, superstitions.
Ken Johnson says
i’M gladto see a positive court decision. I would be nice to see those three questions that offended the senstivities of this poor girl. I keep wondering when members of the muslim commuinity reach the limits of absurdity. Ken
Giacomo Latta says
”$155,000 in exchange for his agreement not to sue district personnel”
That’s the way to go. Don’t sue the CC; its administrators won’t mind paying out of its budget, but they certainly won’t want to foot the bill themselves.
Agaricus says
Why not start an organisation called “Campaign for American Infidel Rights” (CAIR) – would be amusing to have articles titled “CAIR supports prof’s quiz questions” – which will confuse things mightily !
PRCS says
Interesting that he did not say the questions/answers were wrong, rather that they were “in distaste of Islam”.
Giacomo Latta says
That’s the idea in Islam. Change the subject immediately. Koran? What koran? Islamophobia!
livingengine says
Andrew Harrod interviews Nicholas Damask
https://youtu.be/4wuDb2Z-810?t=308
William Garrison says
Has there been any article revealing what those test questions were?
livingengine says
Search “CAIR and Samuel Paty” @ 5:48
RichardL says
yep, on JW and many other website. DuckDuckGo it. He is a good scholar and it is weird that he is at a CC and uses MCQ
GreekEmpress says
The questions were:
1. Who do Islamic terrorists strive to emulate?
2. Which verses of the Quran are used to encourage terrorism?
3. When is terrorism justified in Islam?
The answers were:
1. Mohammed
2. The Medina verses
3. During (or in the context of) jihad
I followed this case closely, since it happened in my state.
livingengine says
+
DavidR says
Non profit organizations are often just ways to make a lot of money for no meaningful work. So much of the donated money is siphoned off for “personal expenses”, salaries, new BMWs, leather office furniture and $500 lunches that almost nothing is left for the sub chapters to siphon off.
gravenimage says
Arizona community college must pay $155,000 to prof it forced to apologize for criticizing Islam
…………………
This is good–and terribly surprising!