All schools shut down in Augusta County, Virginia, over Islam homework

[terry78]

As Reality from South Park says ,the world isn't one giant liberal arts campus. Someone will always be ********.

 

[Breogan]

That's why we don't have kids write "There is no god but so and so" in a public school.

 

[jmc]

This country is an embarrassment to the world sometimes.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

From what I hear about the assignment itself, I do not like or approve of it, but shutting down the entire school system for a whole day? What the hell for?

It's calligraphy.
If ones heart is not in it, the text is nothing more than a graph, writing it does not equate to publicly saying it with belief.

ok maybe its just a uk thing but why the hell is geography teaching about religion. we never did that. we learned about countries, and geology etc

Social anthropology and world economy rolled into geography studies for us.

 

[Teelie]

In the lower grades they were much more generalized with the classes encompassing a wider area of material. Geography, sociology, history were all kind of mushed together because we were like 10 and there wasn't time or room to have everything in a seperate class at that age. It wasn't until the higher grades that classes started getting more specific than general studies.

 

[Pink Ranger]

It's calligraphy.
If ones heart is not in it, the text is nothing more than a graph, writing it does not equate to publicly saying it with belief.

I would never stop anybody from believing anything they want to believe (except Patriots fans, who can go **** themselves) but that text is clearly religious in nature, and has no place in a non-sectarian school. I would be equally against kids instructed in writing "Jesus Is Lord" over and over again to practice their cursive.

That stated, the teacher was only going by what was wrong-headedly put in the curriculum, and all the legions of bigots who have been threatening her and the school and caused a system shut down should all be rounded up and thrown in Gitmo and hosed down in pig's blood (pig's blood isn't forbidden in their religion, but just for entertainment purposes).

 

[Breogan]

I would never stop anybody from believing anything they want to believe ....but that text is clearly religious in nature, and has no place in a non-sectarian school. I would be equally against kids instructed in writing "Jesus Is Lord" over and over again to practice their cursive.

Agreed.

That stated, the teacher was only going by what was wrong-headedly put in the curriculum, and all the legions of bigots who have been threatening her and the school and caused a system shut down should all be rounded up and thrown in Gitmo and hosed down in pig's blood (pig's blood isn't forbidden in their religion, but just for entertainment purposes).

Except you (and others in this thread) just made up that's what happened and projected that on to these people.

"While there has been no specific threat of harm to students, schools and school offices will be closed Friday,..."

The bigotry goes both ways.

 

[Marvolo]

LOL @ religion.

If kids had been asked to write - "There is no god but Jesus" there'd have been complaints too.
Just the majority complaining would have mostly been ignored, accused of warring on christianity, and had to have crawled through some elaborate political process, to affect the change in the homework assignment.
While here a MAJORITY was able to shut it down quick.

In the end the assignment needs to be changed, and made a non religious text.

Like we love everyone, or one happy world, in all calligraphy of the world, then those still crying about it can go sulk.

No it doesn't need to be changed. Religion is a part of geopolitics and social studies. Religion is part of a region, it's culture, and it's people. The school was trying to inform the students about the second largest faith in the world. It should be required for kids to be acquainted with a religion thats had a massive impact on history, the world, and this country. We can't ignore religion and act like it doesn't exist just because some sensitive ignorant adults are afraid of a boogeyman.

The school needs to tell the parents to grow up. If they don't like it they can stick their kids in private schools or home schools. Public education shouldn't compromise and cave to the ignorant masses.

 

[Breogan]

They can and should be able to teach about religion, muslims and calligraphy without having kids write “There is no god but Allah..."
The same way they can teach kids about Christianity, and about Latin for eg. without having kids write "There is no god but Jesus" as an assignment.
Or about Atheists, and then having kids practice cursive by writing "there is no god"
As Christian/Jewish/Muslim kids might feel odd (or as religious people, like they are betraying their faith) writing those.
Never mind the insane parents.
It's not up to the teacher to drag these kids into the schism. Just leave it out!
And pick another non god specific invoking frase.

Like: Peace be upon you

Or a million other options.

And yes closing the school with NO threats made was a ridiculous overreaction.

 

[Thundercrack85]

I agree this is a gross overreaction, but picking the shahada... the teacher really should have thought that through.

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

Well most Islamic calligraphy has to do with Quranic text. This was really a very plain callligraphy. Here's a real cool one:

 

[Pink Ranger]

Well most Islamic calligraphy has to do with Quranic text. This was really a very plain callligraphy. Here's a real cool one:

Oooh, I think I know that one. The rough English translation goes like this:

Rising up, back on the street. Did my time, took my chances.
Went the distance, now I'm back on my feet.
Just a man and his will to survive.

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

Oooh, I think I know that one. The rough English translation goes like this:

Rising up, back on the street. Did my time, took my chances.
Went the distance, now I'm back on my feet.
Just a man and his will to survive.

Amen t:

 

[DarkSovereignty]

"Neither of these lessons, nor any other lessons in the world geography course, are an attempt at indoctrination to Islam or any other religion or a request for students to renounce their own faith or profess any belief,"

That's right sir, we only indoctrinate our kids into Christianity in this country.