New York – August 20, 2007 – Friends and foes of an embattled public school whose curriculum will be taught in Arabic raised the volume of their rhetoric Monday, with critics warning students could be “indoctrinated” with radical Islamic beliefs and supporters calling such statements “racist.”
The Khalil Gibran International Academy – named after a Lebanese Christian poet – has emerged as a target for criticism since officials announced in February it would be set up as the first in the city to offer instruction in Arabic and on Arab culture.
Supporters planned to rally Monday in favor of the school, gathering in front of the city’s Department of Education. They have said that criticism of the school has been couched in anti-Arab and anti-Muslim rhetoric and that as a public school which receives government money, it was bound by the constitutionally mandated separation of church and state and would not teach religion.
“Unless we all send a clear message that racist comments associating Arabic language and culture with terrorism will not be tolerated, we will continue to hear them again and again,” the Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee and other community groups said in a statement in support of the school.
Meanwhile state Assemblyman Dov Hikind said the school’s children could be “indoctrinated” and warned in a statement that “establishment of an Arab school is a misguided and dangerous idea.”
“It will not, as suggested, be a hope for peace; it is a blueprint for anti-Israel and anti-U.S. extremism,” he said, adding that the school has been endorsed by “radical” groups.
City education officials have said they plan to open the school on schedule on Sept. 4 despite efforts by critics equating it with a madrassa, an Islamic religious school, and portraying it as a potential radical Islam training ground.
Officials were forced to change the school’s original venue – a Brooklyn elementary school – after some argued that the new students would overcrowd the school. It has been moved to a high school in the same borough.
Then, earlier this month the school’s original principal, Debbie Almontaser, a Yemeni-born Muslim, resigned after she failed to condemn the use of the highly charged word “intifada,” an Arabic term for the Palestinian uprising against Israel.
Her replacement is Jewish and does not speak Arabic.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on his radio show that Almontaser is “certainly not a terrorist,” but he called her resignation the “right thing to do.”
Some of the school’s supporters argued Monday that education officials’ quiet persistence in planning to open the school is not enough.
“‘Welcoming’ Ms. Almontaser’s resignation and remaining silent on the underlying anti-Arab, anti-Muslim bigotry has the effect of legitimizing the very thing that should be condemned,” the groups said in a statement.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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posted August 21, 2007 at 5:52 pm
Is this just saying that there will be ESL Arabic classes, as many other schools have in Spanish or other languages, or basically that everything in this school will be in Arabic? If the latter, why? I can understand if there are a lot of Arab-Muslim students at the school, but public schools should have classes in English—teaching students English should be a priority.
If the school does as it should, and stays away from teaching religious issues, then there should be no problem. But in general, if so many students are Muslims—as will be the teachers, most likely, if they need to know Arabic for the job—it will likely be a “Muslim” school, in the sense that there are “black” schools, “white” schools, etc. And the “intifada” thing makes me a bit nervous.
God bless.
posted August 21, 2007 at 6:40 pm
Quotes from Article: The Khaliel Gibran International Academy would be the first in the city (NYC) to offer instructions in Arabic and an Arabic culture.
Curriculum will be taught in Arabic.
It will be a public school which will receive government money.
How did this get this far and will be starting Sept. 4th? There were never Swedish, Irish, German, Polish, Swiss, Italian, etc. International Academies in my lifetime set up in Public Schools that all citizens tax monies were used for, so we could study our culture of our parents, or ancestors in. Why Arabic now??? Muslim schools do not equate with white, black schools, because we all are American and speak English. Don’t like it. Not equal. Serving one group only. If this is a desire then make it a Private School.
posted August 21, 2007 at 7:22 pm
So… since this is a school operating with PUBLIC money, can any child go there? I guess not, by default. How is this equal?
posted August 21, 2007 at 8:07 pm
If this is indeed a school for Muslim students only, and is teaching in Arabic, then certainly it is a private school, not public.
This sounds like a private school situation, not public. The first paragraph said that the curriculum is being taught in Arabic, so any kid who just happens to speak Arabic can attend? Who would want to send their kids to a school that taught only in Arabic if that wasn’t
their 1st language? The new principal is Jewish and doesn’t speak Arabic, so that should be interesting. Expect the students and teachers there speak English as well.
Would there be such an outrage if a school was set up that had the curriculum being taught only on Galic? Or Japanese, or Hindu?
