Friendswood (TX) principal fired for trying to educate

[babylonsister]

Principal has new job after 'Islam 101' controversy
Parents outraged over assembly allowed by Friendswood Junior High leader

By ERICKA MELLON
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle


The Friendswood Junior High principal who outraged some parents by allowing an Islamic group to make a 40-minute presentation to students last month is now off the job.

In a two-sentence statement sent late Wednesday, the school district said Robin Lowe "has accepted another administrative position effective immediately."

The news drew relief from some who were incensed by the May 22 presentation and concern from others who considered the assembly a good way for students in the predominantly Anglo Christian school to learn about other cultures.

About 875 seventh- and eighth-grade students attended the presentation given by two women with the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Houston, according to the school district.

The president of the nonprofit council, Tarek Hussein, said he contacted Lowe about conducting an educational presentation after hearing from a father who said his son was physically attacked at the school because he is Muslim.

"It was physical harassment. I believe the boy has a medical report," Hussein said, declining to provide details of the incident because he did not have the family's consent.

Officials with CAIR have described the presentation as "Islam 101." But parents and community members began flooding the district with complaints after the assembly became a hot topic on Houston talk-radio station 950 AM.

more...

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5819725.html

[hvn_nbr_2]

1. Can't have kids learning about Islam. They might not hate as much. nt

[Sal Minella]

2. Yes. We don't want anything at a school to tamper with natural ignorance.

[A HERETIC I AM]

3. How DARE they allow a group to talk about a religion based on the god of Abraham!?!

...ummm...er......

never mind.


I'm curious to know how many of those that raised the stink realize that Islam reveres the same god as christianity.

Stupid fucks

edited for sentence structure

[Chloroplast]

4. Surprise. They're advocating intolerance in a publically funded school.

[my2sense]

5. How else will children

learn to accept and appreciate other cultures unless they are exposed to them. This is ridiculous and why so much hate/fear exists towards those that are different.

[TheMadMonk]

12. What are you? Some sort of bleeding heart liberal?

Whatever may be cast in bronze/carved in stone at the base of Lady Liberty, the sad truth is the United States is a society built on a foundation of intolerance, xenophobia and exploitation.

Apart from a few brief interludes of near rationality, the behaviour of the United States, both towards its own citizens and on the world stage can only be characterised as pathologically insane.

Perhaps that isn't quite fair, since most other nations/societies can be characterised the same way, at least at some point in their history. The United States simply stands out now, because of its military might and (now declining) economic power.

The underlying problem seems to me to be individuals or groups who have amassed sufficient wealth and power that they are able to coerce (be it with wages or the naked fist) others into doing their dirty work for them.

[Maat]

6. This story just made me sick.

The local mosque has taken to having open house days to educate our city's residents. I take my daughter to educate about Islam. It's been a wonderful experience.

It's so sad to see people willfully choosing ignorance, and punishing those who merely wish to educate.

[mtowngman]

7. just wondering..

how much Houston talk-radio station 950 AM inflamed this, anyone know that station?

[Igel]

8. A week old, but still a goodie.

The assembly wasn't authorized. Classes--the usual education--was cancelled.

"On Saturday, Friendswood Superintendent Trish Hanks sent a memo to parents and community members saying that she had authorized the presentation for staff only — not for students. She said she had asked her deputy superintendent, Sherry Green, to express that sentiment to Lowe."

One report said that after the controversy erupted, the principal asked to be reassigned. Whether this was "voluntary asking" or not, dunno.

In any event, "principal fired for not abiding by school board and administrative policy and decisions" seems to cover it.

[Bob Dobbs]

11. Well, then, it was right to fire him for attempting to educate

students about the reality of Islam.

Damn him for attempting to foment tolerance and acceptance of "our enemies".

[Rage for Order]

9. Good

"Islam" is no more a culture than is "Christianity". Had the 7th and 8th graders been forced to attend a 40 minute presentation on Christianity this board would be lit up with posts about how they're trying to indoctrinate our children, the wall of separation between church and state had been breached, people were trying to force their religion down other people's throats, and more than one person would recommend that someone contact the ACLU to get this shit out of the public schools since it was being funded by our tax dollars. The double standard is interesting, to say the least.

ETA: I'm sure the people protested for all the wrong reasons, i.e. hatred of all things Muslim, but the underlying principle is the same. Unless you're going to support a group of Evangelicals having a captive audience of public school students for 40 minutes, you can't complain about this.

[Fumesucker]

21. I agree

If the principal had allowed a Christian group to come in and educate about Christianity there would be many here condemning the principal.

I guess a double standard is better than no standard at all..

FWIW, I'm not at all religious.

[damntexdem]

10. Where does that elitist get off, trying to educate Texans?

He should know better.

[alarimer]

13. fucking ignorant pieces of shit.

Sometimes (ok, most of the time) I hate Americans. Of course it would be Texas. I see this crap all the time here.

[my2sense]

14. This is some

of the most backwards ass backwards BS I've heard of......SMDH.

[devilgrrl]

15. I had this great teacher in 9th grade that taught us about Islam, Hinduism, etc...

in a general sense to better, describe whatever part of the world we were studying at the time. He was such a wonderful teacher, I've retained so much of the information he taught us and that was 30 years ago.

[weezy2736]

16. Good, I wouldn't want any kid of mine learning about acceptance or equality.

Jeebus, Batman, what's wrong with America?

[TexasObserver]

17. An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen

It's a tale told over and over. Sometimes the villagers show their ugly, petty, ethnocentric side.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

18. Hell, we were confined in a school assembly listening to an evangelist.

His name is James Robison. He is still on TV.

In high school (1971) he gave an entire sermon to our high school class about "the best friend you'll ever have" without ever mentioning God or Jesus. Absolutely horrible way to get around the law.

[DemoTex]

19. Oh, the ironies!

1. Friendswood was founded in 1895 by members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). The Quakers, in my mind, are the epitome of tolerance and peace.

2. The Friendswood area was later "developed" by the Friendswood Development Corporation (then a subsidiary of Exxon). Exxon has made gazillions exploiting Islamic regions around the world (mid-east, Indonesia, etc.).

[LeftishBrit]

20. In the UK...

children are expected, as part of the curriculum, to learn something about all the world's major religions.

[JCMach1]

22. At my daughter's British school in the UAE, Muslim students

sang and participated in the Christmas music program (including religious songs)... When Christian holidays coincide with various religious celebrations here, lights and decorations (placed by the municipalities) are left-up until after both holidays.

Please note, UAE Muslims tend to be of the conservative (Wahabbi variety).

On the whole, it seems like they are less close-minded concerning religion than our American cousins in Friendwood.