Arabic public school divides Brooklyn

[jbg]

This article highlights a disturbing trend in both our countries.

I just got finished reading Randy Jorgenson's excellent book Circle of Six . This article was enough to make me positively nauseous.

Circle of Six, a book which I'd almost make required reading, is about an infamous Muslim attack on civilization on April 14, 1972. I personally wonder why the author why he says the "Black Muslim" doctrine has nothing to do with Islam since September 11 taught us differently.

The Black Muslims generated a phony "officer needs assistance" phone call, luring police officers into Mosque Number 7, on the corner of Lenox Avenue and 116th Street in Manhattan. Officers and detectives from the 28th Precinct responded. One officer was shot to death and the others badly beaten and stomped. The Mayor, Police Commissioner, a Congressman, a high-ranking police officer (all charged with the safety of the general public and of those charged with the well-being of police officers) a radical Muslim Imam (and one I can't remember since I'm typing this at a location where the book isn't) were the "Circle of Six". They ensured that the persons responsible for this atrocity were not brought to justice, and jointly conspired to ruin the lives of the detectives who sought to restore regularity to the investigation and solution of this crime.

Now, we have the spectacle of a pandering Mayor and now Board of Education seeking to foist the cost of teaching a dangerous, and indeed treasonous ideology to young, impressionable students. When, and not if these students are responsible for the deaths of innocent people, Bloomberg and the Board of Education will have blood on their hands.

Arabic public school divides Brooklyn

(link)

Controversies include 'Intifada' affair, meagre enrolments, textbooks mostly unreadable

TheStar.com - World - Arabic public school divides Brooklyn

September 02, 2007

Jennifer Gould Keil

Special to the Star

NEW YORK—This city's first Arabic public school opens this week, and already it has created enough controversy to cast its ultimate future in doubt.

(snip)

Then, the woman hired as principal, Debbie Almontaser, resigned after the New York Post reported that she wore an "Intifada NYC" T-shirt. Instead of condemning the word intifada — a call for violence in the Middle East — Almontaser told the scrappy tabloid that the slogan was not meant to inflame hatred and to encourage violence but was instead meant to tell women to "shake off" oppression.

That didn't sit well with New Yorkers still shell-shocked from 9/11. The president of New York's United Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, condemned Almontaser's comments and called the T-shirts "warmongering."

Almontaser was replaced by interim principal, Danielle Salzberg. She is Jewish and does not speak Arabic but did work with the non-profit New Visions for Public Schools, which helped establish the Arabic school. Now, no one is happy.

Mayor Mike Bloomberg has publicly stated his support for the school, but a group called "Stop the Madrassa" and other critics say the city has not shared enough information about the curriculum and the content of the textbooks. The main fears are that the school could be a city-funded way to radicalize and indoctrinate youth, and that no one outside the school would be able to properly monitor what was going on if the textbooks and classes are in a language city officials can't understand.

While Almontaser publicly said the school would have no religious content, she had asked for a halal cafeteria, meaning the food served in the publicly funded cafeteria would have to be permitted under Islamic law. The city rejected the request.

Almontaser also wanted students to converse with retired Arabic-speaking community members during lunch breaks, but the city said they’d have to go through a background check first.

How to find a new principal is puzzling and daunting. Will discriminatory practices be used in hiring a new principal? Is the city looking to hire an Arab? An Arabic speaker? Will the next principal, if female, be veiled or unveiled?

"That's an interesting question," says education department spokesperson Melody Meyer. "I'll get back to you on that one."

New Yorkers are asking themselves whether they actually need an Arabic school, especially since only 44 children enrolled (there is room for 60 students) and just six of the children speak the language.

(snip)

"I don't see the necessity of an Arabic school filled with non-Arabic speaking students. I thought we had a separation between church and state," she wrote.

(snip)

"This is a city that saw Ari Halberstam shot to death on the Brooklyn Bridge after his assailant, Rashid Baz, listened to a sermon at the Islamic Society of Bay Ridge. And more recently saw a clerk at an Islamic bookstore in Bay Ridge, Shahawar Matin Siraj, convicted of a plot to blow up the Herald Square subway station."

Edited October 9, 2007 by jbg

[jdobbin]

This article highlights a disturbing trend in both our countries.

Thank you for sending me this post without the highlights. I just finished reading it.

I don't know too much about the school or the controversy about the attack. Does the school represent a threat in your view?

Edited October 9, 2007 by jdobbin

[jbg]

Thank you for sending me this post without the highlights. I just finished reading it.

I don't know too much about the school or the controversy about the attack. Does the school represent a threat in your view?

I think that any Balkanization of society in the educational system constitutes a threat. I think that when there's a war of any kind going on with a particular culture, allowing textbooks that members of the general public cannot read borders on insanity.

[jdobbin]

I think that any Balkanization of society in the educational system constitutes a threat. I think that when there's a war of any kind going on with a particular culture, allowing textbooks that members of the general public cannot read borders on insanity.

What do you think about the Ontario Conservative party extending funding to religious schools. Do you think that is a danger?

[jbg]

What do you think about the Ontario Conservative party extending funding to religious schools. Do you think that is a danger?

I'm actually extremely unhappy with that idea for the same reasons. I don't hear McGuinty talking about abolishing the separate Catholic system, but I feel that should be done. I believe that even the religious groups should not want government entanglement since eventually the provider of the funds will want things done their way.

I believe that if people want to educate their children in religion, let them do it after school and/or on weekends, on their own dime. I would not favor the building of Jewish schools at public expense.

