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

Few European Babies Leads to Muslim Transformation

The modern culture in Europe is literally dying from a lack of offspring.  To counter the inevitable, looming economic disaster, government planners see immigration as a solution.

"This is a very acute problem because for years Europe has been doing a sort of collective demographic suicide. . . . To change the demographic trends, promoting birth is not enough.  It also has to be done through immigration."
-- Vitor Constâncio, Vice President of the European Central Bank

"I have heard many times from Muslims that their goal is to conquer Europe with two weapons: faith and the birth rate."
-- Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rai

For background, read about the dropping birth rates in much of Europe and Russia, but also there's an American trend: Fewer Children, More Animals/Pets.  The fact is that The Religious Procreate, but Others Don't and Where Liberalism Flourishes, the Population Diminishes

The Grim Reality: Ever-dropping birth rate means economic devastation

Also read Childlessness is Effect of Feminism: U.S. Census Bureau Population Survey

-- From "Mapped: how a demographic time bomb will transform the global economy" by Szu Ping Chan, UK Telegraph 1/2/16

Based on UN population estimates, the number of people in the developed world aged between 16 and 64 peaked in 2010, while the number of people aged 60 and over will exceed the number of children for the first time in 2047, and more than double from 841m in 2013 to two billion by 2050.

. . . Birth rates have fallen from five per woman in 1950 to 2.5 today, and are expected to fall to between 1.8 and 2.2 by 2050.

As tax bases and revenues shrink and the number of retirees grows, governments face the choice of borrowing more or giving out less to ensure the numbers add up.

But without change, countries may find themselves sleepwalking into a new reality of permanently lower growth and higher debt.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Europe needs many more babies to avert a population disaster" posted at UK Guardian 8/22/15

Spain has one of the lowest fertility rates in the EU, with an average of 1.27 children born for every woman of childbearing age, compared to the EU average of 1.55. Its crippling economic crisis has seen a net exodus of people from the country, as hundreds of thousands of Spaniards and migrants leave in the hope of finding jobs abroad. The result is that, since 2012, Spain’s population has been shrinking.

Record numbers of economic migrants and asylum-seekers are seeking to enter the European Union this summer and are risking their lives in the attempt. The paradox is that as police and security forces battle to keep them at bay, a demographic crisis is unfolding across the continent. Europe desperately needs more young people to run its health services, populate its rural areas and look after its elderly because, increasingly, its societies are no longer self-sustaining.

In Portugal, the population has been shrinking since 2010. For many analysts, the question now is how low can it go, with projections by the National Statistics Institute suggesting Portugal’s population could drop from 10.5 million to 6.3 million by 2060. According to prime minister Pedro Passos Coelho: “We’ve got really serious problems.”

In Italy the retired population is soaring, with the proportion of over-65s set to rise from 2.7% last year to 18.8% in 2050. Germany has the lowest birthrate in the world: 8.2 per 1,000 population between 2008 and 2013, according to a recent study by the Hamburg-based world economy institute, the HWWI.

. . . Germany needs to welcome an average of 533,000 immigrants every year, which perhaps gives context to the estimate that 800,000 refugees are due to come to Germany this year.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "More people in Europe are dying than are being born" posted at Phys.org (Science X network) 1/14/16

Texas A&M Professor of Sociology Dudley Poston, along with Professor Kenneth Johnson, University of New Hampshire, and Professor Layton Field, Mount St. Mary's University, published their findings in Population and Development Review this month.

The researchers find that 17 European nations have more people dying in them than are being born (natural decrease), including three of Europe's more populous nations: Russia, Germany and Italy. In contrast, in the U.S. and in the state of Texas, births exceed deaths by a substantial margin.

Findings reveal that 58 percent of the 1,391 counties of Europe had more deaths than births compared to just 28 percent of the 3,141 counties of the U.S.

The researchers find that in Europe, deaths exceeded births in most of the counties of Germany, Hungary, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic, as well as in Sweden and the Baltic States. Further south, natural decrease is found occurring in the majority of the counties of Greece, Portugal and Italy.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "UN Report: Int’l. Migration Can Slow, But Not Reverse Europe’s Demographic Crisis" by Barbara Hollingsworth, CNSNews.com 1/14/16

“Europe added the second largest number of international migrants between 2000 and 2015 (20 million, or 1.3 million per year),” the UN report stated. Of those, 75 percent were between the ages of 20 and 64.

