Feds Push Muslim Dress on Christian Girls: Schools

President Obama's Department of Education is advocating the introduction of Islamic garb in public schools, and so schools across America are doing just that.  In Rochester, New York, hundreds of students and faculty participated in World Hijab Day at World of Inquiry School No. 58. Critics said this was a violation of "separation of church and state" but the school's attorney said, on the contrary, NOT bringing Islamic dress into the school would be a constitutional violation.

"Our school believes in diversity and inclusion.  [This] is well within the protocol of experiential learning."
-- Principal Sheela Webster (wearing a hijab), World School of Inquiry

"As a high school teacher for over 30 years, let me say that this is wrong on so many levels."
-- Jim Farnholz

"How disgusting and irresponsible for any educator to encourage a child to wear a symbol of oppression, whether it be religious or cultural."
-- Rebecca Sluman

For background, read of public schools across America pushing Muslim garb.

Click headlines below to read previous articles:

Students Required to Pretend Being Muslim in Wisconsin

Tennessee Students Taught Muslim Prayer of Conversion

'Allahu Akbar' Taught in Minnesota School for Christmas

Georgia School: Learn Islam or Take Lower Grade

Pennsylvania School Staff to Mosque for Islamic Training

Angry Muslims Storm New Jersey School Board Demanding Holidays

Also read President Obama Gives Ramadan Proclamation (but missed Easter)

And read President Obama Praises Islam for Making America What It Is





-- From "City students wear hijabs as part of cultural event" by Brett Davidsen, WHEC-TV10 (Rochester, NY) 2/5/16

The event was initiated after tenth grader Eman Muthana -- who routinely wears a hijab -- wrote a letter to the school concerned about how she and other girls were being viewed.

Friday, the school set up tables in the cafeteria to allow students to ask questions -- and invited girls to try on a hijab. Boys were given carnations to show their support.

Board of Education President Van White came to witness the event -- and says he came away proud of Muthana and the students who took part.

Parents were notified by automated calls Friday about the event -- but only after media began inquiring. White says in hindsight, the school probably should have planned to bring parents into the conversation sooner, so they could have discussions with their own children about the topic.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Rochester school participates in World Hijab Day" by Kelsie Smith, WHAM-TV13 (Rochester, NY) 2/5/16

Critics lashed out on social media as word spread about the public school's decision to partake in the day that some say violates the separation of church and state.

A district spokesman told 13WHAM News they consulted with a lawyer about today's event. The lawyer said there would be more of a legal issue if the school said no to this event.

"I love that we're having the open conversation. I think that's the first step into making it a more open and tolerant environment. I think this is the perfect school for it," said English-as-a-Second-Language teacher Kelly Lalonde.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "New York School Celebrates World Hijab Day" by Jennifer Ong, Morning News USA 2/15/16

It was almost like any other school day, except the hijab, an Islamic headscarf, seemed to be everyone’s fashion of choice among high school girls. It didn’t matter if they were Islam in faith or not. They were simply celebrating World Hijab Day.

World Hijab Day is observed every first of February. The celebration started three years ago when New York resident Nazma Khan thought of using the hijab as a way to promote religious tolerance and understanding. Moreover, Khan wanted to dispel the myth that the hijab is meant to represent oppression and segregation. Rather, this sacred headscarf has the power to make someone feel beautiful.

This year, Khan hoped to have 10 million participants for the World Hijab Day. . . .

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Protecting Our Muslim Youth from Bullying: The Role of the Educator" posted at U.S. Department of Education (Winter 2015/16)

. . . Classrooms and schools should provide learning environments that are not only free from discrimination and harassment based on protected traits—including religion—but should also be conduits for students to build bridges with other students across different backgrounds, break down stereotypes, acknowledge and affirm important aspects of their identity, and learn how to be an ally when faced with bullying and bias.

Here are a few important anti-bias and bullying prevention strategies that teachers can use to address anti-Muslim sentiment:

Create an anti-bias learning environment. This means incorporating the experiences, perspective and words of Muslim people into the curriculum through social studies and current events instruction, children’s literature Site exit disclaimer, in order to learn about different cultures. When you teach about world religions, be sure to include Islam. . . .

Encourage students to learn how to be an ally when faced with bias or bullying. . . . In addition, share inspiring examples like Walk a Mile in Her Hijab, whose goal is to spread awareness about Muslim cultural traditions and to combat anti-Muslim bias.

To read the entire posting above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Loud Muslim Prayer: Takeover of Michigan Town

And read Most Terrorists are White Christians, Colleges Teach

Loud Muslim Prayer: Takeover of Michigan Town

The non-Muslim residents of Hamtramck, Michigan complained so much about the "noise" coming from the Islamic center loudspeakers (the Muslim call to prayer) that the Muslim residents organized an effort to gain a majority on the city council.  It appears the "noise" will remain.

“We were lied to.  We were told it would never be turned into a mosque.”
-- Carol Marsh, resident

“It’s only a matter of time before we’ll see a Muslim mayor.”
-- Dawud Walid, Executive Director, Michigan Chapter, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

Maine Sues Pastor for Preaching Too Loud Near Abortion Clinic

Pastor's Wife Fined for Praying Too Loud on North Dakota Street

Christians Arrested for Praying Too Loud Near Chicago Abortion Clinic

Indiana Town Denounces Loud, Praying Christians

Virginia Police Halt Bible 'Noise,' Preacher Sues City & Wins

Missouri Police Steal Preacher's Amplifier to Shut Him Up

Jesus Talk Outlawed in New Orleans, Arrests Made

-- From "Residents complain that ‘call to prayer’ is too loud" by Charles Sercombe, Hamtramck Review (fall 2015)

[At the] city council meeting, several residents of the Hamtramck Senior Plaza apartments on Holbrook complained about the volume level of the call to prayer coming from the Ideal Islamic Center, located across from the apartment complex.

[Resident Jeanette Powell] said the call or prayer was broadcast at 6 a.m. and found the volume “overbearing.”

The center on Holbrook was not the only mosque accused of broadcasting the call too loudly.

Susan Dunn, who is a candidate for city council, said the new mosque on St. Aubin St., the Abu-Bakr Al-Siddique Islamic Center, also broadcasts the call loudly. Dunn lives on Hewitt St., which is a block away from the center.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Muslims look to make a difference in Hamtramck" by Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press 1/25/16

The week before Election Day in Hamtramck, hundreds of Muslims packed the City Council chambers.

They were outraged over a complaint made by council candidate Susan Dunn over the Islamic call to prayer that is broadcast outdoors from mosques, which she said were too loud.

