A Maryland public school is facing legal repercussions for promoting Islam to children over other religions. On Wednesday a lawsuit was filed in federal court by a U.S. Marine and his wife after their daughter was forced to complete assignments that promote Islam over their religion of choice.
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John Kevin Wood, a Marine who served eight years, and his wife Melissa filed the lawsuit after discovering their daughter was subjected to Islamic propaganda as part of their world history class. Students at La Plata High School were told to write out the Islamic creed “Shahada,” which states:
There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.
Shahada is an Islamic creed declaring belief in the oneness of God and the acceptance of Muhammad as God’s prophet. Wood states that along with reciting the “Shahada” students were also instructed to memorize and recite the Five Pillars of Islam and were subjected to disparaging lessons about other religions such as Christianity. One worksheet reportedly read:
Most Muslims’ faith is stronger than the average Christian.
Wood also claims that the school spent two weeks covering Islam while only devoting a day to Christianity. Wood contacted the school after learning about the lesson plan. He requested his daughter be provided with alternative assignments. The request was denied and school administrators threatened his daughter with failing grades if the regularly assigned curriculum was not completed. Wood’s daughter chose not to complete the worksheets issued to her regarding Islam. Wood claims that the school discriminated against his daughter by:
removing her from the academic environment of her World History class, relegating her to the student library, and issuing her failing grades on assignments because [she] refused to deny and insult her Christian beliefs.
The lawsuit filed by Wood claims that the Board of Education, Charles County public school system and the Principal and Vice Principal of the school violated their students constitutional rights. The lawsuit seeks a declaration from the school stating that they violated their students’ rights and temporary and permanent injunctions barring them from promoting Islam over other religions.
Examples of the worksheets Wood’s daughter was forced to complete can be found here.
Wood has since been banned from school grounds.
Do you believe that Wood is doing the right thing by fighting against this type of curriculum in his school district? Sound off in the comment section below!
