Children across the country are returning to school. In Albuquerque, students are being introduced to the Goldie Hawn Foundation’s Mind Up program, where students are asked to engage in a relaxation method based on Buddhism. Students in Wichita, Kansas at the Minneha Core Knowledge Magnet Elementary school were greeted by a bulletin board featuring the five pillars of Islam.
A photograph of the bulletin board, reportedly taken on the first day of school Wednesday, was posted over the weekend on a Facebook page titled “Prepare to Take America Back.”
The district issued a statement Monday responding to concerns about the bulletin board.
“Minneha Core Knowledge Magnet students cover the five major religions of the world – Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam – as part of their Core Knowledge magnet curriculum,” the statement said.
“The students study civilizations throughout time, throughout the world, and cover religion with a focus on the history and geography in the development of civilizations.
“The bulletin board that originally caused the concern does represent the 5 Pillars of Islam – in a historical context of their studies. There is also a painting of the Last Supper hanging in the school as part of the study of art and the Renaissance period. The students at Minneha have received these lessons for years as part of their Core Knowledge curriculum.”
The Five Pillars are five basic acts in Islam, considered obligatory by believers. They are: the confession of faith, prayerful worship, fasting during the month of Ramadan, charitable giving, and a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime.
The Problem is Not Just in Kansas…
Brevard Public School district, home to approximately 70,000 students, currently uses a Prentice Hall textbook titled “World History” for many 9th grade classes. According to reports, the history book is popular throughout the state of Florida, with roughly 50% of the state’s high school students using it in recent years. The Brevard district alone owns 5,000 copies of the $80 book.However, during the public comment time of the school board’s July 23rd meeting, a number of local residents voiced concerns regarding the Prentice Hall history book. According to meeting minutes posted on the school district’s website, half a dozen individuals testified before the board about the textbook situation.
At issue with the textbook is its unbalanced treatment of the major monotheistic world religions. Critics say the book focuses heavily on the basic tenants of Islam, with much less emphasis on Christianity, Judaism, or any other faith. As reported by various outlets, World History features long passages from the Koran, but does not cite a single verse from the Bible. One teacher’s edition of the book even recommends that teachers assign students excerpts of the Koran to personally read. In addition, the book describes Muhammed as “God’s messenger,” but—in contrast—mentions Jesus by saying, “Some believe he was the messiah.” And those who have reviewed the book say it devotes 36 pages to describing Islam, but only three paragraphs to Christianity.
Representative Ritch Workman—a Florida state legislator representing the Melbourne area—testified before the Brevard Public School board last month, criticizing the book’s unbalanced treatment of world religions.
“[The textbook is] remarkably offensive to me,” Workman said, according to Orlando’s WESH.com. “This book very much sugarcoats the rise of Islam to be this wonderful new world order while teaching Christianity as dogmatic.”
Dr. William Saxton is chairman of the Citizens for National Security—an organization committed to identifying and preventing Islamic extremism in the United States. During the July 23rd meeting, Saxton told members of the board, “You are using an Islam-biased, flawed textbook that has neither partially nor fully been corrected.”
“They promote Islam at the expense of Christianity and Judaism,” Saxton toldFox News. “It blew my mind to see the kind of propaganda, the pro-Islam information that’s in this book—at the expense of Christianity and Judaism.”
In a recent statement, a spokeswoman for Brevard Public Schools defended the controversial textbook, saying “an analysis of one textbook cannot provide a balanced understanding as to what the students in Brevard Public Schools are learning throughout their academic careers.”
Robin Miller, who is going into her second year teaching at Eau Gallie High School, said she noticed that the book referenced Islam more than Christianity when she used it in class. “There was more discussion of the Muslim aspects, but I attributed it to it being more focused on the world and other cultures than our own,” she said.
The textbook in question is not scheduled to be replaced for another three years. It was selected for adoption by a district committee that included parents and educators.
Parents must be ever vigilant in reviewing what their children are being taught. Most Christian parents are not able to home school their children or send them to Christian schools because of either time or money (or both). That does not mean they must remain silent. The enemy understands the value of our children and that if he can effect their education and “core” values, he will win their hearts.
1 Tim 4:1-2
Lord God have mercy on America, protect your people apostasy.
An Arab, follower of Jesus Christ.
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