Indoctrination — Let’s Cut the BS

And it’s not just Curlee…

We are loath to get pulled into The Susan Curlee Show™ every time she says something inflammatory because, let’s face it, that’s pretty much her gig at this point.

Curlee is not alone, however, in her allegation that our social studies teachers are indoctrinating students into Islam. There is an activist world — including 912ers, anti-Murfreesboro Mosque activists, and textbook activists — who have made the same allegations. (They seem disappointed that regular parents without ties to these political activist communities seem unconcerned with this issue.)

Is there any reason to think that this concern with teaching the central tenets of Islam is anything more than anti-Muslim sentiment? None of the activists has expressed outrage about the study of the basic tenets of Judaism and Christianity in sixth grade, for example.

Let’s cut the BS. And let’s also turn our eyes away from The Susan Curlee Show™.

If any board member is genuinely concerned about how world religions are taught, he or she should be concerned about ALL of them or none of them. And if they advocate that our kids should not learn about world religions at all then we should have a very spirited debate about that. All or none. Finally, and we seem to have to say this over and over: teachers should be consulted as the professionals they are – not attacked.

The Susan Curlee Show™ is eclipsing the activities of other board members. Let’s ask and reflect. What is the board doing about this allegation that our seventh grade social studies teachers are indoctrinating students into Islam? What are board members proposing? What will we see on the board work session agenda? We suggest you ask your board member what they think about these charges against teachers and/or what their concerns are about teaching world religions.

Read more about the state standards here: Facts about Tennessee’s Social Studies Standards.

For more information about the far-reaching public records request for every communication “concerning any world religion” including emails between parents and teachers, detailed lesson plans and all tests, quizzes and assignments from every teacher who touches upon “world religions” and the name of every single teacher who teaches the classes, see Fearmongering for Dollars.