The following week, three Muslim candidates out of six were the top vote-getters, winning council seats. After their inauguration this month, Hamtramck became what is believed to be the first city in the U.S. with a Muslim-majority City Council.  Four of its six council members are Muslim, three of them immigrants.

The story of how that happened offers insight into the political ambitions of the city's Muslim community in a time of intense debate about Islam in the West. And it shows how diverse groups — from Polish Catholics to Bangladeshi Muslims to African-American Protestants — can get along, city leaders say.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "In the first majority-Muslim U.S. city, residents tense about its future" by Sarah Pulliam Bailey, Washington Post 11/21/15

[Local businesswoman Karen] Majewski, whose family emigrated from Poland in the early 20th century, admitted to a few concerns of her own. Business owners within 500 feet of one of Hamtramck’s four mosques can’t obtain a liquor license, she complained, a notable development in a place that flouted Prohibition-era laws by openly operating bars. The restrictions could thwart efforts to create an entertainment hub downtown, said the pro-commerce mayor.

And while Majewski advocated to allow mosques to issue calls to prayer, she understands why some longtime residents are struggling to adjust to the sound that echos through the city’s streets five times each day.

While the city’s Polish Catholic population has shrunk from 90 percent in 1970 to about 11 percent today, in part as the old residents have moved to more prosperous suburbs, Polish American culture still permeates the town.

Hamtramck’s exceedingly low home prices and relatively low crime rate have proved especially attractive to new immigrants, whose presence is visible everywhere. Most of the women strolling Joseph Campau Avenue wear hijabs, or headscarves, and niqabs, veils that leave only the area around the eyes open. Many of the markets advertise their wares in Arabic or Bengali, and some display signs telling customers that owners will return shortly — gone to pray, much in the same way Polish businesses once signaled that employees had gone to Mass.

Many longtime residents point to 2004 as the year they suspected that the town’s culture had shifted irrevocably. It was then that the city council gave permission to al-Islah Islamic Center to broadcast its call to prayer from speakers atop its roof.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "This U.S. city has become the first to elect a Muslim-majority city council" by Sarah Pulliam Bailey, Washington Post 11/5/15

. . . The city council’s approval of an ordinance to allow mosques to broadcast the Islamic call to prayer onto public streets made it one of the few cities in the United States to approve the practice, according to a 2004 story in the Detroit News. “This is about uniting our community,” Shabad Ahmed, the first and only Muslim member of the Hamtramck City Council, told the newspaper.

Fast forward to 2015, when the city of some 22,000 people physically surrounded by but politically separate from Detroit has elected a Muslim-majority city council, believed to be the first in the nation. On Tuesday, the city elected three new city council members, making the council four of six members of Muslim faith.

Dearborn, which is part of the Detroit metro area, attracts most of the national attention over its Arab population, but its Muslim population is not as concentrated as Hamtramck.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Christmas Holiday OUT, Lunar New Year IN: Schools

Political correctness is the objective as public schools debate calendars, but from one district to the next, their PC goal seems elusive.

"I have come to the difficult decision to discontinue the celebration of the dominant holidays until we can come to a better understanding of how the dominant view will suppress someone else's view."
-- Principal Scott Masini, Bruce Vento Elementary School in St. Paul, Minnesota

For background, read 'Allahu Akbar' Taught in Minnesota School for Christmas

Click headlines below to read previous articles:

Jewish Mom Opposes School's Santa Claus Christmas

Angry Muslims Demand School Holiday for Ramadan in New Jersey

D.C. Muslims Force Christmas Off Maryland School Calendar

Muslims Force Maryland Schools Closed Routinely

New Jersey Atheist Official Has Hissy Fit over Christmas Tree

Atheists Help Liberal Schools in Oregon Ban Christmas Choirs

Also read Texas School Supt. Tells Atheists to Go Fly a Kite

-- From "Minnesota school bans holiday celebrations for Valentine's Day, Christmas, more" by The Associated Press 2/3/16

Bruce Vento Elementary in St. Paul is joining other public schools in opting out of holiday celebrations as school officials strive to be more culturally sensitive and inclusive. The school has a predominantly Asian and black student body, and English is a second language for more than half of its pupils, who come from a range of faith backgrounds.

In a letter to parents last week, Principal Scott Masini said his rationale was to avoid "encroaching on the educational opportunities of others and threatening a culture of tolerance and respect for all." He acknowledged it would be an unpopular decision for some.

The letter drew both criticism and support as it started circulating on social media, with some people praising the policy for its sensitivity to diverse cultures and others decrying it as political correctness. The Star Tribune newspaper in Minneapolis ran an editorial calling the decision misguided and urged Masini to reconsider.

As word spread, the school district issued a statement saying its longstanding policy "discourages programs and festivities that celebrate observances unless they are required by law." That means government holidays celebrating the birthdays of President George Washington, President Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr., along with Veterans Day, are still OK.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "[New York] City schools to close Monday for Lunar New Year" by Diane C. Lore, Staten Island Advance 2/5/16

Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña announced the addition of the new holiday to the school calendar in June.

The city school system will become only the second major urban school district in the nation, after San Francisco, to close on [the Asian] Lunar New Year.

When de Blasio announced in early March last year that the Mulsim holy days Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr would appear on this year's school calendar, Lunar New Year advocates began to push to have their holiday added.

The Department of Education was able to add the Lunar New Year holiday to the school calendar by consolidating two half-days previously designated for staff administrative work, of which neither could count toward the 180-day minimum, into one full day. This allowed room for the addition of the Lunar New Year without any loss in state aid-able days.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "New York City Schools to Celebrate Lunar New Year with Day Off for First Time" by Chris Fuchs, NBC News 2/1/16

. . . the city's 12 congressional members sent a letter to de Blasio dated March 9, saying they were happy Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr would become public school holidays, but were "puzzled and concerned" about why Lunar New Year was left out. Four days later, city and state elected officials held a rally outside City Hall. On April 1, legislation was introduced in Albany to amend New York's education law to recognize Lunar New Year as a public school holiday for any city with one-million people — namely New York City.

Former Queens state Assemblyman Jimmy Meng, a Democrat, was the first to propose such a bill in 2005, but it failed to gain a sponsor in the state Senate. Meng's daughter Grace, a former state assemblywoman who is now a Democrat congresswoman from Queens, also introduced legislation in early 2009 with support from state Sen. Daniel Squadron, a Democrat whose district includes Chinatown.

