Thomas More Law Center Seeks Supreme Court Review Of Court Decision Allowing California Public School To Teach Twelve Year-olds How To Become Muslims

ANN ARBOR, MI – The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has requested that the United States Supreme Court review the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision holding that it is constitutional for a California public school to engage in a three week intensive course for seventh graders on how to “become Muslims.”

For three weeks in 2001, impressionable twelve-year-old students were, among other things, placed into Islamic city groups, took Islamic names, wore identification tags that displayed their new Islamic name and the Star and Crescent Moon, which is the symbol of Muslims, were handed materials that instructed them to “Remember Allah always so that you may prosper,” completed the Islamic Five Pillars of Faith, including fasting, and memorized and recited the “Bismillah” or “In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate,” which students also wrote on banners that were hung on the classroom walls.

A California federal trial court and the Ninth Circuit determined that these practices did not violate the Constitution.

According to Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, “This case cries out ‘double standard.’ The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is the same court that held our Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional because it contained the phrase ‘under God,’ and yet they allow a three week intensive course on how to become Muslims, including class memorization of Islamic prayers and participation in Islamic religious rituals.”

Edward L. White III, the Law Center’s trial counsel handling the case, commented, “Although a public school may teach about religion, the school district here went far beyond an explanation of the historical or literary significance of Islam and placed these seventh graders into the position of becoming trainees in that religion. These young children were indoctrinated in Islam, which the Constitution forbids.”

It is anticipated that the Supreme Court will decide whether to review this case within the next few months."

You would never get away with this if you tried to have a 3 week course on "how to be a good Christian." Now that would be indoctrination and unconstitutional.