[TexaninVA]

Look at this video and see what you think ...

Marine Dad Banned From School After Complaining About Islam Assignment | Fox News Insider

Some questions arise ...

- do students get similar assignments for studying Christianity or the Jewish faith?

- is the Father's reaction admirable or the opposite?

(I'm sure some will automatically discount the story due to the source but I haven't seen it mentioned elsewhere )

[MikeV]

School officials have way too much power in my opinion. Let's hope many more parents complain about this problem in our schools. This is not the first time I have seen schools pushing Islamic studies on students.

[billethkid]

Originally Posted by TexaninVA

Look at this video and see what you think ...

Marine Dad Banned From School After Complaining About Islam Assignment | Fox News Insider

Some questions arise ...

- do students get similar assignments for studying Christianity or the Jewish faith?

- is the Father's reaction admirable or the opposite?

(I'm sure some will automatically discount the story due to the source but I haven't seen it mentioned elsewhere )

If the principal said they were studying world history, I would like to tsee the calendar of subjects for the year.

Given the rise in recent years to be against anything with GOD in it on the basis of not catering to religion....then I too would challenge the assignment until I was convinced it was literally part of a world history assignment. Then I would want to understand the context. And it better include the other religions of the day including Christianity and the works of GOD.

If not, then I would support my daughter in refusal to participate. And I would also make a case to the school board just like those who do so against Christianity on public property.

I give the benefit of the doubt to the soldier and his daughter long before a school adminstrator.

[blueash]

I can't believe that anyone would think that threatening a school is ever ok. This is a world history course, world history. It is not a religion course. How can anyone understand world history especially as it relates to the middle east without mentioning the overwhelmingly major religion in that part of the world? Here is a more complete report including the threats this Iraq traumatized Marine directed at the school

La Plata High School in Charles County, Maryland has issued a No Trespass order after parent Kevin Wood — a former U.S. Marine — called the school and threatened to disrupt classes if his daughter’s world history class continued to study the religion and its impact on human history.

Wood reportedly telephoned Vice Principal Shannon Morris last Thursday enraged over a homework assignment which dealt with the formation of Middle Eastern empires centuries ago. History teacher Katie O’Malley Simpson said that the history curriculum has never been considered controversial in the past.

“The assignment has been given for years,” O’Malley-Simpson said.

La Plata High School Principal Evelyn Arnold issued a No Trespass order against Wood after hearing about the contentious call, in which Wood promised to come to the school and disrupt classes if Islam was mentioned any further.

O’Malley-Simpson called the decision to ban Wood from campus “unusual,” saying, “We don’t file no trespassing charges lightly. We would only do that when we feel someone has threatened the safety of staff and students.”

According to Maryland Gazette.net, O’Malley-Simpson said, “We have a lot of students, and safety comes first. We don’t allow disruptions at the schools, especially if we’re forewarned of them.”

Charles County School District Superintendent Kimberly Hill met with Wood and his wife to discuss their concerns on Monday. The couple reportedly asked the school to excuse their daughter from world history class for the duration of the segment studying Islam.

After the meeting, Wood told reporters that his daughter, a junior at La Plata High, should not be forced to study a faith that she “does not believe in.”

“I told her straight up ‘you could take that Muslim-loving piece of paper and shove it up your white [expletive],” Wood said on Monday. “If [students] can’t practice Christianity in school, they should not be allowed to practice Islam in school.”

Wood told Superintendent Morris that the school is violating his daughter’s “constitutional rights” and threatened to “bring down a ****-storm on them like they’ve never seen.”

Melissa Wood, however, assured reporters that her husband wasn’t really threatening the school and that officials are twisting his words and overreacting.

“Nowhere did he ever threaten,” she insisted. “And this is where it’s gotten totally blown out of proportion.”

O’Malley-Simpson said that some classes may offer an alternate assignment for students whose parents complain over subject matter, but not world history.

“It’s part of the curriculum,” she said, “and it’s part of the standards you’re supposed to learn.”