But even with this large influx of working-age immigrants, “old-age dependency ratios are projected to increase from 26 to 48 per 100 in Europe” - compared to 38 per 100 in North America by 2050.

“Because international migrants tend to include a larger proportion of working-age persons compared to the overall population, positive net migration can contribute to reducing old-age dependency ratios. However, international migration cannot reverse, or halt, the long-term trend toward population ageing,” the UN report stated.

A 2012 analysis by the Guttmacher Institute found that about a third of all pregnancies in Europe between 1995 and 2003 ended in abortion. Birth rates below the replacement level (2.1 children per woman) have created a demographic crisis in which a declining population of young workers is expected to support a growing number of elderly retirees.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Germany replaces Japan as country with world's lower birth rate" by Louis Doré, UK Independent 5/30/15

[Germany] has dropped below Japan to take the lowest birth rate globally, according to the study by the Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWI), prompting fears that labour market shortages could damage the economy.

The authors of the study also said that women’s participation in the workforce would be key to the country’s economic future, and warned that a shrinking working-age population could have negative effects.

The falling birth rate means the percentage of people of working age in the country - between 20 and 65 - would drop from 61 per cent to 54 per cent by 2030.

Mr Probst said the country needed young immigrant workers to fill the significant skills gap . . .

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Cardinal: Islam's goal is to conquer Europe by faith and 'birth rate'" by Gregory Tomlin, Christian Examiner 11/9/15

In countries like Austria, Finland, Ireland, Kosovo, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Serbia and the United Kingdom, Muslims are already outpacing non-Muslim birthrates by more than a full percentage point. By 2030, Muslims likely would have made up 8 percent of the continent's population – hardly enough though to tilt the scales in favor of Islam.

That figure, however, will likely be significantly higher now since hundreds of thousands of migrants have flooded into countries like Germany and France. Some countries, such as Great Britain, have also made allowances for Muslim families where a man has multiple wives.

"The main reasons for Islam's growth ultimately involve simple demographics. To begin with, Muslims have more children than members of the seven other major religious groups analyzed in the study. Each Muslim woman has an average of 3.1 children, significantly above the next-highest group (Christians at 2.7) and the average of all non-Muslims (2.3). In all major regions where there is a sizable Muslim population, Muslim fertility exceeds non-Muslim fertility," Pew [Research Center] said in a recent study.

"The growth of the Muslim population also is helped by the fact that Muslims have the youngest median age (23 in 2010) of all major religious groups, seven years younger than the median age of non-Muslims (30). A larger share of Muslims will soon be at the point in their lives when people begin having children. This, combined with high fertility rates, will accelerate Muslim population growth," Pew also said.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Pope Francis Scolds Selfish Europeans for NOT Procreating

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

'Allahu Akbar' Taught in Minn. School for Christmas

In the face of angry parents, officials of the Anoka-Hennepin County School District 11 are defending the choice of a multicultural "holiday" concert at Blaine (Minnesota) High School that included an out-of-season Islamic song of Ramadan with the all-to-familiar mandatory Muslim terrorist battle cry chant, which is translated "Allah is the greatest."

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

U.S. Schools Force Islamic Terror Singing, Posters

Islam Lesson Closes School: Virginia Parents Fume

Tennessee Students Taught Muslim Prayer of Conversion

Massachusetts Students Forced To Learn Muslim Conversion

Students Required to Pretend Being Muslim in Wisconsin

Teaching Christians Muslim Dress in Illinois School

Teaching Girls to Wear Muslim Hijab in California School

Georgia School: Learn Islam or Take Lower Grade

Pennsylvania School Staff to Mosque for Islamic Training

Florida School Teaches Islam Including Prayer Rugs

-- From "Anoka-Hennepin school holiday concert goes 'wonderfully' after stir over Islamic song" by Will Ashenmacher, TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press 12/19/15

Leading up to the Blaine High School holiday choir concert Thursday, criticism emerged on social media over the inclusion of the song "Eid Un Sa'Eid." . . . The nine-song concert also featured traditional Christian Christmas carols, like "Angels We Have Heard On High" and "Silent Night," as well as "Hanukkah Song," a traditional Jewish carol.