Would they be required to follow the curriculum set for all the public schools in NYC? Do they have to take the same standardized tests etc.? Time will tell if the the school follows through with keeping church and state separate. Right now is sounds to me like a Muslim school…in which case it should be private, not public and they could teach the Muslim beliefs too.
posted August 21, 2007 at 8:34 pm
The above article is perhaps not complete with all the pertainent info.
This is a magnet school. One of 70 in NYC that specialize in particular areas. There are magnet schools that specialize in the arts, in history, literature, etc. Currently there are schools that do the same thing with Italian, French, Japanese, (and, other languages and cultures) that this one will do with Arabic. Classes will be taught in English and Arabic. They will use the immersion method. This is not about English as a second language…nor, about accomodating Arabic speaking students. It is about education.
If we lived in NYC I would certainly encourage my kids to attend one of them. I think this is a great thing.
Peace!
posted August 21, 2007 at 9:34 pm
Thank you JohnQ for injecting some sense and facts into the discussion. Since one of the US’s bigger problems is a shortage of Arabic-language experts this sounds like something we need for our security. It would be a shame if it were torpedoed by cowards and those who want their votes.
Apparently Debbie Almontaser is a very capable and thoughtful woman who quite likely would have made a great leader of that school. I’ve found just a few of no doubt very many articles on her.
Here’s a blog entry from a concerned Jew in New York about what Fox “News” and bigoted anti-Muslim Jewish organizations did to her over a meaningless incident.
If you have broadband here’s some background and an audio interview with her before the school flap.
posted August 21, 2007 at 10:38 pm
First, one of our biggest problems in the war on terror is our lack of people familiar with Arabic. So it seems clear this school would be of value to our security. It would be a shame if it’s torpedoed by cowards or people who want the votes of cowards.
posted August 21, 2007 at 10:45 pm
Second, I’ve Googled Debbie Almontaser. It seems she’d have probably been a very effective leader of the school but she was victimized by right wing “news” organizations and bigoted anti-Muslim Jews.
Here’s a blog entry by a thoughtful Jew giving some information about the situation and what was done to her.
Here’s some background on Almontaser and an interview with her before the school flap.
posted August 21, 2007 at 11:27 pm
John Q, your information on the schools changes completely the way this article informs us. It makes logical sense when you explain that these are “Magnet Schools”, then you aren’t being led into the information stressing other points as this one did. There is one in San Francisco that is Chinese, read about it in San Francisco Chronicle, and the American children are enjoying and learning Chinese with an ease no one expected. I don’t remember the article In SFC stating that it was one of “Magnet Schools”. It must be, as it is Public School, as well. Thanks for the explanation. It is important at this time of history for our children to learn other languages, the world grows more dependent upon each other as time goes on.
posted August 21, 2007 at 11:36 pm
Henrietta22-
I had read about this elsewhere with articles from a couple of different sites. I did read the above article….but, with what I already knew….it did not really occur to me that his was so very short on info….until I read your post. Then, I went back and re-read the article. From your post I was certain that you did not have all the info.
Peace!
posted August 22, 2007 at 8:13 am
So, when does the Big Apple get a magnet school that specializes in Christian culture?
posted August 22, 2007 at 8:32 am
“So, when does the Big Apple get a magnet school that specializes in Christian culture?”
NYC has several private Christian schools already. Arabic is a language…Christianity is a religion.
I am a life-long Christian. I am and my faith are in no way threatened by an Arabic Magnet School.
Peace!
posted August 22, 2007 at 3:17 pm
JohnQ:
My thanks to you also, as your explanation of the school being a magnet school puts a whole different light on the subject!
posted August 22, 2007 at 4:53 pm
pagansister-
I usually agree completely with your posts…as well as those by Henrietta22. So, when I come across your posts that seem quite different from my POV….I alwasys ask myself what I am missing about the situation. In this case…what was missing was the rest of the facts.
Funny how facts make such a difference.
Peace!
posted August 23, 2007 at 1:22 pm
Peace be upon everyone in this posting. Thank you, JohnQ, for your clarification. Now, I encourage everyone to send an email to Assemblyman Dov Hikind, hikindd@assembly.state.ny.us, to voice your condemnation of his bigoted statements regarding this school. Everyone should bear in mind that fearmongering in any form is abhorrent. Fear of Arabs is a form of racism, especially the assumptions about anti-Israeli sentiment and radical Islam being taught at this school. Hysteria should not be allowed to prevail in any issue of this kind. Only 25 percent of the world’s Muslims are Arabs; the rest are Indonesian, Indian, Pakistani, Chinese, European and yes, American. Are we going to be afraid of these people too?