“This is a world history class,” she explained. “We are not teaching religion. Part of those world history studies involves the economics of a region and part of that is the religion which relates to the economy of that part of the world. In the Middle East, Islam is the only religion and it contributes greatly to the economics of the region.”

“Religion is a big part of world history,” she said.

Charles County Board of Education member Jennifer Abell posted a statement on Facebook explaining that some people are spreading “misinformation” about the No Trespass order.

“The particular unit in question at La Plata High School is on the formation of Middle Eastern empires in which students learned the basic concepts of the Islamic faith and how it, along with politics, culture, economics and geography, contributed to the development of the Middle East,” Abell wrote.

She went on, “There is also misinformation about why the school issued a No Trespass Order on a parent. This parent threatened to cause problems that would potentially disrupt La Plata High School this morning. To ensure the safety of students and staff at the school, the school administration placed a No Trespass Order on this parent.”

"Charles County Public Schools issued a letter to parents explaining their stance:

"Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) social studies curriculum adheres to the Maryland World History curricular standards that are a requirement for all counties in the state. These standards include an analysis of the elements of culture such as art, music, religion, government, social structure, education, beliefs and customs in societies throughout history. Regarding the study of history specifically, the standards also state that students should be able to analyze the customs and beliefs of world religions and their expansion, as well as how their establishment has impacted other areas of culture, and in certain times and regions, even caused conflict.

"The particular unit in question at La Plata High School is on the formation of Middle Eastern empires in which students learned the basic concepts of the Islamic faith and how it, along with politics, culture, economics and geography, contributed to the development of the Middle East. Other religions are introduced when they influence or impact a particular historical era or geographic region. For example, when reviewing the Renaissance and Reformation, students study the concepts and role of Christianity. When learning about the development of China and India, students examine Hinduism and Buddhism."



So, sorry to say, yes I do question your source as it is incomplete to the point of missing the entire reason for the parent being banned. He was not banned for complaining but for threatening the school. If anyone thinks that learning about Islam is not central to world history, then the same would have to said about understanding European history without understanding Cristianity, understanding Gandhi without understanding Hinduism, understanding the Holocaust without knowing about Judaism. Learning about Islam might have made our leaders understand the futility of intervention in the centuries long slaughter of Shiite on Sunni and vice versa. Keep your faith preaching and your God words out of the school, but open the doors widely to understanding the basic features or tenets of those of historical import.

[DruannB]

I'm teaching a college course next semester called "Classics of Good and Evil." We are looking at different cultures around the world through literature and examining how we all look at things differently, based on our own cultural beliefs. We will be discussing the Koran (among many other works), and reading pieces that both support and criticize it. How can we really educate students if they are not exposed to all sides of the story?

[Sophie11]

My children were not taught this….WHY now?

[redwitch]

I could see asking for a different subject regarding Islam, maybe the difference between ****e and Sunni since the Five Pillars really are more towards the religion even though of historic value. But to demand no teaching of Muslims and their faith is idiotic. How do students learn if a subject is closed to them?

However, to threaten disruption of classes and to curse a school official is absolutely inexcusable. Sorry, but I totally agree this father needs to be prevented from going near the school. He was not protecting his daughter, he was attempting to force his views on his daughter, the other students, the State of Maryland.

[Sandtrap328]

Once again, the vulpine does not report accurately or completely but what they think will go over best with the extreme (uninformed) viewers.

The former Marine sounds as though he has PTSD and should not be let near the school. Personally, I think the Chuck County police should make sure he has no guns as he sounds like one who might shoot up the school.

Didn't any posters here ever study about the religions of an area when studying history? I know I did and my daughter also did.

[Sophie11]

The children do have to learn history not a religion that is not their own.
My daughter was in college and the professor of one of here classes said he did not want to hear anything about any of their religions. They had to do a final paper on the class and the professor said if anyone could prove to him there is a GOD they would pass his class with 150% - She had wrote 3 pages but what stood out the most was - if we came from monkeys then why are there still monkeys?

[blueash]

Originally Posted by Sophie11

My children were not taught this….WHY now?