Students pick the songs for the concert, according to district spokeswoman Kay Villella.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and is considered by believers to be the month in which the Quran was first revealed to the prophet Mohammed. In 2015, Ramadan fell between June 17 and July 17.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Parents Question Choice To Sing ‘Allahu Akbar’ At Holiday Concert" by John Lauritsen, WCCO-TV4 CBS (Minneapolis, MN) 12/17/15

“Songs are not performed in a worship setting or to promote religion,” the district’s statement said. “but rather in [an] educational setting where students are learning and performing music.”

While the Ramadan song mentions brotherhood and peace, the district says that any student who doesn’t feel comfortable singing it doesn’t have to. Their grade will not be affected.

[A] parent, who didn’t want to be identified, told WCCO phone that considering the recent events in Paris and San Bernardino, singing a song about Allah would be “insensitive.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Dist. 11 fields complaints about inclusion of Ramadan song in BHS concert" by Olivia Alveshere, Staff Writer, ABC Newspapers 12/18/15

“Students are involved in selecting these songs,” according to the statement. “Students of many faiths contribute songs representing their culture to include in this portion of the program.”

“Eid un Sa’Eid” was included in the holiday program last year as well, according to Kay Villella, assistant director of communication and public relations. To her knowledge, the district did not receive complaints about the song last year.

“Everything went well last night,” Villella said.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Minnesota School Holiday Concert Includes Chants Of ‘Allahu Akbar’" by Blake Neff, Reporter, Daily Caller 12/17/15

The lyrics, in part, go as follows:

    All over the world
    Under the big-blue sky
    Muslims unite to worship Allah
    It’s a time of brotherhood, a time of peace
    Muslims are singing praises to Allah
    Allahu Akbar
    Allahu Akbar
    La Ilaaha Illa-Allahu
    Allahu Akbar
    Allahu Akbar
    Allahu Akbar wa Lillahil Hamd
    Families are gathering
    Remembering Allah
    And that His Love is the Greatest by far
    All Praise for You Allah

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Angry Muslims Demand School Holiday for Ramadan in New Jersey

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

Islam Lesson Closes School: Virginia Parents Fume

The mostly rural Augusta County School District in the Shenandoah Valley has been shut down due to citizen outrage over Cheryl LaPorte, a geography teacher at Riverheads High School near Staunton, Virginia, assigning ninth-graders to copy an Arabic script as an exercise in calligraphy.  After students aired concerns, the teacher admitted the translated text is the Shahada — the Islamic profession of faith.  In addition, the teacher insisted that girls in the class don a Muslim hijab (head scarf).

"There is no god but Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."
-- The Shahada (the most sacred pillar of Islam)

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

Tennessee Students Taught Muslim Prayer of Conversion

Massachusetts Students Forced To Learn Muslim Conversion

Students Required to Pretend Being Muslim in Wisconsin

U.S. Schools Force Islamic Terror Singing, Posters

Teaching Christians Muslim Dress in Illinois School

Teaching Girls to Wear Muslim Hijab in California School

Georgia School: Learn Islam or Take Lower Grade

Pennsylvania School Staff to Mosque for Islamic Training

Florida School Teaches Islam Including Prayer Rugs



-- From "Prayer in Islamic calligraphy closes Virginia schools" by Ed Adamczyk, UPI 12/18/15

At issue is an assignment demonstrating the artistic complexities of Arabic calligraphy, which included the Shahada, an Islamic proclamation of faith and a common phrase among Muslims during prayer.

The assignment has drawn complaints from parents that the school is promoting Islamic indoctrination. A community meeting was organized as well.

A statement from the school system, posted Thursday evening, said the "tone and content of those communications" caused the closures, and that "a different, non-religious sample of Arabic calligraphy will be used in the future."

Superintendent Eric Bond issued a statement Friday saying . . . there was "no specific threat of harm to students."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Lesson on Islam Shuts Down Virginia School District" by Liam Stack and Richard Pérez-Peña, New York Times 12/18/15

The district said that the number of phone calls and emails “significantly increased in volume” on Thursday as media coverage of the controversy increased. After consulting with Sheriff Fisher, the school board decided to cancel class across the entire district “based on concerns regarding the tone and content of those communications,” it said.

. . . Kimberly Herndon, a parent who has been an outspoken critic of the geography assignment, claimed on Facebook that the students “were instructed to denounce our Lord by copying this creed of Islam.”

“This evil has been cloaked in the form of multiculturalism,” she wrote, adding in a separate post that the students had been asked to write words that were “an abomination to their faith.”

