Sunday, April 19, 2015

Celebrate Islam Day Canceled at Ohio School

Administrators at Mason High School in suburban Cincinnati, Ohio collaborated with the Muslim Student Association to create The Covered Girl Challenge — a day when all girls would wear a hijab like Muslim women.  However when the school's announcement was publicized, parents and other taxpayers educated the school on the First Amendment, causing Principal Mindy McCarty-Stewart to cancel the event.
“I do not recall ever getting an email announcing a Christian Cross Wearing day or a booth for information about the Christian persecution from Islamic terrorists. What happen to the argument of the separation of church and state? My belief is wearing these hijabs represents the oppression of women and Sharia law.”
-- Sharon Poe, school board candidate
For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

Ohio Citizens Force Islam Indoctrination Out of Middle School

Teaching Girls to Wear Muslim Hijab in California School

Colorado School Visits Mosque, Enforces Sharia Law for Girls' Dress

Students Required to Pretend Being Muslim in Wisconsin

Florida School Teaches Islam Including Prayer Rugs

Massachusetts Students Forced To Learn Muslim Conversion

Texas Sharia Tribunal Judge Gives Prayer at Rodeo

And read myriad examples of public schools favoring Islam.



-- From "Ohio principal cancels headscarf event, apologizes" by The Associated Press 4/18/15

"The Covered Girl Challenge" at Mason High School was intended to combat stereotypes students may face when wearing head coverings.

But Principal Mindy McCarty-Stewart says the school received numerous strong messages as word of the event spread, forcing her to reconsider the event's ability to meet its goals. She says the event sponsored by a Muslim student group should not have been promoted by the school's Student Activities Department.

The event is held on college campuses and other high schools.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "School apologizes after inviting all girls to wear a hijab for a day" by Valerie Strauss, Washington Post 4/18/15

The event was supposed to take place at the 830-student, high-performing school on Thursday, but has been canceled.. . .Principal Mindy McCarty-Stewart issued an apology letter the same day after receiving numerous protests. She wrote in part:
. . . Mason High School is committed to being an inclusive and safe environment for all students – regardless of race or religion. The students sponsoring the event only want to combat stereotypes that they face when wearing head coverings. Mason City Schools’ diversity is a source of pride. I am committed to continuing to celebrate all of our cultural richness. . . .
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Mason High School hijab event canceled over First Amendment concerns" by Joe Rosemeyer, WCPO-TV9 (Cincinnati, OH) 4/17/15

The event isn't unique to Mason High; it's held on college campuses and sometimes at high schools, said Karen Dabdoub, Executive Director of the Cincinnati Chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations [CAIR].

Mariam [a Muslim girl], one of the students who was helping organize the event, said her friends were excited to see what it would be like to wear a headscarf.

Mason and nearby West Chester have significant Muslim communities; school spokeswoman Tracey Carson said Mason High has several groups with religious affiliations.

"They don't leave their faith at the door," Carson said. "We want students to take leadership roles and educate their community."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Taxpayer-Funded School Faces Massive Backlash For ‘Covered Girl Challenge’ HIJAB DAY" by Eric Owens, Education Editor, Daily Caller 4/18/15

Another effort at a taxpayer-funded American high school to persuade female students — but only female students — to wear Muslim headscarves has failed disastrously.

. . . critics noted that the Covered Girl Challenge amounts to an endorsement of Islam [violating the First Amendment].

Female students who wanted to participate were supposed to have their parents fill out a permission slip and return it to the high school office or “Mrs. Jenkin’s room in Z223.”

Mrs. Jenkins appears to be Caryn Jenkins, a social studies teacher at Mason High.

For the record, Feb. 1 is World Hijab Day. . . .

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Area school cancels Muslim cultural event" by Lawrence Budd, Staff Writer, Dayton Daily News 4/17/15

The [hijab] challenge was part of an event planned by the student organization, including information tables during the school day and a discussion after school.

The announcement prompted responses in the district and beyond, some questioning the event, including on Facebook and the website jihadwatch.org.

On Thursday, jihadwatch.org posted a story headlined, “Victory! Mason High school principal cancels hijab event, apologizes.”

“On this Facebook thread, people are whining about this being a victory for ‘bigotry and intolerance,’ but of its is no such thing. In reality, it is a victory for fairness in education,” the story said.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Mason principal cancels Muslim event, apologizes" by Hannah Sparling and Michael D. Clark, Cincinnati Enquirer 4/17/15

Yasmeen Allen is an Iraqi native with two teenagers at Mason High. Allen's daughter wears a hijab to mosque worship but not to school, Allen said, adding that the family is "really upset that the school is succumbing to outside pressure of racism and bigotry toward people who are different from them."

Muslim students "were robbed of an opportunity" to support their religion and counter some of the negativity it faces around the world, she said.

This is not the first Muslim-themed controversy to hit the Mason school community. About a decade ago, former school board candidate Sharon Poe and then-board member Jennifer Miller publicly blasted school officials for allowing Muslim students to have a separate lunch hour for fasting during Ramadan, which occurs during the ninth month of the Muslim calendar.

That is a holiday practice still continued at Mason schools. The area, however, is open to any student, regardless of faith, Carson said.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Click headlines below to read previous articles:


Former Christian University Announces Muslim Prayers

Islamic 'Call to Prayer' at National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

President Obama Compares Christians to Islamic Terrorists

Also read President Obama Praises Islam for Making America What It Is and his Secretary of State, John Kerry, Quotes Allah: We Must Fight Climate Change