An encouraging story in Cincinnati: Non-Muslim Teacher at Islamic School.
[New kindergarten teacher Katie Monich:] “I am a Christian. I was brought up in a Christian family, and that is a very important thing in my life.”
But while Katie’s students … and all the kids here … pray to Mecca daily, take Arabic, and study the Koran … those are outside Katie’s class, with different teachers. Katie’s job is kindergarten … no religion. In fact, the International Academy wants some non-Muslim teachers.
Umama Alam, Assistant Principal: “Well, I think that it’s very important for the students to understand that in the United States, they’re going to meet Muslims and non-Muslims, so how do you deal with that?”
I’m delighted that assimilation seems to be an important goal at this school. But I also can’t help but think that if I were a parent who was paying for an Islamic education I would expect that it be taught at all grade levels and by Muslims. When we paid to send my daughter to a Christian school, I expected a Christian curriculum.
Sounds like I can’t be pleased, right? Maybe I can’t. I’m not really complaining – this is certainly better than the Islamic schools which teach the verses in the Quran that compare Jews to monkeys and pigs or that say killing non-Muslims is nifty.
