PREACH

In this case the lesson wasn't a teaching on Islam itself, but on a style of calligraphy. Students were asked to copy a calligraphic representation of a shahada into a blank space (in Arabic, with no context and no translation, it was just some calligraphy they didn't understand). This issue is being mocked because "Christians" are still attacking the teacher and the school even though 1) the exercise was a standard World Studies exercise taken out of a pre-printed workbook by a teacher just following materials she was given and 2) when the school realized what it was they promised future covering of that section would use a non-religious writing. But there are a small minority of big-mouthed crazies that will take any opportunity to scream Christianity is under attack and burn anyone they can at the stake. The school got so many threats from "good people" they had to close for safety reasons. So yes, the ones doing the freaking out are being mocked.

My assumption is that the parents were upset about the religious aspect, not hatred of Islam, but I won't presume to know their minds. I do, however, know a little about the state of our educational system, and multiculturalism has run amok. I do not for one second believe that this was an innocent coincidence on the part of the teacher/school. There are plenty of Arabic words the students could have copied that do not pledge their allegiance to Allah.

They used a pre-printed workbook made available for the curriculum, and this happened to be the exercise in it. Secondly, the same people who do go nuts over this stuff are the ones who also insist everyone must keep and say "under God" in the pledge because we're a Christian nation. Even though we were founded as a Deist nation and "under God" is a recent addition. Also the same who put the ten commandments at courthouses, and insist that Christian citizens be able to disrupt the everyday workings of other citizens because of their beliefs. Seriously, the majority of Christians do not care what the content of that exercise was and don't labor under the delusion that every non-Christian quote or lesson is a recruitment attempt. The parents who were upset were upset because they believe in a double standard, "put Jesus everywhere but hide every trace of those heathen religions." There were probably plenty of spiritual-but-sane parents who shrugged it off.

I would venture to guess that there would be uproar if students were forced to make a pledge converting to Judaism, or Buddhism, or Scientology. Whether the teacher drew up the lesson or the flying spaghetti monster did is of no consequence. Multiculturalism is a problem in America. At least, the pathological need (felt by those on the left) to give preference to every culture but American, is a problem in America.

You're kidding me, right? The push for "multiculturalism" isn't about dilluting down American culture. It's about understanding enough about those who come here to not alienate them and to accept them as Americans. Do you honestly think most of the left gives two shits about making sure everyone knows the pillars of Islam? The idea is that the handful of Murica bros with hard ons for American flag pants that the media loves to hold up as a representation of us all should probably know that the dude in a turban who runs the convenience store is perfectly nice sikh who pays his taxes and not a member of al Qaeda, or that the woman wearing the hijab is a third generation citizen born in Chicago. Was the shahada a bad choice for a secular school? Yes, but it was noticed and rectified and didn't warrant the shitstorm it drew. This was a WORLD STUDIES class, meant to prepare students for the REAL, GLOBAL WORLD. Other cultures were its entire focus.

Then you do not understand the world around you. Learning about, accepting, and assimilating other cultures into our own is fine and actually healthy. The push to actually exclude "white/American" culture, usually because it is said to be insensitive/racist/discriminatory, take your pick of the meme dujour, with preference for ANY other culture is not. As I said, an innocent "calligraphy lesson" should be able to find something besides the Shahada for the students to copy. This was intentionally included, by someone. As to your assertion that it was meant to prepare the students for the "real world"? Many schools will not even teach cursive anymore because it is claimed to be discriminatory. Where in the "real world" are these students going to need to be able to profess their acceptance of and conversion to Islam? What's the next class, how to contact ISIS?

Wait... So its okay that as a Muslim I went to a government non-catholic school and had to learn "our father" but its wrong that you learn to write a short basic prayer?

If you went to a non-church school, no it is not ok. The issue is that this was ABSOLUTELY NOT A SHORT BASIC PRAYER. If you really are a Muslim you are being disingenuous. As I said, I will not pretend to know exactly why those who raised hell did so, I am giving my two cents here. A short BASIC prayer, imo would not have been bad. It is a beautifully written language. My issue is not with Islam, or even with the Shahada, though the students should have been told what they were writing. My problem is with the WHY behind the WHAT.

Naturally I don't know the why's. I do know that yes this prayer is used when you convert, however just reciting it isn't enough to change your religion. There needs to be the intention of becoming Muslim followed by practicing Islam.... In madressa (sort of after school religion classes) I also learnt how to write this kalimah as one of my first writing tasks because its fairly short and easy to recite

I honestly haven't delved deeply enough into this incident to know if the class actually was on religion or if it was just a writing assignment. If religion was the topic, then plenty of other phrases, poems, etc could still have been used instead of this proclamation. If the topic was not religion then this prayer was really inappropriate. I do not know if any of those parents thought that the Muslim mafia would immediately kick down their doors and strap bomb vests on their children because they wrote out the Shahada, but I still say there would have been the same uproar if the students were copying the Catholic catechism. If the teacher really didn't know what it was and was blindly following marching orders, that is inexcusable.

We also had to right bible verses. We were learning about religion, ok? Sorry I'm late.

???

IN class, sixth grade..., We were learning about religion. One religion per week, and we had to get down the basics.

Are you saying you attend this school?

No, I am saying that we have the same curriculum.

So you wrote the Shahada at your school?

Yeah, and we wrote down other things from other religions about what it takes to be " "sworn in" to said religion.

Downvoted for a simple question? Geez!
Anyway, like I said I didn't pay all that close attention to the hoopla, I just knew that it wasn't just simple phrases as some had reported. What wasn't reported was that it was a religion class and other religions' prayers/etc were also part of the curriculum. There's always more to such things when someone starts bitching.

*sigh* Some people just like down voting things they don't understand. Not sure who though...