Virginia parents shut down school over Arabic calligraphy homework

[Sizzily 14,574]

21 minutes ago, CustomGueseppi said:

If they're learning about Islam I'm fairly sure the 5 pillars of Islam is one of your first lessons. 

I remember in my freshman year of high school, we did learn those. We also learned about Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.

Teachers don't tell kids which religion to believe but its important to learn where they come from. Religion has had a huge part in civilization.

Plus, this is just homework, I doubt the kids or the teacher even know what those words mean (I know I don't). Calligraphy was one of the only interesting things when were learning about Arabic civilizations. And the food seemed cool.

[LebaneseDude 6,146]

Just now, Simon said:

Well, you should still learn about it. I personally think that Arab is a really poetic language. 

It used to be. Not anymore.

[LebaneseDude 6,146]

3 minutes ago, Spooky said:

No, you can totally choose to not do a homework assignment and receive zero punishment. A teacher isn't going to fail you for the year just because you didn't wanna copy a drawing into a box. It is not forced. 

Overreaction, much? 

Is that your defense? Really? 

A student has to take a zero on an assignment because they do not wish to write the Islamic statement of religious intolerance?

I can't believe you would agree to that. 

How about not having to begin with in a goddamn secular school?

****... now I get why American Christians are getting pissed.

 

[Melech 9,900]

2 minutes ago, LebaneseDude said:

It used to be. Not anymore.

Languages always change and each eras has its beauties. 

[lego 44,165]

1 minute ago, Sister said:

I can not see how they can actually, but I know that they do teach at least the basics in middle school, because I have seen some homework assignments on it myself.

Maybe it should be optional because of the sensitive parents... these are the basics of Islam, it's 1st pillar out of 5.

Lets say there wouldn't be calligraphy homework; but instead students would need to memorize/name these 5 pillars and say what they mean and if the same parents find out, would it be "you made my son utter these words, you're trying to convert him!"

I mean where do you draw the line? Then it's just better not to teach any religion.

[Sister 9,907]

1 minute ago, SubRosa said:

Maybe it should be optional because of the sensitive parents... these are the basics of Islam, it's 1st pillar out of 5.

Lets say there wouldn't be calligraphy homework; but instead students would need to memorize/name these 5 pillars and say what they mean and if the same parents find out, would it be "you made my son utter these words, you're trying to convert him!"

I mean where do you draw the line? Then it's just better not to teach any religion.

Religion should not be taught in school at all, just as the educational system claims that it should not and is not.

[LebaneseDude 6,146]

6 minutes ago, Simon said:

Languages always change and each eras has its beauties. 

The irony being that most notable modern non-Islamic Arabic literature are from the Levant.

[LebaneseDude 6,146]

33 minutes ago, CustomGueseppi said:

If they're learning about Islam I'm fairly sure the 5 pillars of Islam is one of your first lessons. 

First of all, it's a world geography class.

Second of all, this is a secular high school. You don't teach about religion in non-religious subjects.

[Spooky 501]

1 minute ago, LebaneseDude said:

It used to be. Not anymore.

 

1 minute ago, LebaneseDude said:

Is that your defense? Really? 

A student has to take a zero on an assignment because they do not wish to write the Islamic statement of religious intolerance?

I can't believe you would agree to that.

How about not having to begin with in a goddamn secular school?

 

You're making this into something it's not. Obviously, if it made it into the curriculum, it was approved by the school board and seen for exactly what it is: studying language and culture, which is part of that class. I don't know if you know how the grading system works in America, but homework is never graded on the same level as something like a test or an assigned project. If the student really didn't want to write the phrase, which seemed like only a small part of what the entire assignment on the workbook page was, they could answer all the other questions and skip that one. It wouldn't affect their grade for the semester at all, just on that one particular homework assignment out of the hundred or so homework assignments they receive throughout the school year. It's insignificant, but sure! Let's all view everything to do with a religion that's not ours with vitriol, because that's sooooo productive! 

[Melech 9,900]

5 minutes ago, LebaneseDude said:

The irony being that most notable modern non-Islamic Arabic literature are from the Levant.

so?

[LebaneseDude 6,146]

4 minutes ago, Spooky said:

 

You're making this into something it's not. Obviously, if it made it into the curriculum, it was approved by the school board and seen for exactly what it is: studying language and culture, which is part of that class. I don't know if you know how the grading system works in America, but homework is never graded on the same level as something like a test or an assigned project. If the student really didn't want to write the phrase, which seemed like only a small part of what the entire assignment on the workbook page was, they could answer all the other questions and skip that one. It wouldn't affect their grade for the semester at all, just on that one particular homework assignment out of the hundred or so homework assignments they receive throughout the school year. It's insignificant, but sure! Let's all view everything to do with a religion that's not ours with vitriol, because that's sooooo productive! 

The **** is your point?

This is a homework assignment in a high school.

The class is not even Islam 101. It's "World Geography". If you want to teach people about Islamic culture in a GEOGRAPHY class there are a million other ways to do it in a non-controversial manner.

There's also a huge ****ing difference between teaching students Arabic calligraphy in an attempt to teach them about Islamic culture, and making them write out the Islamic statement of religious intolerance.

The entire point is you don't ****ing force children of different faiths to write that statement in a secular high school, no matter the intent or subject material.

It doesn't matter if it's worth 0.1%. It's simply inappropriate and the teacher should be reprimanded immediately.

[LebaneseDude 6,146]

Anyone have a valid counterargument other than "Islamophobia" and "Get over it"?

Of course not.

[Katharine Hepburn 4,607]

16 minutes ago, Sister said:

Religion should not be taught in school at all, just as the educational system claims that it should not and is not.

That just breeds ignorance  obviously you shouldn't force religion on children but everyone should have basic understanding of major world religions.

[LebaneseDude 6,146]

6 minutes ago, CustomGueseppi said:

That just breeds ignorance  obviously you shouldn't force religion on children but everyone should have basic understanding of major world religions.

That "basic understanding" does not and should not include their tenants.

You teach them about the culture, not the specifics of their faith, especially in a subject that is not devoted to religion itself.

[MJHolland 12,725]

I can't @ the Islamic excuse makers on this site.

Let's hold all religions equally. Parents have the right to get upset if their kid is mandated to say a pray or declaration of faith; that includes Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. End of story.