“This creed is connected to jihad in that it is the chant that is shouted while beheading those of Christian faith,” Ms. Herndon wrote.

Despite the outcry, the district said it would continue to educate students about the world’s religious diversity as required by state education guidelines . . .

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Furor over Arabic assignment leads Virginia school district to close Friday" by Emma Brown and Moriah Balingit, Washington Post 12/18/15

. . . parents were outraged at what they saw as an attempt to proselytize Islam in a public school, a concern that has been echoed by parents in districts across the country over lessons about Islam. . . .

[Ms. Butterfield, a] parent in Fairfax County, Va., the state’s largest district, said her son received a similar assignment last year, when he was in fifth grade at Ravensworth Elementary; a Fairfax County schools spokesman did immediately respond to a request for comment Friday morning.

The social studies assignment asked him to read aloud the Islamic profession of faith, along with other verses from the Koran. To Butterfield, that crossed the line between teaching about religion and teaching religion.

If a similar lesson were taught within the context of any other major religion, she said – if you asked students to say that “Jesus is my one Lord,” for example – “someone is going to go bonkers over it.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "All schools shut down in Augusta County, Virginia, over Islam homework" by Ben Brumfield, CNN 12/18/15

Calls and emails flooded the school. Some of them demanded the teacher [Cheryl LaPorte] be fired for assigning it.

"I will not have my children sit under a woman who indoctrinates them with the Islam religion when I am a Christian," [parent Kimberly Herndon] said.

By Tuesday, like-minded parents and residents of the town of nearly 24,000 gathered in the sanctuary of Good Will Ministries to voice their grievances, including against the teacher.

As passions overflow, for fear of their potential effects, Augusta County Schools will remain shuttered over the weekend for all activities.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Augusta County school board responds to homework controversy" posted at WDBJ-TV7 (Roanoke, VA) 12/18/15

Eric Bond, division superintendent, is sending a message to parents on Friday afternoon on behalf of the school board. [excerpts:]

As a part of a high school world geography course and consistent with the Standards of Learning . . . an assignment on religion and culture in the unit on the Middle East involved an Islamic statement of faith, written in Arabic. . . .

In one class during their study of the Middle East, students were taught about the modest dress adopted by many in the Islamic faith and were invited to try on a scarf as a part of an interactive lesson about the Islamic concept of modest dress. . . .

Neither these lessons, nor any other lesson in the world geography course, are an attempt at indoctrination to Islam or any other religion, or a request for students to renounce their own faith or profess any belief. Each of the lessons attempts objectively to present world religions in a way that is interesting and interactive for students.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read what happens if there's any hint of Christian prayer in public schools and read about the latest battles in the war against Christmas in public schools.

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

NJ Atheist Official's Hissy Fit re: Christmas Tree

Charlene Storey, a Democrat councilwoman in Roselle Park, New Jersey, threw a temper tantrum and spontaneously resigned her post because the majority borough council voted to rename the "Holiday Tree Lighting" ceremony to the "Christmas Tree Lighting."  However, after a brief cooling off period, she rescinded her resignation in trade for the creation of a council diversity committee, which she will lead.

“People are offended because we use the word ‘Christmas.'  Well I feel offended when you tell me ‘holiday.' . . . it’s a Christmas tree.”
-- Mayor Carl Hokanson, Roselle Park, NJ

For background, read Angry Muslims Storm New Jersey School Board Demanding Holidays

Click headlines below to read previous articles:

Mississippi Town Defies Atheists' Anti-Christmas Demands

Georgia Sheriff's Christmas Sign Peeves Atheists

New Mexico Mayor Tells Atheists Nativity Scene Stays in Place

Texas Mayor Declares 'Year of the Bible'

Texas School Supt. Tells Atheists to Go Fly a Kite





-- From "Councilwoman rescinds resignation over ‘Christmas’ tree" by The Associated Press 12/6/15

Minutes after the Roselle Park council approved the [ceremony name] change Thursday night, Charlene Storey walked out of the meeting. She submitted a resignation letter, saying the borough’s decision to change the ceremony’s name from a “tree lighting” to a “Christmas tree lighting” favors one religion and “cuts non-Christians out of the loop.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "NJ Councilwoman Rescinds Resignation Over ‘Christmas’ Tree Lighting Ceremony" posted at WCBS-TV2 (New York, NY) 12/5/15

Earlier this week, the Roselle Park City Council voted 4 to 2 to change the name . . .