After several months went by without any news, more than 40 elected officials, advocacy groups, and community leaders sent an open letter to de Blasio in June, saying his administration did not keep a promise to meet before the end of May for discussions. Around the same time, the state Senate unanimously approved a bill making Lunar New Year a public school holiday.

Following mounting pressure, the mayor, who controls the city's school system with state approval, announced on June 22 through Twitter that Lunar New Year would be added to the 2015-2016 calendar. The message was published in English, Chinese, and Korean.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Valentine's Day ban touches off wider debate on school celebrations" by Beena Raghavendran and Zoe Peterson, Minneapolis Star Tribune 2/2/16

Across the metro area and the country, schools are juggling sensitivity with holiday fun as student bodies become increasingly diverse. Several schools have turned to seasonal celebrations to include all students, and some have scaled back in-class celebrations to save teaching time.

[St. Paul's] Vento school is echoing that rationale in its decision to stop celebrating major holidays, to avoid “encroaching on the educational opportunities of others and threatening a culture of tolerance and respect for all,” Masini said in the letter addressed to families. “My personal feeling is we need to find a way to honor and engage in holidays that are inclusive of our student population.”

Masini was cheered and jeered by people online. Some said fun was being sucked out of schools. He responded in a comment released by the school district Thursday. “I’m struggling with this and I don’t know what the right answer is,” he said. “But, what I do know is celebrating some holidays and not others is not inclusive of all of the students we serve.

Wayzata Public Schools no longer observes specific holidays, opting instead for seasonal celebrations, said spokeswoman Amy Parnell. Valentine’s Day is the only exception — certain schools still decide to recognize the holiday.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "St. Paul school might abandon celebration of 4 holidays" by Josh Verges, St. Paul Pioneer Press 2/1/16

The policy reads, in part:  “Schools shall discourage programs and festivities arranged to celebrate holidays and other special days, and shall strive to eliminate them, except where such observances are required by law.”

Exceptions to the policy are Veterans Day and the birthdays of Martin Luther King, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. When school is held on those days, state law says “at least one hour of the school program must be devoted to a patriotic observance of the day.”

[St. Paul Public Schools spokeswoman Toya] Stewart Downey said Superintendent Valeria Silva supports the district’s policy on holiday observances. But the district will gather input from schools in case the school board wants to change the policy.

[Principal] Masini said the school no longer would celebrate Valentine’s Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas . . .

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Majority in U.S. Want Christmas Celebrated WITHIN Schools: Poll

Muslims Force Maryland Schools Closed Routinely

In order to accommodate demands for observance of numerous Muslim holidays, the politically correct Howard County School Board voted to close schools for virtually every religious event under the sun regardless of the prevalence or absence of such adherents in the supposed multicultural school system of suburban Maryland.

"I strongly believe that our school calendar should be inclusive of the cultures and religions of all Howard County residents.  In a county where we pride ourselves on our diversity, we have to demonstrate that in terms of our actions."
-- Janet Siddiqui, Board Member

“Howard County is no longer majority Judeo-Christian.  We are made up of all kinds of people.  There is nothing to study in my opinion.  It's either all or none. I cannot vote for anything that is not inclusive."
-- Ann De Lacy, Board Member

“Once you open to that [long list of holidays], you have to honor every single one, and that becomes impractical in finding a way to serve school for 180 days.”
-- Ellen Flynn Giles, Board Vice Chairman

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

Angry Muslims Demand School Holiday for Ramadan in New Jersey

D.C. Muslims Force Christmas Off Maryland School Calendar

'Allahu Akbar' Taught in Minnesota School for Christmas

Also read Majority in U.S. Want Christmas Celebrated WITHIN Schools: Poll





-- From "Howard Co. school board expands religious holiday status quo" by Kristi King, WTOP-FM103.5 (Washington, D.C.) 1/14/16

Rejecting an option that would have kept schools open on the Jewish High Holidays, the school board voted Thursday night to also give students off days to observe [the Hindu holiday] Diwali, [the Muslim holiday] Eid and the Lunar New Year.

The move to accommodate observances of additional religious holidays only applies to the 2016-17 school year while studies are conducted.

Numbers of area school systems have been making adjustments related to observing religious holidays.

Anne Arundel County Public Schools recently decided to open schools on Rosh Hashanah in 2016 for the first time in more than a decade. Teachers aren’t allowed to give tests and exams on that day or any other day of “major religious observances” such as Eid al-Adha and Yom Kippur.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Md. school system keeps Jewish holidays, adds days off for Diwali, Lunar New Year and Eid al-Adha" by Donna St. George, Washington Post 1/15/16

The board said its action — in a unanimous 8-0 vote — was a one-year decision, for the 2016-2017 school year, that would come as the system of 55,000 students studies the issue and plans a voluntary survey of religious preferences. It asked district staff to report back with a range of options for how to implement the change.

More broadly, Howard’s action is likely to draw attention as school systems nationally struggle with how to create an inclusive school calendar — balancing fairness, logistics and legal constraints — as their communities are increasingly diverse and vocal.

Maryland state law requires schools to be closed on Christmas and Good Friday, as well as Easter Monday. Howard schools have chosen to close for the Jewish holidays since 1979, when officials said staff absentee rates of 12 percent were interfering with instruction.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Howard County adds Muslim, Hindu holidays to school calendar" by Lisa Philip, Howard County Times - The Baltimore Sun 1/15/16

. . . during a discussion at the board's meeting on Thursday night, several members expressed the need for next year's academic calendar go beyond closing schools on the two Jewish holidays, to be more inclusive of the county's increasingly diverse population and to allow non-Judeo-Christian students to celebrate their religious and cultural traditions. . . . [even though] The school system does not record the religious backgrounds of its students.

[Superintendent Renee] Foose also recommended that the board hire an independent firm to survey and collect data about students' and families' religious and cultural observances, to inform the work of the 2017 to 2018 calendar committee.

[Board member Bess] Altwerger said that she agreed with the suggestion, but that the school system should recognize Lunar New Year Eve, Diwali and Eid al-Adha in the meantime. She found sympathetic views among most of her fellow board members.

Members of the East Asian, Muslim and Hindu communities have advocated for the inclusion of their religious holidays for at least the past two school years. Eid al-Adha, an important holiday on the Muslim calendar, and Diwali, equally as important for the Hindu community, have never been recognized on the county's school calendar before.

Last year after hearing requests from the Chinese and Korean communities, the board voted to place a professional development day on the Lunar New Year in the 2015-2016 school year. . . .

