On June 1, a California husband and wife filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court asking it to review a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. In Eklund v. Byron Union School District, a Ninth Circuit panel upheld a federal district court’s rejection of two families’ claim that their children’s school violated the Establishment Clause when it taught them how to “become Muslims.” In a short unpublished opinion, the three-judge panel affirmed the lower court’s ruling. Later, the entire Ninth Circuit declined to rehear the case.Interesting.
In 2001, Excelsior Middle School in Byron, 40 miles east of San Francisco, advised a classroom of twelve-year olds that, “[for the next three weeks], you and your classmates will become Muslims.” Thereafter, the students memorized portions of the Koran, chose Islamic names, wore tags bearing their new Islamic names alongside the Star and Crescent Moon—the symbol of Muslims, completed the Five Pillars of Faith, and recited Muslim prayers.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
News
From an opinion column by William Perry Pendley:
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Hmmm....let's think about the big issues confronting American society---the war in Iraq, Iran & nuclear weapons, burgeoning budget deficits as baby boomers begin retiring, immigration reform....
Remind me about why I should care about an elementary school in California? It sounds like the teacher's lesson plan is well-intentioned but also overzealous and a tad silly.
I don't know, I kind of think that cases with a chance of going before the Supreme Court to help set precedent on our legal understanding of the establishment clause and the separation of church and state might be kind of important.
Besides, no of any note has said anything particular new or interesting about the war in Iraq, Iran, the budget deficits, immigration reform, or anything else that our politicians spend all their time right now posturing about so they can be elected or reelected.
Today, children, we are going to start looking at the Aztecs and their worship of Huitzilopochtli. Get ready for three weeks of war, human sacrifice and cannibalism. Next month will be our segment on the Nazis and the Holocaust.
Your are Nice. And so is your site! Maybe you need some more pictures. Will return in the near future.
»
Post a Comment