I am not againist it but I certainly would like to be informed if I wa a parent. For a school to take the liberty of introducing this with out dicussing with parents of the students is just completely wrong. We should have a say as to what our children learn!

The link you provided is not working. However, I have found a summary on another page: BRAVE NEW SCHOOLS Texas children roped into Islamic training Class by CAIR teaches: 'There is one god, Allah' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted: May 30, 2008 1:00 am Eastern By Bob Unruh © 2008 WorldNetDaily Friendswood Junior High Public school students at Friendswood Junior High in the Houston area have been roped into Islamic training by representatives from the Council on American-Islamic Relations during class time, prompting religious leaders to protest over Principal Robin Lowe's actions. Pastor Dave Welch, spokesman for the Houston Area Pastor Council, confirmed the indoctrination had taken place and called it "unacceptable." "The failure of the principal of Friendswood Junior High to respect simple procedures requiring parental notification for such a potentially controversial subject, to not only approve but participate personally in a religious indoctrination session led by representatives of a group with well-known links to terrorist organizations and her cavalier response when confronted, raises serious questions about her fitness to serve in that role," the pastors' organization said. According to a parent, whose name was withheld, the children were given the Islamic indoctrination during time that was supposed to be used for a physical education class. "I am simply trying to get the word out to those whose kids may not have told them about an Islamic presentation that all kids were required to attend," wrote the parent, who was working to assemble protests to the school board. WND previously has reported how public school textbooks used across the nation have begun promoting Islam, teaching even the religious doctrines. WND also has reported on several other schools that have taught Islam as a required subject. In the Texas case, a school e-mail to parents provided only a half-hearted acknowledgement that such mandatory religious indoctrination might not have been the best decision. =========== My comments: 1)The principal should be in BIG trouble. S/he did not obtain parental permission for the lecture, which was made compulsory to all students AND took the place of a scheduled Physical Education class. All these are breaches of the law, and should lead to action on behalf of the authorities. 2)I have no objection to a presentation of Islamic beliefs, as long as other beliefs are also presented in subsequent lectures. Islam should not get preferential treatment. 3)If there are no scheduled religious comparison classes, then these lectures could be held at lunchtime and be optional for students to attend. The giving of this sort of preference to Islam is not a good thing. Next thing, Fundamentalist Mormons, Moonies and Druids could also ask for equal time. I am Australian, and I thought that this sort of presentation, within school time, was illegal under US law. If the Islamic council has been given permission to do this, this opens up the door to religious teaching across the board, in school time, as there is in much of Australia.

I think that religion should be a topic in schools again. I think that PE shouldn't be mandatory as it is in some states like IL and they need to have a social/cultural learning requirement to take us farther into the global community. I feel that the teachers making the class learn about it are doing a good thing, but doing it in the wrong way...kind of like our enterance into iraq. I fully condone learning about all religions and when I have children of my own, I'll raise them muslim but if they want to learn about other religions I will help them do so for the sake of learning. I think that the statement above about making them take part in an islamic indoctrination makes me nervous though...the only thing that would count as far as that goes is the Shahadah and it's not something to be taken lightly. If someone is teaching the religion, it means they should understand the religion, and if htey understand the power that the Shahadah carries, they wouldn't make school children say it without having their parents there to witness such wonderful thing.

Although I applaud the school for introducing the children to information they might have never been able to attain otherwise, the way it was executed leaves a lot to be desired.