Imagine a California public high school took students to an evangelical church as part of something called its “Social Justice Pathway.”
Imagine the girls were encouraged to put on Christian religious attire. Imagine every student was handed a Bible to take home. Imagine they watched a worship service, interacted with kids memorizing Bible verses and heard Christianity presented as particularly compatible with social justice.
How many minutes before the ACLU’s phones melted?
That’s essentially the question lurking behind a federal lawsuit against Palo Alto Unified School District and Palo Alto High School Principal Brent Kline — except the house of worship was a mosque and the religion was Islam.
This isn’t a lawsuit brought by Christians demanding Christianity be put into the classroom. The plaintiffs’ argument is that public schools shouldn’t be promoting any religion.
The parents allege students were provided Muslim religious attire and encouraged to wear it, including hijabs for female students. Students were given Qurans to take home, observed Dhuhr prayer, discussed worship and interacted with participants in the Noor Hifz Academy, a youth program where Islamic students memorize the Quran. The complaint further alleges that students were taught that Islam in particular promotes social justice.
Imagine if some parents weren't so ready to take offence and actually stopped for a minute to understand what professional teachers are trying to accomplish (expanding the minds of children and promoting cultural understanding). My daughter's class was encouraged to dress up in ancient Greek clothing and given childrens' copies of The Odyssey to take home. We survived 🤷♀
@SumKindaMunster I used the same tone of language used in the original post to challenge what I consider to be an incorrect assumption and express my own point of view. The OP, instead of engaging in debate, then posted a cartoon which I felt was irrelevant to a post about a school curriculum (if it is not irrelevant, explain why). I replied in the hope of provoking an actual response to my post. If you disagree with anything I say pick me up on specific issues and explain why rather than directing personal criticisms against me.
Public school districts are strictly prohibited from aiding one religion over another, or favoring religion over non-religion under the historic "Lemon test" (Lemon v. Kurtzman).
That is actually the school district I was educated in growing up. I honestly don’t see a problem with that. Exposure to other cultures and religions are something positive. No one was trying indoctrinate anyone or anything.
@Quimliqer as I said, that’s where I grew up. You need to understand the place. My guess is that there were a very small number of loud parents complaining. It’s a very progressive city.
