Islamic Presenation causes Contreversy in Houston Area Junior High

To be fair DD, a lot of the bull**** dubious is referring to is coming from parents who, like you, want to imprint their own understanding on such delicate topics as religion. It goes both ways.

 

Do you decide if your kids learn about Slavery, the Mormon's place in Utah history, the Inquisition, the Puritan persecution that led to the colonization of the New World, etc etc.

Religion is inseparable form human history, from geography, from science (Galileo?) It is part of the world around us that children need to understand.

Besides, I was exposed to Christianity every day of my 12 years of schooling and I still made up my own mind about it.

 

Without seeing the presentation for ourselves, it's hard to say whether it was preaching or educational. That said, it was an actual religious group that gave the presentation and that to me is over the line. If they wanted to have an option, EXTRA-CURRICULAR activity where they allowed multiple religious groups to come and do something, then I'd be fine with it.

But having an established religious group come in DURING SCHOOL TIME to present their religion to students on a mandatory basis is wrong.

Oh, and don't try to pull the wool over my eyes with the "they weren't advocating their religion just presenting the facts" mumbo jumbo. I've worked with missionaries and know plenty personally. I know all about the "just educating people and letting the chips fall where they may" mantra.

 

I understand the concern, and I'm with you. I'm really torn on it, too. It all depends on the context and what specifically they were sharing. But I don't have a problem with straight information sharing. I call that teaching...I'm assuming that if my kids' teacher is Muslim, she/he is going to present Islam to them in school with some bias....as a Republican might present Ronald Reagan's term with some bias in a history class. I think as long as we're human, that's unavoidable on some level. But you're right...I don't want people preaching. The line is very shady, frankly.

 

As a historical fact, I think we all agree it can be taught in class.

 

Rhad,

They are MY kids......it is MY choice.....not yours, not some principal, not some bogus religious leaders....MINE !!

I am responsible for raising them and teaching them right from wrong, they get exposed to religions, and we discuss them......

The point is that the parents are responsible, and they should have had a say in this matter.

This is very poor judgement by the shool and administration....

I mean did they mention that other people find Islam full of contradictions?

DD

 

How about as present fact? I don't know how you could teach sociology without teaching religion.

 

Then your kids need to be in a private school. The choice isn't yours and yours alone what gets presented to your kids. If you allowed that choice to Biblical literalists you'd have them demanding that evolution not be taught...and they'd be at odds with atheists who demand creationism not be taught. So we could all not teach our kids anything at all so as not to offend someone.

 

When I said historical, I didn't mean to imply only the past things. I meant "fact." If they want to teach about Islamic cultural differences, much like they teach about Chinese cultural differences, etc. then fine, go for it in school with approved education materials.

This was not that. With all the hubub that's been made about students leading prayer in school and teaching creation as an alternate theory and all this stuff, I wouldn't think this would get much traction.

Again, if it were Mormons teaching about the tenets of their faith, educating your children on why they believe in polygamy and marrying off their daughters at 12 and 13 to make babies and such, what would the reaction be then? Maybe we could send the National Guard to the school in tanks to arrest them before they corrupted the childrens

 

I was just taking issue with your idea of "gauging the factualness". That's just a nice way to say "censor". As a parent it's your perogative to shield or censor or whatever as you see fit (different debate). I agree it is not the school's perogative per say. As max pointed out, some bias is inherent.

Let's just say that your kids will be exposed to alternate viewpoints in school - but that does not mean that special interest groups should have a free pass to give informational seminars stating that the "world is flat".

 

Max, you are 100% wrong, there is a seperation of church and state, and religion being taught in a historical context is fine by me.

Having a group come in and basically PREACH to my kids about their particular religion is NOT ok...not now...NOT EVER !!!!

School should be about Math, reading, writing, history, sociology, science....you know...FACTUAL things......

Not some mythos created by man because we want to feel all warm and fuzzy about death.

DD

 

I'm in agreement with you that they shouldn't be preaching.

 

But that is the problem, they are preaching.

If this was a teacher or someone else giving a completely factual presentation, I don't think anyone would have an issue, but this was a religious group (WITH AN AGENDA) giving their biased presentation.

Not cool.

DD

 

Do you think you could give an unbiased presentation on Islam?

 

Did you have a look at the PowerPoint presentation provided in the link to the story? It looks to me like it is simply presenting facts about the Muslim faith. I think it would be extremely beneficial to have presentations (limited to the recognized major religions - Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Muslim and Judaism) as to the factuality of each religion. Don't preach. Just present the facts.

 

You might be shocked by the answer, but yes if given the task of doing it. However I would stick completely to the facts and that alone might be considered biased by Muslims.

For instance if discussing Jesus, I would say "Christians believe Jesus rose from the dead - but there is no proof that this ever happened"

Now to me, that is fact, but to someone else that might be considered biased....

DD

 

Be sure to add an informative chapter on Secular Humanism!

(and Scientology for comic relief)

 

And the church of the flying spaghetti monster for those who believe in good pasta.

 

Did the parents get to look at that presentation BEFORE it was done at the school?

If they looked it over, and approved it, or were given the option of having their children attend or not, that would be ok by me.

Probably they should have had this as a voluntary assembly after school.

DD

 

That wouldn't really be the parents job. It would be more for the school administration and school board.

(Don't know if they saw it)