[jdobbin]

I'm actually extremely unhappy with that idea for the same reasons. I don't hear McGuinty talking about abolishing the separate Catholic system, but I feel that should be done. I believe that even the religious groups should not want government entanglement since eventually the provider of the funds will want things done their way.

I believe that if people want to educate their children in religion, let them do it after school and/or on weekends, on their own dime. I would not favor the building of Jewish schools at public expense.

I don't live in Ontario so I don't know how I would think of the issue other that it was a controversial subject to bring up and that it has probably cost the Tories the election.

I know some provinces have constitutional issues regarding education and each province is unique in what is required of them. I don't know what Ontario's rules are in that regard.

[jbg]

I don't live in Ontario so I don't know how I would think of the issue other that it was a controversial subject to bring up and that it has probably cost the Tories the election.

I know some provinces have constitutional issues regarding education and each province is unique in what is required of them. I don't know what Ontario's rules are in that regard.

To my knowledge no province has a constitution. My view is that any mixing of government in the religious education process is a very bad idea. I am against expanding a very bad idea simply to make it evenhandedly dumb.

[jdobbin]

To my knowledge no province has a constitution. My view is that any mixing of government in the religious education process is a very bad idea. I am against expanding a very bad idea simply to make it evenhandedly dumb.

I believe it is the articles of Confederation to which I am referring to. We are still trying to adapt to those articles which were enshrined into the Constitution.

[jbg]

I believe it is the articles of Confederation to which I am referring to. We are still trying to adapt to those articles which were enshrined into the Constitution.

I don't know if I follow your point.

[jdobbin]

I don't know if I follow your point.

Religious schools were enshrined in the Constitution.

[Leafless]

Religious schools were enshrined in the Constitution.

That can be changed provincially, like Quebec has done from 'religion' to 'language', which in Ontario provides a no lose situation for Francophones as Ontario provides both at tax payers expense French language or French religious faith based schools, despite anything enshrined in the Constitution.

And I believe any province has the power to incorporate their own Charter and also incorporate their own 'official language', that applies throughout the entire province like Quebec has done with their 'French Language Charter'.

[M.Dancer]

Religious schools were enshrined in the Constitution.

I myself went to the Protestant School Board of Greater Montreal and many of my friends went to the Catholic School Board of Greater Montreal.

This changed about the time it was learned that Montreal was no longer greater.

[ScottSA]

I myself went to the Protestant School Board of Greater Montreal and many of my friends went to the Catholic School Board of Greater Montreal.

This changed about the time it was learned that Montreal was no longer greater.

Protestant nuns?

[M.Dancer]

Protestant nuns?

As a matter of fact yes. There are a few orders of Anglican Nuns but they didn't wear a habit during class.

And they were very old.

[jdobbin]

That can be changed provincially, like Quebec has done from 'religion' to 'language', which in Ontario provides a no lose situation for Francophones as Ontario provides both at tax payers expense French language or French religious faith based schools, despite anything enshrined in the Constitution.

And I believe any province has the power to incorporate their own Charter and also incorporate their own 'official language', that applies throughout the entire province like Quebec has done with their 'French Language Charter'.

I agree it can be changed provincially. However, it is not as easy task because of the Constitution and that was my major point in bringing it up.

[jdobbin]

I myself went to the Protestant School Board of Greater Montreal and many of my friends went to the Catholic School Board of Greater Montreal.

This changed about the time it was learned that Montreal was no longer greater.

Do you remember what people thought when they made the switch to language based schools?

[jbg]

Back to the topic of the thread, next time New York City shakes its tin cup for more fiscal assistance, I won't be supporting them. This sheer nonesense with a segregated school for radical Muslims is a great departure from the mission of a City government, that is to provide for the comfort, safety, education and well-being of its people. Public funding of multiculturalism is offensive; funding programs aimed at dismantling my country are treasonous.

[jennie]

Back to the topic of the thread, next time New York City shakes its tin cup for more fiscal assistance, I won't be supporting them. This sheer nonesense with a segregated school for radical Muslims is a great departure from the mission of a City government, that is to provide for the comfort, safety, education and well-being of its people. Public funding of multiculturalism is offensive; funding programs aimed at dismantling my country are treasonous.

Intifada is an Arabic word for shaking off, though it is generally translated into English as rebellion.

It is ironic that the young woman's t-shirt statement - shaking off oppression - was a very American thing for a high school kid to do: a "Girl Power!!" statement.

Very ironic that this is seen as a threat and a reason to fear, when it likely represents a celebration of the reason her family is in NY: opportunities for her.

Sadly ironic, it must seem to her, to be again oppressed.

Edited October 11, 2007 by jennie

[jefferiah]

Sadly ironic, it must seem to her, to be again oppressed.

Yes, what horrible oppression, Jennie. She was the Principal, not a high school kid. She resigned on her own after the NY Post reported it.

I have no problem with the tshirt either or her right to wear it. But the people were not complaining about it being a "Girl Power" shirt. And to me it sounds as if there is a pretty good chance she made this meaning for it up after the fact.

Edited October 11, 2007 by jefferiah

[jbg]

Intifada is an Arabic word for shaking off, though it is generally translated into English as rebellion.

It is ironic that the young woman's t-shirt statement - shaking off oppression - was a very American thing for a high school kid to do: a "Girl Power!!" statement.

And this has what to do with the core functioning of educating New Yorkers? About the same as any course tought in a Language Other Than English ("LOTE"), other than a foreign language course.

Our language is ENGLISH, get it?