Widescreen
2/23/2007, 01:17 PM
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/16757500.htm
Glenside school sued over forbidding Jesus costume
PHILADELPHIA - A 10-year-old boy who said he was not allowed to wear a Jesus costume during his school's Halloween activities sued the district, alleging that his religious and free-speech rights were violated.
The complaint, filed in federal court Tuesday, says officials at Willow Hill Elementary School in Glenside told the boy Oct. 31 that he could not wear his faux crown of thorns or tell others he was dressed as Jesus.
The principal, Patricia Whitmire, told the boy's mother that the costume violated a policy prohibiting the promotion of religion, according to the lawsuit. Whitmire suggested that the fourth-grader, whose costume also included a robe, identify himself as a Roman emperor, the suit states.
While the boy's costume was rejected because of its religious nature, the principal allowed other students to dress up as witches and devils, according to the lawsuit.
Whitmire and the Abington School District, in suburban Philadelphia, are named as defendants. District attorney Ken Roos, who had not yet seen the suit Wednesday, said Abington officials "feel like we've been a little bit ambushed here."
The boy, who is not identified because of his age, and his mother are Christians who object to the pagan elements of Halloween. At the same time, the suit states, the boy's mother did not want him isolated for refusing to wear a costume.
Willow Hill officials required students to wear a costume on Halloween to participate in a parade and party; those who did not were sent to the computer room, the suit says.
The suit was filed on behalf of the boy and his mother by the Alliance Defense Fund, a Christian legal group based in Scottsdale, Ariz.
The boy no longer attends Willow Hill.
I can make an argument for not letting him wear a crown of thorns (fake or not) but not letting him tell anyone he was dressed as Jesus is ridiculous. And suggesting he tell people he's a Roman emperor is even more so.
http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,253824,00.html
Teen's Dad Says 'Anti-Muslim' Literature Handed Out in Class Isn't Freedom of Speech
Friday , February 23, 2007
By Liza Porteus
The father of a North Carolina ninth grader who was given "anti-Muslim" literature in class says the material handed out is not an issue of free speech, but of slander and defamation.
"First of all, it slanders, things like, Mohammed is a 'criminal,' is 'demon possessed' ... that just made my blood boil," said Triaq Butte, whose daughter, Saira, participated in a ninth grade orientation seminar at Enloe High School in Wake County, N.C., where the material was distributed.
Butte is a non-practicing Muslim; he said his wife is Christian and his children are taught to accept and respect all religions.
"So for a person like me to feel like that — I've never been to a mosque — to feel like that … for me to feel such hideous attacks, they were not just pointing out failures or weaknesses in Islam or Muslims, they were just attacking."
A representative from the Kamil International Ministries Organization, a Christian group based in Raleigh, was invited by a teacher to come and speak to the class. He handed out literature that compared the teachings of Jesus with accusations against the Prophet Muhammad.
Among the materials handed out was a pamphlet called "Jesus not Muhammad," as well as one entitled, "Do Not Marry a Muslim Man." The latter pamphlet compares parts of the Koran with those of the Bible, such as:
— "Husband, beat your wives and deny them sex." (The book of Islam, Koran 4:34)
— "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself for her." (The Holy Bible, Ephesians 5:25)
It warns women not to be lured into marrying a Muslim, even for his "dark good looks, education, financial means, and the interest he shows in you."
"You may be excited that you found the 'tall, dark, and handsome man' you have been looking for. His sweet words and attention may blind you regarding the power, importance, and influence of his culture and Islamic faith," the pamphlet says. "Because in the United States, we have freedom of religion, he may agree that you can remain a Christian and you may think there will be no problem with such a marriage. But do not be fooled and become a victim of his religion, Islam, which has very oppressive rules regarding women's status and rights. Such marriages will never be out of trouble."
Butte said he tried talking to the school principal and the teacher, but so far, has not received much of a response beyond "diversity of opinion" and "freedom of speech" reasoning.
