As reported in a recent Iconoclast blog post, the Islamic Saudi Academy protest is back in the news. Recently, the ISA announced redacted hate texts but according to this Channel 8 ABC local news video report, copies of the revised texts were not provided to the US Commission on International Religious Freedom for review.
ISA students and parents showed up at a Fairfax County, Virginia, planning board hearing tonight regarding the expansion of the ISA's Pope's Head site to leave the controversial leased Middle School site in Alexandria.
Community opponents and activists showed up at the hearing to make their point about the controversial hate texts allegedly redacted but not confirmed by bone fide third parties, as well as to protest the proposed expansion of Royal Saudi Embassy affiliated ISA site at Popes Head.
The Channel 8 news report noted the controversy about what the ISA teaches in its Islamic studies courses:
The 25-year-old school became a target after the Sept. 11 attacks. In 2005, a former valedictorian was convicted of joining Al-Qaeda and plotting to assassinate the president and in 2008; the school's former director was convicted of failing to support a suspected case of child sex abuse.
Then, a U.S. government commission released a report saying passages in school textbooks promoted hate.
"There was a justification to kill adulterers or those who are unbelievers. In another case it said that the blood of infidels could be spilled," said Dwight Bashir of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.
Among those leading the protesters were Andrea and James Lafferty of the Traditional Values Coalition and Denise Lee of Act for America.
The Laffertys noted:
"If there is more homegrown terrorism out of this school, it will be on the heads of every planning commissioner, on the head of every board of supervisor of Fairfax County," said Andrea Lafferty of the Traditional Values Coalition.
"Our concern is the same that it's always been -- that the teachings at the Islamic Saudi Academy are anti-American, anti-Christian, and anti-Semitic," added Jim Lafferty of the Traditional Values Coalition.
The Channel 8 report cited this comment from a parent of an ISA student.
"My kids have one goal," said Max Najib, an Academy parent. "When they go to school it's to learn and nothing else."
The question is Mr. Najib, why are your children learning to hate their neighbors, the unbelievers?