RE: 7th Graders Islam Studies Spark Hate Mail, Lawsuits

["Philip Cook" <pcook@uidaho.edu>]

The latest AP story regarding the California lawsuit is copied at the 
end of this message (for educational purposes only).

The history textbook at the root of this controversy is "Across the 
Centuries" published by Houghton Mifflin. The contents, lessons, 
etc., can be viewed at http://www.eduplace.com/ss/hmss/7/. The 
history-social science content standards for the 7th grade in 
California, where a lawsuit has been filed, can be found at 
http://www.cde.ca.gov/standards/history/grade7.html.

IMHO, the textbook and the standards appear to be quite balanced 
in their presentations of different religions' influences on civilizations 
and cultures throughout history.

Whether or not teachers in some schools in California taught only 
certain chapters, embellished particular learning activities, or met 
only selected state standards to the exclusion of others is not 
readily determinable from reliable published resources. I guess the 
court will determine those facts in the case now before it. 

Philip Cook
Moscow, ID

---copied material follows (for educational purposes only)----

The Associated Press State & Local Wire 

The materials in the AP file were compiled by The Associated 
Press. These materials may not be republished without the 
express written consent of The Associated Press. 

                                    July 6, 2002, Saturday, BC cycle 

 SECTION: State and Regional 

 LENGTH: 246 words 

 HEADLINE: Families sue Byron school district over study of Islam 

 DATELINE: BYRON, Calif. 

 BODY: 
 Two families have filed suit against the Byron Union School 
District, saying students were taught the Islamic religion in violation
 of the constitution. 

 The suit was filed in federal court in San Francisco June 24 by the 
Ann Arbor, Mich. -based Thomas More Center for Law and
 Justice. 

 The suit alleges that students in a seventh-grade class at 
Excelsior School were required to participate in simulation 
exercises
 including wearing traditional Muslim clothing and memorizing 
Islamic prayers. 

 Richard Thompson, executive director and chief counsel for the 
center, said the district's teaching methods were unacceptable. 

 "Is this education or indoctrination? You can teach about religion, 
but you can't cross the line and promote one religion over
 another," he said. "The textbook and simulation workbook used in 
Byron and many schools in California crossed way over the
 constitutional line in regard to religion." 

 Byron Superintendent Peggy Green said the district is adhering to 
state guidelines and said the district did not plan to stop using
 the Houghton-Mifflin-published textbook "Across the Centuries" 
because she said it's the only state-approved history book for
 seventh-graders. 

 The suit seeks to have the court find that the district violated the 
Establishment Clause of the First Amendment concerning
 separation of church and state, to prohibit the district from funding 
and implementing simulations of Islam and monetary damages
 and legal fees.