Storey, who was raised Catholic but describes herself as a non-believer, said she made the decision because she did not want to be a part of a city council that excluded other religions.

“I cannot in good conscience continue to be part of a council that is exclusionary or to work with a mayor who is such,” Storey said in her resignation letter.

She also sited the separation of church and state plus an increasingly diverse community.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Councilwoman & Mayor Release Joint Statement On The Rescinding Of Her Resignation" by Saul Qersdyn, Roselle Park News 12/5/15

The following statement was released by both Mayor Carl Hokanson and Councilwoman-At-Large Charlene Storey [excerpts]:

The new name of the event will remain in place, as approved by the council, the mayor and the councilwoman said. Storey still opposes the change.

Storey and Hokanson said a misunderstanding between them before this week’s council meeting led to each feeling blindsided at the session.

Hokanson said: “It was never my intent to insult anyone’s beliefs or religion. We live in an increasingly diverse community, and we have to come to grips with that fact.”

To read the entire statement above, CLICK HERE.

From "Councilwoman who quit over 'Christmas' tree rescinds resignation" by Tom Haydon and Jessica Remo, The Star-Ledger 12/5/15

[Mayor Carl Hokanson] said he's received dozens of calls and emails, most of them in support of the renaming of the Dec. 11 event.

"Just like the Easter Bunny is the Easter Bunny and not the Holiday Bunny," he said. "It was never my intent to insult anyone's beliefs or religion."

Hokanson said growing up in Roselle Park the event was always called a "Christmas Tree Lighting." Now, in his first year as mayor and master of ceremonies of the event, he wanted to change it back.

He said "Christmas" was removed from the name years ago after a lawsuit over Jersey City's holiday display.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Roselle Park councilwoman quits over 'Christmas' tree lighting" by Tom Haydon, The Star-Ledger 12/5/15

Storey said Mayor Carl Hokanson had briefly mentioned the idea of making the change several days ago. However, Storey said the resolution for the change was not listed on the agenda and she was surprised when it was brought up at the meeting.

She said she had checked other municipalities and only found events, tree lightings or holiday tree lightings, and none that included the word Christmas.

Hokanson said each municipality can use what title it wants to use. New York, he said, calls it a Christmas Tree lighting and another city may not.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Council Approves Mayor’s Request To Have A ‘Christmas Tree Lighting’" by Saul Qersdyn, Roselle Park News 12/4/15

“I’d like to have council’s permission to change it from the Annual Holiday [Tree] Lighting back to the Annual Christmas Tree Lighting if that’s all right with everybody,” stated Mayor Carl Hokanson at last night’s Mayor & Council meeting. He was referring to the popular winter annual event currently known as the Annual Holiday Tree Lighting And Gala which will be held next Friday. He announced his proposal by producing a flier he had included in every council member’s meeting packet which is usually distributed days before a meeting.

Councilwoman-At-Large Charlene Storey immediately commented, “Well, I’ve got to say Mr. Mayor, I have checked that out and every other town in the area calls it a holiday lighting or a tree lighting. I think that this is moving away from inclusiveness to exclusiveness so I cannot support that.”

Mayor Hokanson responded, “Well, again, that’s everybody else. That doesn’t have to be here. I’m just asking if that’s what everybody wants.”

As the meeting progressed, during the Borough Engineer’s report, Councilwoman Storey left the dais. Almost five minutes later, the Council President returned momentarily to pick up her coat and belongings then left the meeting for good without saying a word to anyone. Later on, Mayor Hokanson appointed Councilman Kelly – the longest sitting member of council – as the acting Council President.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Councilwoman Storey Provides Insight Into Decision To Resign" by Saul Qersdyn, Roselle Park News 12/5/15

Councilwoman-At-Large Charlene Storey issued a statement providing further details on her decision to resign her seat. [An excerpt from that] statement is included below. The councilwoman also addressed some additional questions in order to provide insight into a series of events and decisions that, in less than 24 hours, would have the second highest-ranking member of council and the only woman serving as an elected official call it a day over a single word.

. . . Had the name of this event never been changed to use a non-religious term, had it stayed with “Christmas” instead of being changed to “Holiday,” I could have accepted it as a cultural term. But to change it from a neutral term back to a religious one was clearly meant to put religion back into the public event. And to underscore religious division at this time in the nation and world is, to me, as wrong as wrong can be.

