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10 minutes? really?
Wellesley, Massachusetts Public School Students: Taken to Mosque - Learn to Pray to Allah
10 minutes? really?
Are they all Muslims now?
I guess they did a little more than checking out the architecture and observing islam religion.
I wouldn't allow my kid to go to a mosque or a church or any religious cult shops with their school for a field trip.
OMG! i agree with jack!
When I was a school-kid I was dragged to Catholic and Presbyterian cathedrals, a synagogue and plenty of times, cult mormonism landmarks and 'religious' facilities. Never a mosque though. Are you troubled by that, yoni?
If what happened is accurately summarized by the headline (I'm not going to watch it), then it definitely crosses the church/state separation line. The children can be taught about the religion without being asked to participate in or recreate it.
Do I find it troubling? Not really. Just another fringe incident that will probably be overhyped to imply that this is something that could probably happen to OUR CHILDREN in the near future unless we all vote Republican.
Last edited by Spurminator; 09-17-2010 at 01:52 PM.
I'm not worried because you are always wrong.
Last edited by George Gervin's Afro; 09-17-2010 at 06:03 PM.
Well, it appears that it actually did occur as advertised, but was not exactly the nerfarious plot as was implied. This was a visit, among many visits to other religious sites. There was a terrible error in judgement in letting 5 students participate in the prayer session...I honestly have no idea what the teachers were thinking. Here's a little more on the topic:
http://www.wickedlocal.com/wellesley...Islamic-mosque
"Wellesley schools apologize for letting students pray at Islamic
By Teddy Applebaum
Wicked Local Wellesley
Posted Sep 16, 2010 @ 04:31 PM
Last update Sep 17, 2010 @ 12:00 AM
Wellesley — Wellesley’s superintendent of schools apologized today after Wellesley middle school students were allowed to pray at an Islamic mosque during a May field trip.
“It was not the intent for students to be able to participate in any of the religious practices,” Superintendent Bella Wong wrote in a letter being sent to parents later today. “I extend my sincere apologies for the error that occurred and regret the offense it may have caused.”
Wong said the field trip to the Roxbury-based Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center—which faced opposition during its construction—was part of a social studies course called “Enduring Beliefs and the World Today,” that includes introductions to a number of religions. During the course students visit a mosque, synagogue, attend a gospel performance, and meet with Hindus.
“These activities provide experiences for our students that enhance their understanding of the curriculum,” Wong wrote in the letter. “The purpose of the field trip was for students to observe a place of worship.”
In the letter, Wong said students required parental permission to go on the field trip during which “a representative of the Mosque told students they were welcome to join in the prayer that was occurring.”
The trip gained wider attention after the Boston-based group Americans for Peace and Tolerance released a video on Sept. 16 showing five middle school students praying during the trip. A parent who chaperoned the field trip allegedly shot the footage of the trip included in the video.
“Today, Americans for Peace and Tolerance released a video showing 6th graders from Wellesley, MA as they rise from prostrating themselves alongside Muslim men in a prayer to Allah,” the group wrote on their website. “Teachers did not intervene. Parents have not been told.”
The video claims the permission form for the trip said that students would only observe and not participate in the prayer event. It also highlights male and female students separated during the prayer claims historical information presented during the visit by representatives of the mosque as inaccurate.
“In various parts of the country, public schools are allowing Muslim extremists to promote Islam to our children,” the Americans for Peace and Tolerance wrote on its site. “Something’s broken here. Our leadership is failing. It’s now up to ordinary citizens to fix it.”
Members of Wellesley’s school committee forwarded comment to School committee chair KC Kato who said she was supporting Wong’s position.
“I’m supportive of [Wong’s] letter and I’m supportive of the educational program which we provide,” she said.
Wong said prior to the video being released her department hadn’t received complaints regarding the field trip though one family declined to allow their child on the trip.
“Apparently someone wasn’t happy and it just took some time for it to come back to us," she said.