Because of the need for separation between church and state, [board member Sandie] French said, holidays cannot be given to students for religious reasons, but rather must be given for logistical reasons.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Islam Lesson Closes School: Virginia Parents Fume

And read Tennessee Students Taught Muslim Prayer of Conversion

Wheaton College Prof. in Muslim Garb for Christmas

A political science associate professor at a well-known evangelical college in suburban Chicago is wearing a hijab to class and everywhere else during Advent to show “religious solidarity with Muslims” and to launch a Christian movement with Islam by wearing the mandatory head scarf for oppressed Muslim women.

“I stand in religious solidarity with Muslims because they, like me, a Christian, are people of the book. And as Pope Francis stated last week, we worship the same God.”
-- Professor Larycia Alaine Hawkins, Wheaton College faculty member since 2007

For background, read Leftist Teaching at Wheaton College

Click headlines below to read previous articles:

Teaching Christians Muslim Dress in Illinois School

CAIR Teaching Girls to Wear Muslim Hijab in California School

U.S. Schools Force Islamic Terror Singing, Posters

Massachusetts Students Forced To Learn Muslim Conversion

Pennsylvania School Staff to Mosque for Islamic Training

-- From "Christian college professor wears hijab in solidarity with Muslim women" by Joshua Chavers, WPTV-TV5 (West Palm Beach, FL) 12/13/15

“I don't love my Muslim neighbor because s/he is American. I love my Muslim neighbor because s/he deserves love by virtue of her/his human dignity,” Hawkins said in [her Facebook page last week showing herself wearing a hijab].

The professor says as part of the Advent season, she will wear the hijab “to work at Wheaton College, to play in Chi-town, in the airport and on the airplane to my home state… and at church.”

Hawkins notes that she checked first with the Council on American Islamic Relations [CAIR] to make sure it was not offensive in any way for non-Muslim women to wear the hijab and she invites other women to join her effort as a way to express support and unity.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Wheaton College Prof. to Wear Hijab During Advent to Show Solidarity With Muslims" by Samuel Smith, Christian Post Reporter 12/11/15

[Hawkins wrote:] "I stand in human solidarity with my Muslim neighbor because we are formed of the same primordial clay, descendants of the same cradle of humankind — a cave in Sterkfontein, South Africa that I had the privilege to descend into to plumb the depths of our common humanity in 2014."

"I invite all women into the narrative that is embodied, hijab-wearing solidarity with our Muslim sisters — for whatever reason. A large scale movement of Women in Solidarity with Hijabs is my Christmas #wish this year," Hawkins continued. "Perhaps you are a Muslim who does not wear the veil normally. Perhaps you are an atheist or agnostic who finds religion silly or inexplicable. Perhaps you are a Catholic or Protestant Christian like me. Perhaps you already cover your head as part of your religious worship, but not a hijab."

"I asked whether a non-Muslim wearing the hijab was haram (forbidden), patronizing, or otherwise offensive to Muslims. I was assured by my friends at CAIR-Chicago that they welcomed the gesture," she explained. "So please do not fear joining this embodied narrative of actual as opposed to theoretical unity; human solidarity as opposed to mere nationalistic, sentimentality."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Evangelical Christian professor dons hijab because 'we worship the same God'" by Harry Farley, Junior Staff Writer, Christian Today 12/14/15

. . . in a more recent post she explained she had received criticism "almost exclusively from other Christians."

She said her position was "one held for centuries by countless Christians (church fathers, saints, and regular Christian folk like)" and insisted that "asserting our religious solidarity with Muslims and Jews will go a long way toward quelling religious violence and enervating religionist fear of the religious other."

Hawkins' gesture has been welcomed by the council on American-Islamic relations [CAIR] . . .

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Hijab-Wearing Wheaton College Prof. Responds to Critics Who Question Her Devotion (Interview)" by Samuel Smith, Christian Post Reporter 12/14/15

Since her controversial Facebook post last Thursday, Hawkins said that at least ten other people, including students, friends and even a mother of one of her former students, have told her that they will be taking part in wearing hijabs this Christmas season. She is not certain if all of them plan on wearing the hijab throughout the entire Advent or just for a day or two.

"I think that is the kind of unity through religious diversity that I am trying to accomplish through this is to have unity with women who are easily targeted because they wear their religion on their head," Hawkins stressed. "I really find it imperative to think about what it means to coexist as religionists. There are Christian missionaries who uphold these models of the faith who are doing the same thing as a way of reaching out to Muslims even as they try to spread the gospel. I am not sure if we see this is a way of sharing the gospel or as an act of religious solidarity. I think people do it all the time, just not in the U.S."

"I think woman wearing a cross or a man wearing a cross isn't necessarily deemed Christian but a woman wearing a hijab is always assumed to be Muslim, even though Jesus' mom wore a hijab. Mary, the mother of God, wore a hijab," Hawkins highlighted. " The context in the time is fortuitous to remind ourself that in some context, this is a cultural element of dress. Some of my friends who are missionaries in the Middle East wear the hijab while they live there everyday."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

UPDATE 2/10/16: From "Wheaton College 'Same God' Prof. Says Jesus Is Her Rock on Difficult Journey From Advent to Lent" by Samuel Smith, Christian Post Reporter

. . . Wheaton Provost Stanton Jones recommended last month that the school begin the termination proceedings for Hawkins, who was placed on administrative leave in mid-December after she asserted that Christians and Muslims worship the same God.

On Saturday, it was announced in a press release that the school and Hawkins "found a mutual place of resolution and reconciliation." The statement added that the two sides "reached a confidential agreement under which they will part ways."

Although Hawkins issued a four-page theological statement on the matter days after she was suspended, the institution still felt that more theological discussion was needed before she could return to teach. Hawkins, however, made it clear to the administration that she would no longer have theological dialogue over the matter.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

UPDATE 2/10/16: From "Deal between Wheaton College, professor creates scholarship in her name" by Jessica Cilella, Daily Herald (Chicago suburbs)

[Wheaton College President Philip] Ryken said reconciliation is not always easy or perfect, but the college and Hawkins are "moving forward in genuine friendship, wishing each other well and wanting to bless each other in our work."

The debate over Hawkins' comments continues to resonate throughout the Wheaton College community. Even as Ryken and Hawkins stood together in Chicago, roughly two dozen students, alumni and religious leaders were gathering outside the school's Edman Chapel to announce the launch of a nationwide fast that calls upon the Wheaton community and other evangelical Christian institutions to "confess and repent of the sins of racism, sexism and Islamophobia, and recognize that all humans have dignity and are created equal in the eyes of God."