. . . All four members of the Council who voted for this are male, white, Catholic and members of the Knights of Columbus, a religious organization that every year posts a large sign urging, “Keep Christ in Christmas.” So I find it hard to accept that to them, a “Christmas” tree is a secular tree.

. . . I am a non-Christian and a non-believer. My husband and I are Humanists, as I’ve pointed out in campaign literature and in my bio on the Borough’s website. We believe it’s our duty to do good in this life as a matter of principle, not as a religious obligation.

To read the entire statement above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Christmas Tree Flyer Censored by New Hampshire School Supt.

And read Christmas Parties Banned at Univ. of Tennessee

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

Obama Defends Muslims, Gays RE: Church Terrorism

Speaking yesterday at the annual White House Iftar dinner to celebrate the "Muslim holy month of Ramadan," President Obama used the occasion of last week's domestic terror attack on a Christian Bible study/prayer meeting at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina to castigate Christians who recognize that the Gay Agenda and the Islamic Sharia law movement both aim to end religious liberty in America.

". . . around the world and here at home, there are those who seek to divide us by religion or race or sect. . . . [but] Together we can overcome ignorance and prejudice."
-- President Barack Hussein Obama

For background, read President Obama's track record on White House Ramadan celebrations.

Click headlines below to read previous articles:

President Obama Ignores Hate Crimes Against U.S. Christians

Texas Sharia Tribunal Judge Gives Prayer at Rodeo

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

President Obama a Christian? No, Say Two-Thirds of Americans

Vice President Biden Says 'Gay Rights' Trump Religious Beliefs

Also read about President Obama's most recent, and his annual declarations of June as Gay Agenda month.

-- From "Obama Hosts Annual Ramadan Dinner at White House" by Deb Riechmann, Associated Press 6/22/15

Obama opened the White House to Muslim Americans for a traditional iftar dinner, which follows daily fasting from dawn to sunset. Ramadan ends with the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr.

Obama spoke of three young Muslims who were killed Feb. 10 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and the nine black church members killed last week in Charleston, South Carolina.

"As Americans, we insist that nobody should be targeted because of who they are, what they look like, who they love, [emphasis added] how they worship," he said. "We stand united against these hateful acts."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Homosexualists' Terrorist Attack on Christians

From "Obama hosts Iftar dinner to mark Ramadan — and reach out to Muslims" by Steven Mufson, Washington Post 6/23/15

President Obama hosted an Iftar dinner Monday night to mark the Muslim holiday of Ramadan and to reach out to the roughly 1.5 billion Muslims around the world when much of the Islamic world is struggling with war, terrorism and economic challenges and when the United States remains embroiled in many of those conflicts.

Despite Obama's message of peace, the Middle East remains torn by conflict from the Islamic State fighters in Syria and Iraq to Saudi Arabia's air attacks on factions fighting for control of Yemen to the recent Taliban attack on Afghanistan's parliament building.

The president held up several Muslim Americans as models [including] Samantha Elauf, who went to the Supreme Court to defend the right to wear a hijab without sacrificing job opportunities at Abercrombie & Fitch. And she won, Obama noted

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Click headlines below to read about the Sharia movement in American schools:

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

From "Obama talks religious freedom, Charleston slayings at Iftar dinner" by Susan Crabtree, Washington Examiner 6/23/15

"The Koran teaches us that God's children tread gently on the earth," [President Obama] said. "…We affirm that whatever our faith, we are one family."

Reps. Andre Carson, D-Ind., and Keith Ellison, D-Minn., the only two Muslim members of Congress, were on hand for the dinner, along with Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.

Several prominent members of the diplomatic corps also attended, including: Lukman Al Faily, Iraqi ambassador to the U.S.; Hunaina Al Mughairy, ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the U.S.; Yousif Mana Saeed Al Otaiba, the United Arab Emirates ambassador to the U.S.; Sheikh Salem Al-Sabah, the Kuwaiti ambassador to the U.S., and Sami Alsadhan, the deputy chief of mission and charge d'Affaires at the Embassy of Saudi Arabia.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Obama laments 'distorted impression' of Muslims" by Ben Kamisar, The Hill 6/23/15

Obama lamented the "distorted impression" that many Americans have of Muslims.

