Another Islam in schools controversy. Does this go too far? Or is it necessary to show how other people live? http://www.courier-journal.com/stor...heet-sharia-law-irks-school-parents/96660192/ Worksheet on 'Sharia law' irks school parents Kirsten Clark , @kirstenlmclark Published 6:56 p.m. ET Jan. 17, 2017 | Updated 8:10 p.m. ET Jan. 17, 2017 New Albany-Floyd County Schools is reviewing its curriculum after parents complained about a worksheet on Sharia law recently assigned to Highland Hills Middle School students. Wochit Child writing by hand on notepad (Photo: Bigandt_Photography, Getty Images/iStockphoto) Parents in Southern Indiana are upset by a middle school worksheet's portrayal of "Sharia law," which they say casts the Islamic code in a positive light while ignoring human rights violations and the oppression of women. The way that the worksheet is left would be like describing how effective Hitler was at nationalizing Germany and creating patriotism but leaving out that he slaughtered 6 million Jews," said Dean Hohl, one of several parents who spoke out against the assignment at a recent New Albany-Floyd County school board meeting. He added: "Im just not OK with my daughter or any child that age leaving class with the understanding that anything about Sharia law is OK. The worksheet, assigned to seventh-graders at Highland Hills Middle School, presents a passage written by a fictional 20-year-old Saudi woman named Ahlima, who feels "very fortunate" to live under Sharia law in Saudi Arabia. She writes about how she will soon become a man's second wife and explains her modest dress: "I understand that some foreigners see our dress as a way of keeping women from being equal, but ... I find Western women's clothing to be horribly immodest. That document by itself, its almost propaganda, said Jon Baker, whose daughter also received the worksheet. If you read that, you would think everythings wonderful in that world. Bill Briscoe, a spokesman for the district, said the curriculum is being reviewed in light of the complaints, per district policy. The same worksheet, created by InspirEd Educators Inc., caused a controversy when it was used at a middle school in Smyrna, Ga., in 2011. Sharon Coletti, the creator of the worksheet and president of InspirEd Educators, said she received death threats and was accused of "indoctrinating" children at the time. Coletti, who is a Christian and longtime educator, said in an interview with the Courier-Journal that she wasn't trying to indoctrinate anyone. She said she was just trying to create a lesson that was more engaging than dry, expository text pulled from a textbook. If I can shape something so that kids have to decide for themselves, once I get them involved in the situation, they never forget it, she said. She added later: "I want (students) to be patriotic. I want them to be problem-solvers." But she said that she will remove the worksheet from the curriculum going forward because of unwanted media attention. Hohl said his daughter told him that the purpose of the assignment at Highland Hills was to help students identify stereotypes. He said he travels often for work to Malaysia, where Sharia courts play a role in the judicial system, according to the CIA World Factbook. Hohl said he doesnt have a problem with Islam but with extremism, and he wants his daughter to understand the difference between moderate Muslims and extremists. If I can shape something so that kids have to decide for themselves, once I get them involved in the situation, they never forget it.
It's one thing to educate kids on what Sharia law actually is, it's another to sugarcoat the living conditions of a nation like Saudi Arabia.
Having read the entire article, including the explanation from the producer of the worksheet of the context it is designed to be used in, I think the objections are just knee-jerk reactions based on ignorance and ingrained subconscious bias. What most non-Muslims this when they hear the word “Sharia” isn’t a full and complete understanding of the principles, or the wide variation in how and where it is applied in different places and different contexts. The irony is that this is an attempt to provide balance information about to give that wider understanding but there seems to be a resentment against children being taught something their parents don’t think is true (even where the parents are wrong). I think this is best represented by two quotes from the same parent (Dean Hohl) who on one had says “he doesn’t have a problem with Islam but with extremism, and he wants his daughter to understand the difference between “moderate Muslims” and extremists” but on the other says "I’m just not OK with my daughter – or any child that age – leaving class with the understanding that anything about Sharia law is OK”.
Of course anyone who thinks about it is no fan of some of the horrific dictates of Sharia. The funny thing is that Mormon Fundies share too many of the dictates of Sharia and therecare TV shows about "sister wives" and women only allowed to wear prairie dresses and go out " to town"! only if their "shared husband" gives them permission. Hey look at it this way the Mormons got their "religion" from a UFO pilot and Mo got hus from a black rock.
Hey look at it this way the Mormons got their "religion" from a UFO pilot... Joseph Smith was a UFO pilot???
