AP Texas News



May 31, 2008, 11:41AM
Parents object to Muslim presentation at school


© 2008 The Associated Press


FRIENDSWOOD, Texas — Parents of some junior high students are upset they weren't notified about a school presentation on Islamic culture, an omission that violated school district policy.

The parents' letter-writing campaign stems from a May 22 presentation at Friendswood Junior High, where two Muslim women gave a 30-minute presentation about Islamic life as part of a yearlong study of respect, tolerance and culture, The Galveston County Daily News reported Saturday.

The guest speakers discussed Muslim culture, including topics such as food, religion, dress, beliefs and famous Muslims.

School district spokeswoman Karolyn Gephart said principal Robin Lowe had "best intentions," but Gephart acknowledged not informing parents beforehand was a mistake.

District policy states parents are to be informed about the purpose and content of presentations so that they can keep their children out if they think the material might be offensive or inappropriate.
Still, Gephart said, "If you pulled a book about Islam from the library, you would find the same stuff in the book. There was no proselytizing."

Kim Leago, whose son is in the eighth grade, said she's still upset he was exposed to the "inappropriate" presentation.

"We can't say 'One nation under God' in school, so I definitely don't think (the presentation) was the right choice," she said. "I'm not a prejudiced person ... but Muslims, from what I know of the faith, don't want to be incorporated with Americans. Look at what's going on in the world right now, with the war and with 9/11."

The exact number of parents who objected or wrote letters wasn't known.

Dr. Ahmed Ahmed, a member of the board of directors for the Galveston Islamic Center, said there's a common misperception that Muslims are somehow un-American. The few Muslims who have tainted the faith as terrorists have helped spread the myth that Islam is violent and extremist.

"Muslims in the U.S. are Americans, not intruders," he said. "They are not invaders; they are not outsiders. We are all Americans, and we are all working toward a better America."

Friendswood is a town of about 35,000 between Houston and Galveston on the Gulf Coast.
Priority: Normal

This is BS , we have seperation of church and state and they think they can bring their culture and shove it on our children ....



http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5811368.html