"Here in America, many people personally don’t know someone who is Muslim. They mostly hear about Muslims in the news -- and that can obviously lead to a very distorted impression," Obama said.

He shared the story of protesters outside of an Arizona mosque who held up "offensive signs against Islam and Muslims. But when the congregants invited the protesters in to pray, some completely changed their minds.

"One demonstrator, who accepted the invitation later, described how the experience changed him; how he finally saw the Muslim American community for what it is -- peaceful and welcoming," Obama said.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Pennsylvania School Staff to Mosque for Islamic Training

From "Statement by the President on the Occasion of Ramadan" posted at The White House, Office of the Press Secretary 6/17/15

As the new crescent moon brings in the holy month of Ramadan, Michelle and I send our warmest greetings to all those observing the month of fasting in the United States and around the world.

It is also a deeply spiritual time of reflection and renewal meant to increase thankfulness and consciousness of God’s mercy. . . .

I once again look forward to welcoming American Muslims to the White House for our annual White House iftar dinner to honor the month of Ramadan and recognize the service of American Muslims from across the country.  From my family to yours, Ramadan Kareem.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read President Obama Compares Christians to Islamic Terrorists

And read President Obama Honors 9/11 Muslim Heroes at White House and also he Praises Islam for Making America What It Is

Penn. School Staff to Mosque for Islamic Training

Unbeknownst to taxpayers who funded it . . .

Fifty teachers and school administrators of Lebanon (Pennsylvania) School District bowed to chants of "Allahu Akbar" at the Lebanon Valley Mosque while attending an all-day in-service workshop.  School Superintendent Marianne T. Bartley, who participated, authorized the Islamic training to help the staff relate to the religious aspects of their Arabic students.

"We have so many students from different Hispanic countries, but slowly but surely the Arabic population is growing."
-- Fred Shattls, faculty

"I think this is the first time ever in the United States that a school district goes to a mosque."
-- Hamid Housni, Lebanon Valley Mosque

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

Students Required to Pretend Being Muslim in Wisconsin

Florida School Teaches Islam Including Prayer Rugs

Massachusetts Students Forced To Learn Muslim Conversion

Teaching Girls to Wear Muslim Hijab in California School

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

Also read myriad examples of Islamic indoctrination in American public schools

However, Ohio Taxpayers force Cancelation of Celebrate Islam Day at School



-- From "Lebanon Valley Mosque welcomes Lebanon School District staff" by John Latimer, Lebanon 6/8/15

It was the second year that the workshop was offered to the staff, according to Fred Shattls, director of the district's English as a Second Language department. The workshop was led by Mohamed Omar, a former teacher's aide and Arabic translator for the district who also served a year as president of the mosque.

Providing a course on Arabic culture and Islam is important, Shattls said, because the number of students from Middle Eastern countries in the district is growing and now totals 87. Most of them are from Eygpt and Morocco, two of the 33 countries represented by students in the district.

At noon, the teachers took a bus to the mosque, located not far away at 13th and Florence streets. Following Islamic practice, each took off their shoes before entering the prayer room where they took a seat on a maroon-colored carpet with intricate designs.

Omar, dressed in a suit and tie, spent about 20 minutes instructing the teachers on the many facets of Islam, including some nearly identical to Christianity, like the belief that all who are faithful to the religion will one day be called before God who will judge them to determine if they will go to Heaven or Hell.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Compare this public school acceptance of Islam to myriad examples of rejection of Christianity.

From "School Staff Trained On Islam, BOWS TO ALLAH At Local Mosque On Taxpayer Dime" by Eric Owens, Education Editor, Daily Caller 6/10/15

Approximately 50 teachers and officials from Pennsylvania’s recently gathered at a taxpayer-funded workshop during church services at a local Baptist church to learn about the problems Christian children face in today’s secular educational environment.

No, wait. Scratch that. That didn’t happen. That’s totally wrong.

Instead, approximately 50 teachers and staffers in the town of Lebanon, Pa. attended a workshop at a local mosque to learn all about Islam and Arab culture, EAGnews.org reports.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

In addition, read President Obama Praises Islam for Making America What It Is and then he also Compares Christians to Islamic Terrorists

And read President Obama Ignores Hate Crimes Against U.S. Christians so it's no surprise that Muslims Killing Christians Doesn't Make Headline