As president, Ryken said he is committed to restoring "what is lost and repair what is broken" on campus. To do that, he has asked the college's board of trustees to review ways the college can improve how it addresses faculty and personnel issues in the future, particularly when questions arise that relate to the college's statement of faith. He added that the school stands for religious freedom and against the repression of anyone, including Muslims.

Wheaton College theology professor George Kalantzis said Hawkins provided great spiritual and moral leadership, as well as a safe and inviting learning environment, on a campus that greatly needed it.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Christian Wheaton College 'Gay Alumni' Homecoming

Teaching Christians Muslim Dress: Illinois School

The principal at Vernon Hills High School in suburban Chicago said he admires Muslim students so much that he supports the Muslim Student Association (MSA) effort to dress non-Muslim school girls in the garb familiar to the oppressed female populations of Islamic cultures.

"I think this is an opportunity for our kids to embrace the Muslim community within the school."
-- Jon Guillaume, Principal

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

Teaching Girls to Wear Muslim Hijab in California School

Students Required to Pretend Being Muslim in Wisconsin

U.S. Schools Force Islamic Terror Singing, Posters

Georgia School: Learn Islam or Take Lower Grade

Massachusetts Students Forced To Learn Muslim Conversion

Pennsylvania School Staff to Mosque for Islamic Training

Florida School Teaches Islam Including Prayer Rugs

Celebrate Muslim 'Hijab Day' Canceled at Ohio School (due to public outcry)

Lawmakers Counter Islamic Teaching in Tennessee



-- From "Vernon Hills students join their Muslim peers in wearing hijabs" by Gilbert R. Boucher II, Daily Herald (Chicago suburbs) 12/10/15

The "Walk a Mile in Her Hijab" event Wednesday, hosted by the 10-member organization, was designed to allow non-Muslim female students the opportunity to wear the head covering and gain a better understanding of the Muslim faith. "This event is to hopefully denounce negative stereotypes," [MSA president Yasmeen] Abdallah said.

Six members of the [MSA] group spent the morning placing hijabs on 17 non-Muslim girls who wanted to participate in the project. They also talked about the meaning of the hijab and facets of the Muslim religion to students who approached them.

Teachers and students at the school were encouraged to ask questions about the hijab when they came across a student wearing one.

Abdallah said the event was a good experience, one she hopes will become an annual event.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Angry Muslims Storm New Jersey School Board Demanding Holidays

And read Muslims in Washington, D.C. Force Christmas Off School Calendar

Fed. Judge Favors D.C. Cross vs. Atheists, Muslims

The U.S. District Court in Maryland ruled this week against the American Humanist Association (AHA) atheists and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) who demanded that the 1925 40-foot Blandensburg Cross, a World War I Veterans Memorial near Washington, D.C., be removed because it is owned and maintained by the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

“It is hereby declared by the ownership, maintenance and display of the monument by the commission do not violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.”
-- U.S. District Judge Deborah Chasanow

For background, read the myriad atheist lawsuits against the Christian cross across America.

Click headlines below to read previous articles:

Cross Removed from Wichita State Chapel: Muslim Conversion

Court Nixes Police Favoring Muslims vs. Christians

Court Orders Christian Cop to Mosque, Accept Koran

Satanists Join Muslims in Minnesota & California

-- From "Judge rejects bid to remove WWI 'Peace Cross'" posted at WUSA-TV9 (Washington, D.C.) 12/1/15

The American Humanist Association wanted it removed or altered on the grounds that it violates the First Amendment ban on the government establishing a religion.

The judge ruled that while the cross is undeniably a religious symbol, the monument does not endorse a religion.

The memorial is known as the Peace Cross and can be seen at the intersection of Route 450 and Route 1.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Judge: Forty-foot cross is not a government endorsement of religion" by Matt Zapotosky, Washington Post 12/1/15

In a 36-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow ruled unequivocally against the American Humanist Association’s bid to have the monument torn down or modified on the grounds that it violates the First Amendment ban on the government’s establishment of religion.

“The Monument and Veterans Memorial Park are secular war memorials that host numerous commemorative events,” Chasanow wrote. She added that the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission’s ownership and upkeep of the cross was “driven by a secular purpose, maintaining and displaying a ‘historically significant war memorial’ that has honored fallen soldiers for almost a century.”

In her ruling, Chasanow noted that the monument sits on a base that bears a plaque listing the names of 49 men from Prince George’s County who died in World War I and that the “vast majority” of events held at the site were observances of Memorial Day or Veterans Day. She also noted that after the case was filed, the National Park Service placed the monument on the National Register of Historic Places.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Court finds cross memorial constitutional" by Jonathan Pitts, The Baltimore Sun 11/30/15

The ruling was a victory for the co-defendants in the case, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, the government entity that owns and controls the land on which the cross stands, and the American Legion, which erected it 90 years ago and continues to use the site for Memorial Day and Veterans Day celebrations.

It marked a setback for the American Humanist Association, a Washington-based group that describes its mission as bringing about "a progressive society where being 'good without a god' is an accepted way of life" and strengthening secular influence in government.

"We're still reviewing and evaluating the decision and our options," she said, including the possibility of taking the case to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Roger Byron, senior counsel for the Liberty Institute, the Plano, Texas-based law firm representing the American Legion in the case, said he was encouraged by a ruling that "faithfully applies the law [and] helps assure both the courts and other government entities that might [want to] use religious texts or imagery that these are lawful under the First Amendment."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Bladensburg Cross Can Stay, Judge Rules" by Jacob Gershman, Wall Street Journal 12/2/15

The Bladensburg veterans memorial, erected in 1925 by the American Legion, is one of a number of memorial crosses under legal fire by civil-liberty groups who want them off government land.

To support its claim, the [atheist] group pointed to religious language in a fundraising pledge sheet circulated to donors who financed its construction nearly a century ago. “We, the citizens of Maryland, trusting in God, the supreme ruler of the universe, pledge faith in our brothers,” it said.

In a 36-page opinion handed down this week, U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow concluded that the religious associations didn’t amount to a constitutional violation:

The Monument’s secular commemorative purpose is reinforced by the plaque, the American Legion’s seal, and the words “valor,” “endurance,” “courage,” and “devotion” written on it. None of these features contains any religious reference. In short, the record amply demonstrates that the construction and maintenance of the Monument “was not an attempt to set the imprimatur of the state on a particular creed. Rather, those who erected the cross intended simply to honor our Nation’s fallen soldiers.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "WWI Cross Upheld by Federal Court" by Joseph Williams, American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) 12/1/15

The lawsuit actually alleges that because the war memorial is located on what they claim is public property near a busy intersection that at least one of the plaintiffs passes “about once a month” driving around town or on his bike, it “associates a Christian religious symbol with the State and gives the impression that the State supports and approves of Christianity, as opposed to other religions, and that the state may even prefer Christians and Christianity over other religions.”  One of the plaintiffs actually says that he is “personally offended and feels excluded” because the cross honors our nation’s veterans.

