The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has attacked the Islamic Saudi Academy, a private school serving nearly 1,000 students in grades K-12 in northern Virginia’s Fairfax County. The Commission has that the school reflects a lack of religious freedom in Saudi society and promotion of religious extremism at Saudi schools. The real question is why we still have this commission funded by the federal government.
What is odd is that this is a private school. If the parents want to teach the most hardcore version of Islam (even if true as alleged) it shoudl be their right to do so. The real question is why we have this commission to begin with. The Commission is part of the campaign to incorporate faith into public policy. It has no power but receives federal funding to serve as a federalized religion watchdog for some and a religion police for others. The attack on the private school should finally lead Congress to defund this commission. I am sure that there are plenty of religious folk who will fund a private institute with the same purpose. Many such groups already exist. The question is why the taxpayer should pay for such arbitrary religious review by a powerless commission.
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There should be public outrage over this entire issue. The suggestions of this commission trample more than one basic constitutional right. Unfortunately many in our country have applied their habits as consumers to their politics as well — do it now because it makes me feel a little better and ignore the repercussions that will surface years from now.
The problem I have with this is that instead of visiting the school and reviewing their text books, they based their findings on visits to Saudi schools in SA. That’s like saying all Christian schools should be closed after the Oklahoma bombing. This is the same school that people protested against when they wanted to move to Loundon County. People there spewed the same hatred without taking the time to actually visit the school and its administration. I did, and quite frankly was suprised when I found that most of the teachers there were not even Muslims. Do they teach Islam there? Yes, and that’s their right, just as Christian and Jewish schools have that right also. Hate something being taught? Make an informed decision and do something about it. Disagree with a religion? Don’t worship under its banner. That’s our right. My heart breaks every time this administration gets away with trampling on the Constitution.