"I pointed out to [the teacher] there's a limitation … to free speech," Butte said. "For example, you can't have the KKK come to the school distributing their literature."
Butte said the school's principal, Beth Cochran, told him, "we encourage the exchange of ideas and although what …[was] passed out was inappropriate, we welcome anyone from the Muslim community to come and talk to the students."
"In my view, I think they need to recognize that this is not just free speech and diversity of opinion, which I totally respect," Butt said. He continued: "[I] have no problem with anyone talking about Islam and its weaknesses, and I'm prepared to do that myself — what I don't like about it — but to slander Islam is unacceptable."
The Council on American-Islamic Relations wrote to superintendent of the Wake County Public School System, asking for an apology to the students, disciplinary action against the teacher, a review of policies regarding what outside speakers are allowed to say in class, and more diversity training.
"It is unconscionable for a teacher at any public school to abuse his or her position of trust by forcing such hate-filled, inaccurate and intolerant materials on students," CAIR Legal Director Arsalan Iftikhar wrote in the letter.
"One can only imagine what a Muslim student in the class might have experienced and how students of other faiths will now regard their Muslim classmates."
CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper told FOXNews.com on Thursday that the group had not received a formal response. Cochran, the school's principal, did not return calls for comment
At the very least, Hooper said, someone from the Muslim community should have been invited to come to school to give the Muslim perspective on the same day as the Kamil representative.
"At least that would have been something, but to just bring in this person, presented by an authority person like a teacher, 'here's someone who's going to teach you Islam' ...
"If he was going to stage a public forum and denounce Islam, that's fine," Hooper said. "[But] this was a captive audience with captive minds who were offered no rebuttal to this type of bigotry."
Kamil Solomon of the Kamil International Ministries Organization declined to be formally interviewed.
The school should not have brought the Christian minister in without vetting what he was going to say unless they were also going to bring in a Muslim. I would've been cool with it if they had said "come to the cafeteria after school to hear this guy". But this shouldn't have happened in the classroom. I agree with the guy's "captive audience" point.
Glenside school sued over forbidding Jesus costume
PHILADELPHIA - A 10-year-old boy who said he was not allowed to wear a Jesus costume during his school's Halloween activities sued the district, alleging that his religious and free-speech rights were violated.
The complaint, filed in federal court Tuesday, says officials at Willow Hill Elementary School in Glenside told the boy Oct. 31 that he could not wear his faux crown of thorns or tell others he was dressed as Jesus.
The principal, Patricia Whitmire, told the boy's mother that the costume violated a policy prohibiting the promotion of religion, according to the lawsuit. Whitmire suggested that the fourth-grader, whose costume also included a robe, identify himself as a Roman emperor, the suit states.
While the boy's costume was rejected because of its religious nature, the principal allowed other students to dress up as witches and devils, according to the lawsuit.
Whitmire and the Abington School District, in suburban Philadelphia, are named as defendants. District attorney Ken Roos, who had not yet seen the suit Wednesday, said Abington officials "feel like we've been a little bit ambushed here."
The boy, who is not identified because of his age, and his mother are Christians who object to the pagan elements of Halloween. At the same time, the suit states, the boy's mother did not want him isolated for refusing to wear a costume.
Willow Hill officials required students to wear a costume on Halloween to participate in a parade and party; those who did not were sent to the computer room, the suit says.
The suit was filed on behalf of the boy and his mother by the Alliance Defense Fund, a Christian legal group based in Scottsdale, Ariz.
The boy no longer attends Willow Hill.
I can make an argument for not letting him wear a crown of thorns (fake or not) but not letting him tell anyone he was dressed as Jesus is ridiculous. And suggesting he tell people he's a Roman emperor is even more so.
http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,253824,00.html
Teen's Dad Says 'Anti-Muslim' Literature Handed Out in Class Isn't Freedom of Speech
Friday , February 23, 2007
By Liza Porteus
The father of a North Carolina ninth grader who was given "anti-Muslim" literature in class says the material handed out is not an issue of free speech, but of slander and defamation.