In fact, the lawsuit states that he was “shocked when he first saw the cross and it upsets him whenever he passes it.”

Each of the plaintiffs complains of “unwelcome contact” with the WWI memorial cross and tell the court they “do[] not wish to encounter the Bladensburg Cross in the future.”  In other words, they want it torn down.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Judge torpedoes atheists' attack on veterans memorial" by Bob Unruh, World Net Daily 11/30/15

Noel Francisco, lead counsel for the American Legion and chair of Jones Day’s Government Regulation Practice, says, “We are grateful that the court ruled in our favor and upheld the memorial’s lawfulness under the First Amendment. This memorial has stood for almost 100 years in honor of the fallen and should be allowed to stand for 100 more.”

[The memorial] was challenged by the American Humanist Association, which was joined by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, as a violation since the site now is owned and maintained by the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

The ownership of the site had changed hands several times, and, the court found, it wasn’t even yet clear who owned it during certain times. But she said that didn’t matter.

The judge applied the U.S. Supreme Court’s Lemon test to the situation . . .

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read D.C. Muslim Call to Prayer from National Cathedral

As Al Qaeda Proclaims War on the Christian Cross — U.S. Schools Force Islamic Terror Singing and Posters, while President Obama Compares Christians to Islamic Terrorists

Satanists Join Muslims in Minnesota & California

In the wake of Islamic terrorists killing and wounding hundreds in Paris, the Satanic Temple chapters in Minneapolis and San Jose are reaching out to local Muslims offering to protect them from (non-existent) ruthless American infidels.

“If there is anyone in the Minneapolis area who is Muslim and afraid to leave their home out of fear for some kind of backlash, don't hesitate to reach out to us.  We would be glad to escort you where you need to go without advertising our presence -- just big dudes walking you where you need to be.”
-- Satanists of Minneapolis (Facebook post)

“I don't live in Minneapolis, but as an American Muslim, I'm glad to see you guys take up this effort and help out a marginalized group. Thank you for doing this and building bridges between communities.”
-- Facebook reply comment

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

FBI Director Says Satan Leads Islamic Terrorists

Satan on Throne at Oklahoma Capitol with ACLU Help

Abortionists, Satanists Team Up vs. Missouri Law

'Minion of Satan' Defied by Florida County Official

Also read of the nationwide influence of The Satanic Temple

-- From "Satanic Temple Offers To Protect Muslims Fearing Backlash In Minneapolis And San Jose" by Ismat Sarah Mangla, International Business Times 11/19/15

Muslims in Minneapolis and San Jose, California, are receiving support from an unlikely ally: the Satanic Temple. The Minneapolis and San Jose chapters of the national organization, which describes itself as a group that “facilitates the communication and mobilization of politically aware Satanists, secularists and advocates for individual liberty,” posted to their website and Facebook pages offering to protect local Muslims who might be experiencing backlash after last Friday’s terror attacks.

Since the Minneapolis chapter extended the offer on Wednesday, the Facebook post has been shared more than 2,700 times and has been “liked” by more than 3,000 people. The San Jose chapter posted the same thing to its Facebook page on Tuesday.

“We are happy to be of service to our community. Unfortunately, we’ve had no takers as of yet,” Curt Landsman, a representative of the Minneapolis chapter, told International Business Times in an email. “We are doing this out of genuine care for our fellow men and women and not as a publicity stunt. We feel that statistically speaking, gun toting fundamentalist Christians are a much bigger threat than Muslims in our own community who have lived peacefully here for years.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read President Obama Compares Christians to Islamic Terrorists

From "Friendly Satanists Offer Protection for Muslim Neighbors Afraid of Post-Paris Repercussions" by Rafi Schwartz, GOOD Magazine 11/20/15

Since posting their offers earlier this week, both Satanist groups have been inundated with messages of support from well-wishers, and those inspired by the gesture. Writes one commenter: “I'm a Transgender, Israeli Jew and if I were in Minneapolis I would take you up on this. Thank you for your kindness. What good people you are.” Says another: “What a lovely gesture! As a Muslim and a human, thanks dudes!” All told, the offers have racked up thousands of likes and shares across Facebook.

. . . the Satanist groups’ offer of protection makes perfect sense coming from a faith who—despite their demonic-sounding name—focuses on “encourag[ing] benevolence and empathy among all people, reject[ing] tyrannical authority, advocate practical common sense and justice, and be[ing] directed by the human conscience to undertake noble pursuits guided by the individual will.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Satan vs. God Is Supreme Court Justice's Decision

And read Pope Francis Warns of Satan; Media, Take Heed!

Court Nixes Police Favoring Muslims vs. Christians

On June 15, 2012, Christian evangelists were ordered by police to leave the Arab International Festival in Dearborn, Michigan because some Muslims there perpetrated acts of violence against the Christians.  Last week, the 6th Circuit Appeals Court ruled in favor of Bible Believers against defendant Wayne County, Michigan.

“We find that defendants violated the Bible Believers’ First Amendment rights because there can be no legitimate dispute based on this record that the [police] effectuated a heckler’s veto by cutting off the Bible Believers’ protected speech in response to a hostile crowd’s reaction. . . . The video record evinces next to no attempt made by the officers to protect the Bible Believers or prevent the lawless actions of the [Muslim] audience.”
-- 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati

For background, read Federal Judge Muzzles Christians at Public Festival

Click headlines below to read previous articles:

Kansas Pastor Arrested for Witnessing to Muslims

Christians Arrested for Debating Muslim

Maine Fines Christians for Criticizing Islam

Church Attacked for Proclaiming Beliefs About Islam

President Obama Ignores Hate Crimes Against U.S. Christians

Religious Killing OK Says One-third of Muslim Students

Muslim Beheads Christians in New Jersey per Koran

Muslims Killing Christians Doesn't Make Headline

Also read Christians Pray for Detroit, Muslims Condemn those Prayers



-- From "Christian activists win speech case tied to Arab festival" by The Associated Press 10/31/15

The case stems from a 2012 incident in which members of a group called Bible Believers were pelted with rocks while carrying a pig’s head and telling Dearborn Muslims at the street festival that they would “burn in hell.” Wayne County sheriff’s deputies told the evangelists to leave or be ticketed.

