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Mandatory Course on Islam
While this is playing out all the way across the country in California...I'm interested in hearing what you think...
In California, a federal court approved the public schools' requirement that a course in Islam be taught to 7th-graders. The course included giving the students Muslim names, having them recite Muslim prayers and passages from the Koran, wear Arab clothing, and write a "positive" essay about Islamic culture. Parents lost their case and the Supreme Court refused to hear their appeal.
Read more HERE.
2 comments:
On the one hand I think that exposure to the cultures and religions of the world would be a great educational experience especially in preparation for dealing with the world beyond our own backyard.
On the other, perhaps this is the sort of development that will lead Americans to realize that religion does not belong in our schools whatsoever. Maybe the Christian majority when faced with sharing the stage with Islam and other religions, will realize a secular educational system is best.
I don't think students should be required to "act Muslim" in order to learn about a culture, or to "act Christian", for that matter. I thought the Social Studies textbook my daughter used here in Charles County for 7th grade (maybe it was 6th) was perfectly appropriate for introducing students to cultures and religions around the world.
Public schools should keep theology out of the curriculum. However, I don't think they can keep theology out of the students.
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