"First of all, it slanders, things like, Mohammed is a 'criminal,' is 'demon possessed' ... that just made my blood boil," said Triaq Butte, whose daughter, Saira, participated in a ninth grade orientation seminar at Enloe High School in Wake County, N.C., where the material was distributed.
Butte is a non-practicing Muslim; he said his wife is Christian and his children are taught to accept and respect all religions.
"So for a person like me to feel like that — I've never been to a mosque — to feel like that … for me to feel such hideous attacks, they were not just pointing out failures or weaknesses in Islam or Muslims, they were just attacking."
A representative from the Kamil International Ministries Organization, a Christian group based in Raleigh, was invited by a teacher to come and speak to the class. He handed out literature that compared the teachings of Jesus with accusations against the Prophet Muhammad.
Among the materials handed out was a pamphlet called "Jesus not Muhammad," as well as one entitled, "Do Not Marry a Muslim Man." The latter pamphlet compares parts of the Koran with those of the Bible, such as:
— "Husband, beat your wives and deny them sex." (The book of Islam, Koran 4:34)
— "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself for her." (The Holy Bible, Ephesians 5:25)
It warns women not to be lured into marrying a Muslim, even for his "dark good looks, education, financial means, and the interest he shows in you."
"You may be excited that you found the 'tall, dark, and handsome man' you have been looking for. His sweet words and attention may blind you regarding the power, importance, and influence of his culture and Islamic faith," the pamphlet says. "Because in the United States, we have freedom of religion, he may agree that you can remain a Christian and you may think there will be no problem with such a marriage. But do not be fooled and become a victim of his religion, Islam, which has very oppressive rules regarding women's status and rights. Such marriages will never be out of trouble."
Butte said he tried talking to the school principal and the teacher, but so far, has not received much of a response beyond "diversity of opinion" and "freedom of speech" reasoning.
"I pointed out to [the teacher] there's a limitation … to free speech," Butte said. "For example, you can't have the KKK come to the school distributing their literature."
Butte said the school's principal, Beth Cochran, told him, "we encourage the exchange of ideas and although what …[was] passed out was inappropriate, we welcome anyone from the Muslim community to come and talk to the students."
"In my view, I think they need to recognize that this is not just free speech and diversity of opinion, which I totally respect," Butt said. He continued: "[I] have no problem with anyone talking about Islam and its weaknesses, and I'm prepared to do that myself — what I don't like about it — but to slander Islam is unacceptable."
The Council on American-Islamic Relations wrote to superintendent of the Wake County Public School System, asking for an apology to the students, disciplinary action against the teacher, a review of policies regarding what outside speakers are allowed to say in class, and more diversity training.
"It is unconscionable for a teacher at any public school to abuse his or her position of trust by forcing such hate-filled, inaccurate and intolerant materials on students," CAIR Legal Director Arsalan Iftikhar wrote in the letter.
"One can only imagine what a Muslim student in the class might have experienced and how students of other faiths will now regard their Muslim classmates."
CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper told FOXNews.com on Thursday that the group had not received a formal response. Cochran, the school's principal, did not return calls for comment
At the very least, Hooper said, someone from the Muslim community should have been invited to come to school to give the Muslim perspective on the same day as the Kamil representative.
"At least that would have been something, but to just bring in this person, presented by an authority person like a teacher, 'here's someone who's going to teach you Islam' ...
"If he was going to stage a public forum and denounce Islam, that's fine," Hooper said. "[But] this was a captive audience with captive minds who were offered no rebuttal to this type of bigotry."
Kamil Solomon of the Kamil International Ministries Organization declined to be formally interviewed.
The school should not have brought the Christian minister in without vetting what he was going to say unless they were also going to bring in a Muslim. I would've been cool with it if they had said "come to the cafeteria after school to hear this guy". But this shouldn't have happened in the classroom. I agree with the guy's "captive audience" point.