“From a constitutional standpoint, this should be an easy case to resolve,” said Judge Eric Clay, writing for the majority. “However, it is also easy to understand Dearborn’s desire to host a joyous festival celebrating the city’s Arab heritage in an atmosphere that is free of hate and negative influences.

“But the answer to disagreeable speech is not violent retaliation by offended listeners or ratification of the heckler’s veto through threat of arrest by the police,” Clay wrote.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Pig head-carrying Christians ejected from Muslim festival may collect damages" by Nader Ihmoud, Chicago Sun-Times National 10/29/15

Some [Muslim] members of the crowd responded by throwing plastic bottles, eggs and milk crates at the Bible Believers.

The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati, Ohio, made its ruling based on the First Amendment, saying the evangelist group Bible Believers should have been protected even though its speech was loathsome and intolerant. The opinion also mentioned the obligation of police when confronted with constitutionally protected speech that threatens to incite violence.

“Bearing in mind the interspersed surges of ethnic, racial, and religious conflict that from time to time mar our national history, the constitutional lessons to be learned from the circumstances of this case are both timeless and markedly seasonable,” Judge Eric Clay wrote.

The opinion by the court on Wednesday overturned a lower-court judgment and sent the case back to a federal court in Detroit, where a judge will decide the damages.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Pig's head-carrying Christians ejected from Muslim festival may collect damages, 6th Circuit says" by Debra Cassens Weiss, ABA Journal 10/29/15

An en banc federal appeals court [review by 15 judges] has ruled that Christian evangelists who were “preaching hate and denigration to a crowd of Muslims” may collect damages because police told them to leave.

Police conferred with the Wayne County corporation counsel and told the Bible Believers they would be cited for disorderly conduct if they did not leave. More than a dozen officers escorted the group members from the festival.

The Constitution, however, does not allow “an angry mob of riotous adolescents to dictate what religious beliefs and opinions could and could not be expressed,” the court said. . . .

The court said Wayne County “effectuated a constitutionally impermissible heckler’s veto,” violating the Christians’ rights to free speech, free exercise of religion and equal protection.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Anti-Muslim group wins appeal in Arab fest case" by Robert Snell, The Detroit News 10/28/15

The case against Wayne County, Sheriff Benny Napoleon and members of the department [deputies Dennis Richardson and Mike Jaafar], originally was handled in Detroit by U.S. District Judge Patrick Duggan, who recently retired.

The full court agreed one year ago to reconsider the case after setting aside a 2-1 decision by a three-judge panel in August 2014.

In that opinion, the panel said sheriff’s deputies didn’t violate the evangelists’ free speech rights

Such rehearings are rare.

“We are reviewing the court’s opinion,” sheriff’s office spokeswoman Paula Bridges said in a statement Wednesday. “No decision has been made as to what next steps, if any, will be taken therefore we will refrain from comment at this time.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Court rules Bible Believers should not have been thrown out Arab American fest" by Khalil AlHajal, MLive Media Group 10/29/15

The lawsuit was originally filed in Detroit federal court by Ruben Chavez, Arthur Fisher, and Joshua DeLosSantos, a group known as the Bible Believers.

U.S. District Judge Patrick Duggan threw out the case, and an earlier appeals ruling upheld that decision, but the Wednesday opinion overturns the first two, ordering the case back to the lower court for calculation of damages.

"The only references to violence or lawlessness on the part of the Bible Believers were messages such as, 'Islam is a Religion of Blood and Murder,' 'Turn or Burn,' and 'Your prophet is a pedophile.' These messages, however offensive, do not advocate for, encourage, condone, or even embrace imminent violence or lawlessness," the majority found in an opinion written but U.S. 6th Circuit Judge Eric L. Clay.

"Although it might be inferred that the Bible Believers' speech was intended to anger their target audience, the record is devoid of any indication that they intended imminent lawlessness to ensue. Quite to the contrary, the Bible Believers contacted Wayne County prior to their visit, requesting that the WCSO keep the public at bay so that the Bible Believers could 'engage in their peaceful expression.'"

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Click headlines below to read related articles:

Wichita State Chapel Muslim Conversion leads to Uprising

Angry Muslims Storm New Jersey School Board Demanding Holidays

Lawmakers Counter Islamic Teaching in Tennessee Schools

Muslim Prayer Ends Invocation Policy in North Carolina

Wichita State Chapel Muslim Conversion = Uprising

The Wichita State University administration is backtracking as a result of public reaction to recent renovations of the Harvey D. Grace Memorial Chapel that removed the Christian cross, altar and pews in favor of a more mosque-like atmosphere complete with Muslim prayer rugs.  The university is also being pressured by naïve students and other liberals for more "inclusive" construction projects including additions of Islamic-compliant restrooms, showers, etc.

"This is Islamophobia [that's] coming from off-campus, not from the students here."
-- Joseph Shepard, Wichita State Univ. student body president

For background, read about overt indoctrination of Islam in public schools across America.

Click headlines below to read previous articles:

Former Christian University Announces Muslim Prayers

Texas Sharia Tribunal Judge Gives Muslim Prayer at Rodeo

Muslim Prayer Ends Invocation Policy in North Carolina

Lawmakers Counter Islamic Teaching in Tennessee Schools

Angry Muslims Storm New Jersey School Board Demanding Holidays

Allah Worshiped in Virginia Methodist Church

Also read about atheist and humanist "chaplains" hired at more American universities and colleges.





-- From "Wichita State criticized for changing chapel for Muslims" by The Associated Press 10/7/15

The [donor] family that made the chapel possible in 1964 specified that it remain open to all creeds and races. But dozens of Wichita residents learned about the renovation after Wichita State alumna Ann Cusick posted the changes to her Facebook page Friday and said taking out the pews marginalized Christians.

After that, university donors, alumni and others began posting comments and contacting university administrators.

Wichita State President John Bardo said Tuesday in a statement on the university's Facebook page that the school will consider changing the chapel's furnishings once again.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "News of Wichita State chapel renovation to help Muslims sparks backlash" by Roy Wenzl, The Wichita Eagle 10/6/15

[WSU’s vice president for student affairs, Eric] Sexton vowed on Tuesday to spend “whatever time it takes” to talk to students, donors, alums and the Wichita community.

[Alumna Ann] Cusick posted about the chapel renovation as soon as she learned of it, on Friday, six months after it was settled. She included a photo from inside the chapel, showing the absence of pews. “The Muslims are ecstatic” about the renovation, she wrote in the post. “Sumpin’ NOT right here.”