Following the incident, Wong said she teachers were told students shouldn’t have been allowed to pray.
“We’re giving better guidance to our teachers. I don’t know if they’ll do [the field trip] differently but it won’t necessarily be because of this,” she said. “I support the field trip, I support them being able to go to observe; I do think allowing kids to participate in the prayer crossed the line.”
Stupid mistake, for sure. Active plot to subvert our children? Not so much.
I thought conservatives always were ing about keeping prayer in schools?
Honestly, it doesn't sound like the teachers MADE them pray, just that some students wanted to pray there. If that's the case, who cares? If children wanted to take a moment to pray, I don't see a big problem letting them.
I think that's a lapse in judgement on the part of the teachers. The kids, in all likelihood, were not followers of Islam and likely had very little understanding of what was transpiring. That's where adults are supposed to step in and provide protection and/or context. This did not happen in this situation. Being an ex-teacher myself, I can understand the catch-22 they probably felt like they were in...damned if they pull the kids out...and damned if they don't. Probably would've been wiser to have not let the situation arise in the first place.I thought conservatives always were ing about keeping prayer in schools?
Honestly, it doesn't sound like the teachers MADE them pray, just that some students wanted to pray there. If that's the case, who cares? If children wanted to take a moment to pray, I don't see a big problem letting them.
If the field trip had been as advertised, no. But, you've obviously not watched the entire video...
How was it different from what was advertised? You mean, the fact that children participated in prayer when it said they wouldn't on the permission slip form?
What's wrong with children who voluntarily wish to pray doing so?
Not a fringe incident. There is an entire organization dedicated to getting schools to bring their kids to mosques so they can be proselytized.
Watch the video. It was much more than a field trip. Some poor Jewish middle school child (and a couple of others) were actually convinced to join in midday prayer, prostrating themselves to Allah and all that...
This wasn't a school that decided to take a field trip to a mosque, this was a Muslim organization that pitches these field trips to schools as a way to proselytize Islam to children.
My youtubaIslamophobia makes me think I'll turn into one if I watch the clip.
I think that's already been codified, LnG. I doubt a field trip is an appropriate time to do that and coupled with the fact that the parents really need to have granted permission for them to take place in any other organized activity outside of the field trip, makes for a colossal failure in the teacher's judgement.
I understand where you're coming from, especially in light of Yoni's unhinged ascertation that Mosques are preying on our children (), but the fact remains, there's a pretty clear divider in when a student can and cannot take part in an organized religious activity during the school day.
See my response to Spurm.
Well, how voluntary is it when the female chaperons are ushered out of the prayer room and middle school-age children are left with their Muslim handlers. It's one thing for a child to voluntarily pray according to the beliefs with which they woke up that morning; quite another thing to claim they voluntarily engaged in prayer in a religion anathema to their own and after being cajoled, encouraged, or whatever by perfect strangers.What's wrong with children who voluntarily wish to pray doing so?
I'm sure you're going to continue arguing for the sake of opposing whatever I say but, if you're not disturbed by the video (after watching it all) then I don't think we'll ever come to agree on the matter.
lol @ anathema. Me thinks you presume just a wee bit too much.
lol anathema
I have not watched any of the video. Me and the average teabagger differ in that I generally don't form my political and cultural opinions from the content of ing youtube videos. Go sell stupid someplace else.
If you didn't stick around for the DawaNet and Primary Source segment of the video then you don't understand from where my assertion comes.I think that's already been codified, LnG. I doubt a field trip is an appropriate time to do that and coupled with the fact that the parents really need to have granted permission for them to take place in any other organized activity outside of the field trip, makes for a colossal failure in the teacher's judgement.
I understand where you're coming from, especially in light of Yoni's unhinged ascertation that Mosques are preying on our children (
This is some sick ing . Absolutely pure .
i kinda agree with yoni. all forms of prayer (persuaded or practiced) is disturbing to innocent children.
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