So they are educated.

[blueash]

Originally Posted by Sophie11

The children do have to learn history not a religion that is not their own.
My daughter was in college and the professor of one of here classes said he did not want to hear anything about any of their religions. They had to do a final paper on the class and the professor said if anyone could prove to him there is a GOD they would pass his class with 150% - She had wrote 3 pages but what stood out the most was - if we came from monkeys then why are there still monkeys?

Which shows a complete total ignorance of evolution, genetics, science and everything which a college education should be providing. Unless I completely misunderstand your posting. Perhaps you were pointing out that three pages for a final paper was likely inadequate. And that her teacher really ought to know that that it is impossible to prove the existence of any sects god. Not yours, not Thor, not Apollo, not Jupiter, not the flying spaghetti monster. Somehow I think the professor was trying to get the students not to sprinkle their personal fairy dust on the assignment and stick to the subject of the class that had been taught.

[Sandtrap328]

Originally Posted by blueash

Which shows a complete total ignorance of evolution, genetics, science and everything which a college education should be providing. Unless I completely misunderstand your posting. Perhaps you were pointing out that three pages for a final paper was likely inadequate. And that her teacher really ought to know that that it is impossible to prove the existence of any sects god. Not yours, not Thor, not Apollo, not Jupiter, not the flying spaghetti monster. Somehow I think the professor was trying to get the students not to sprinkle their personal fairy dust on the assignment and stick to the subject of the class that had been taught.

Excellent post!

[KeepingItReal]

Originally Posted by blueash

Which shows a complete total ignorance of evolution, genetics, science and everything which a college education should be providing. Unless I completely misunderstand your posting. Perhaps you were pointing out that three pages for a final paper was likely inadequate. And that her teacher really ought to know that that it is impossible to prove the existence of any sects god. Not yours, not Thor, not Apollo, not Jupiter, not the flying spaghetti monster. Somehow I think the professor was trying to get the students not to sprinkle their personal fairy dust on the assignment and stick to the subject of the class that had been taught.

Proof of God's love and existence is within each person's heart. We don't need science or men taught of men to explain our faith. Yes there are many unanswered questions for even us but we were not promised an explanation nor deserve one for the many mysteries that still remain though men continue to make feeble attempts to explain them.. No doubt the earth existed in some form for millions of years but God created our earth as it is now when it pleased him so that we might live and breathe. If you have received God's gift of forgiveness and have a personal experience and salvation you know he is real for you are now a witness for him. The saved cannot convince anyone to believe but many a harden heart has been broken down by God by the preaching of his gospel. God can destroy and break the brittle thread of life at anytime and each moment we live is because of his mercy. When there is no where else to turn maybe the non believers will end their quest to disprove the existence of a Savior to all those that believe. The wisdom of man is foolishness in the sight of God.

The PHDs and college educated struggle to explain why they believe in evolution, but they insist God is not, why so much faith in evolution but not in God, take a watch..

Evolution -vs- GOD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0u3-2CGOMQ#t=61

[Indydealmaker]

Originally Posted by Sandtrap328

Once again, the vulpine does not report accurately or completely but what they think will go over best with the extreme (uninformed) viewers.

The former Marine sounds as though he has PTSD and should not be let near the school. Personally, I think the Chuck County police should make sure he has no guns as he sounds like one who might shoot up the school.

Didn't any posters here ever study about the religions of an area when studying history? I know I did and my daughter also did.

I don't have PTSD and my reaction would be the same. From other textbooks I have seen, these schools are not teaching basic facts about Islam, they are promoting it. They also do not discuss the current global violence caused by extremists.

From the transcripts, the school was not truly threatened nor was the administrator.

[KeepingItReal]

Originally Posted by Indydealmaker

I don't have PTSD and my reaction would be the same. From other textbooks I have seen, these schools are not teaching basic facts about Islam, they are promoting it. They also do not discuss the current global violence caused by extremists.

From the transcripts, the school was not truly threatened nor was the administrator.

I agree....