By Monday, donors, alums and others were contacting WSU administrators, including Sexton, who serves a dual role as both student affairs vice president and executive athletic director.

. . . There was a more recent story in the campus paper reporting that hundreds of Muslim students had signed a petition asking WSU to install bidet shower heads in WSU restroom and showers. A hand-held bidet is used among Muslims as part of cleansing habits.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Minority Muslim students take over Christian chapel in Kansas university" by Hazel Torres, Christian Today 10/9/15

Right in the American Heartland, in the state of Kansas, a minority group of Muslim students have succeeded in taking over what used to be the Christian chapel of their university to the dismay of the school's majority Christian population.

But the Muslims now in control of the facility are dismissing the Christian outrage, calling it "Islamophobia," or prejudice against Muslims.

The Muslim students have also apparently taken over the university's student body and publication, the Wichita Eagle. Student body president Joseph Shepard told the Wichita Eagle that the Christian outrage is "coming from off-campus, not from the students here."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Some would prefer that Muslims not use Wichita State chapel" by Mary Sanchez, Kansas City Star 10/9/15

It should also be underscored that Christian students who used the chapel also favored taking out the pews to make the space more inviting to Bible study groups and interfaith events. The request came through the student government association.

Why not accommodate Muslims at Wichita State? They number about 1,000 out of the nearly 15,000 in the student body. As The Wichita Eagle also explained, most of the foreign Muslim students pay three times the tuition rate of in-state students.

Obviously, alumni of any university or college have an important role to play. They have a vested interest in the stability of their alma mater. But alumni who are good stewards understand that they shouldn’t meddle by imposing their prejudices.

To read the entire opinion column above, CLICK HERE.

From "Heartland fury as university renovates chapel to accommodate Muslims" by Todd Starnes, FoxNews.com 10/8/15

. . . what happened at Wichita State wasn’t so much a renovation as it was a Christian cleansing. Anything remotely related to the décor of a Christian church was given the heave-ho.

The chapel’s stained glass windows are still intact – for now. But I would not be terribly surprised if they’re boarded up – for the sake of inclusivity.

This is what the Islamic transformation of a nation founded on Judeo-Christian values looks like, folks. The Christian faith is marginalized while the Islamic faith is given accommodation.

To read the entire opinion column above, CLICK HERE.

Also read President Obama Praises Islam for Making America What It Is

And read Muslim Beheads Christians in New Jersey per Koran

Angry Muslims Storm New Jersey School Board

School officials in Jersey City, New Jersey called for security after an unruly mob of Muslim parents attempted a take-over of the School Board meeting last week.  The local religious minority demanded that the school officially declare an Islamic holiday on September 24th.

"We’re going to be the majority soon!"
-- Female Muslim (told School Board)

"We the people believe in our rights that the constitution have gave us and we will stand up for our rights. I will not back down."
-- Jessica Abdelnabbi Berrocal, Muslim parent

For background, read Muslims in Washington, D.C. Force Christmas Off School Calendar

Also read myriad examples of public schools favoring Islam.



-- From "Jersey City School Board Meeting Gets Heated During Debate Over Closing for Muslim Holiday" by Brian Thompson, WNBC-TV4 (New York, NY) 9/17/15

The Jersey City Board of Education had originally proposed to close schools next Thursday so that Muslim students could observe the [Eid al-Adha] holiday, and the City Council unanimously supported it a week ago. The academic year would have extended one day to June 23, 2016 as a result.

But during the nearly four hours of debate at the board meeting Thursday, some of the Jewish faith said they felt they were being discriminated against because they weren't getting their own school days off for holidays like Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

In the original resolution announcing the vote, the board said it was "committed to honoring the great diversity of our district, including our religious diversity," and that it will "continue to engage our communities to explore ways to support its diverse communities and celebrate our many cultures and faiths."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Jersey City won't close school for Islamic holiday" by Laura Herzog, New Jersey Star-Ledger 9/19/15

On Friday, Jersey City Schools Superintendent Marcia Lyles said board members were concerned that it would be too disruptive to declare a new school holiday without more advance notice.

On Saturday, Jessica Abdelnabbi Berrocal, a Muslim parent in Jersey City who started the petition for the holiday in June, said she thinks the vote rather meant that "they aren't ready for the change."

Lyles's Chief of Staff Maryann Dickar, who also attended the meeting, said it is inaccurate to characterize the debate on the holiday as "a conflict between Jews and Muslims." She said she recalled only one statement that referenced the Jewish holiday, among "hundreds" of other comments.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "New York City Schools Observing Muslim Holiday For First Time" by Julia Glum, International Business Times 9/23/15

New York City public schools were scheduled to close Thursday for their first time recognizing the Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha. The district, which serves about 1.1 million students, was due to become the largest school system in the United States to shut down for the observance. Local Muslims welcomed the move as a symbol of the community's acceptance and shift toward inclusion, Agence France Presse reported.

New York City has an estimated 600,000 to 1 million Muslim residents, and between 10 and 12 percent of its public school students identify as Muslim. That means that holy days tended to devastate attendance -- for example, the last time Eid al-Adha was on a school day, more than one-third of PS/IS 30 in Brooklyn was absent, according to a news release.

About two years after first agreeing to give students the day off, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the calendar change in March. He officially canceled classes on Eid al-Fitr, which occurred in July and marked the end of the fasting month Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha. Eid al-Adha, also called the Feast of Sacrifice, runs from Wednesday night to Thursday night. Schools in New York City were already closed Wednesday for the Jewish observance of Yom Kippur.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read New York Schools Observe Muslim Holidays, but Christmas?

From "Muslim Americans welcome first NY Eid school holiday" by AFP 9/23/15

“It is a huge victory to actually see the day come,” says Linda Sarsour, a member of the Coalition for Muslim School Holidays and a New York activist with three children.

“As an imam as well as a parent I am very happy,” agreed Imam Shamsi Ali, director of the Jamaica Muslim Center in Queens.

“I’m sure this kind of policy from the government side will push Muslims further to feel a sense of belonging,” he said.

New York follows at least seven other school districts that close for Eid in New Jersey, Massachusetts and Vermont, but activists are still campaigning in other parts of the country.

Ibrahim Hooper, spokesperson for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the country’s largest Muslim civil liberties organization, agreed that the holiday comes at the right time.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Texas Sharia Tribunal Judge Gives Muslim Prayer at Rodeo

And read Muslim Prayer Ends Invocation Policy in North Carolina

In addition, read President Obama Praises Islam for Making America What It Is