School of Hate

Teachings at Saudi Academy Criticized
Students of Diplomats in Virginia Taught ‘Hatred,’ Critics Say
The Associated Press
Updated: 6:00 p.m. ET Aug. 3, 2004

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A Virginia school that caters to children of Saudi diplomats is teaching first-graders that Judaism and Christianity are false religions, according to a Muslim group concerned that such teachings breed hatred.

The Free Muslim Coalition Against Terrorism is calling on the Islamic Saudi Academy to remove the textbook used to teach first-graders. The teachers' edition of the textbook outlines several points of emphasis, including the statement, "All religions other than Islam are false religions."

The coalition's director, Kamal Nawash, a Muslim, said it would be acceptable to teach that Islam is the only correct religion. But to explicitly tell first-graders that Jews and Christians practice a false religion could breed extremism, he said.

The school "must be sure to instruct students to have the utmost respect for other religions," Nawash said.

Nawash's criticism follows a report last month by a nonprofit group called the Saudi Institute, also denouncing the school's curriculum. The institute advocates extensive reforms in Saudi Arabia.

Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American Islamic Relations, said he did not believe it is a good idea to explicitly criticize other religions to young children.

"Followers of most major faiths believe they have the correct religious teachings, but an affirmative belief in the truth of one's own faith should not lead to the disparagement of all others," Hooper said.

Still, Hooper said, if only a small portion of a lesson plan needs to be changed, it "hardly justifies sweeping charges of extremism."

The school, which teaches more than 1,000 students at campuses in Alexandria and Fairfax, did not return calls seeking comment. The school's Web site says the academy "promotes respect and mutual understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims, Arabs and Americans while keeping within the Muslim faith."

Nail al-Jubeir, a spokesman for the Saudi Embassy in Washington, also did not return calls. He told The Washington Times that critics of the textbook "are making a big thing out of nothing." The Saudi government provides funds to the school.

The school's teachings have come under scrutiny since the Sept. 11 attacks. Federal court documents in a case against an academy graduate indicate that student discussions after the attacks took an anti-American bent, and some students considered the attacks "payback" for what they saw as American mistreatment of the Muslim world.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5594357/

* * * * * * * * * *

Saudi School in Virginia Disparages Christianity and Judaism
Tuesday, 13 July 2004

WASHINGTON DC - Six-year-old children at the Saudi Islamic Academy in Alexandria, Virginia are taught to disparage Christianity and Judaism, according to a first-grade textbook obtained by the Saudi Institute.The book, which is authored and published by the Saudi Ministry of Education, teaches Saudi and American children that Judaism, Christianity, and other faiths are false religions.

Lesson nine on page 19 of the textbook “Monotheism and Figh” instructs the teacher to explain to students that the religions of Jews and Christians are false. The book, printed in 2003, is part of the new Saudi curriculum, taught both in the Kingdom and the United States, which was changed following criticism of religious hatred in the education system.

Official Denial, and Waning Credibility

The Saudi spokesperson in Washington, Adel Al-Jubeir, said the current textbooks in Saudi schools have been updated and modified.

On May 18, 2003, Al-Jubeir told Tim Russert on NBC’s “Meet the Press” the following: “We have looked at our educational systems. We have changed textbooks.” [1]

Al-Jubeir also told reporters on June 2, 2004 at the Saudi Embassy “we are revitalizing our educational system.” [2]

Commenting on the currently used curriculums, Al-Jubeir said: “When we looked at the previous curriculum, there were approximately 5 percent -- one of the studies recommended that 5 percent of what is in the textbooks should be deleted; that another 10 percent should be dealt with either by different ways of teaching, or by deleting, or by a combination of the two. This was therecommendation of one of the reports.” [3]

Al-Jubeir told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on May 18, 2003, “we have, over the past two years, reviewed our educational systems; we have made adjustments to them.” [4]

The Saudi ambassador to Washington, Prince Bandar, who also serves as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Islamic Saudi Academy said: “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia prohibits the teaching of hatred and violence. Charges that Saudis fund schools that do so are baseless and lack an understanding of our society, culture and laws."[5]

Anthony Cordesman, holder of the Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, supports Al-Jubeir’s statistics on education: “A royal study group that was formed after September 11th described 5% of Saudi teaching material as clearly having such content and at least another 10% as ‘suspect.’ [6]

Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al Faisal was quoted as saying: "There is no room in our schools for hatred, for intolerance or for anti-Western thinking." [7]

Following the May 2003 attacks in Riyadh, Adel Al-Jubeir claimed in an interview with Tony Snow of Fox News that Saudi Arabia was a country that promotes religious tolerance:

SNOW: One of the other further questions is the nature of education. Because there has been, for instance, and it has been reported that in Saudi textbooks that Jews and Christians were referred to as (inaudible) or, in other places, infidels, because for various reasons they were seen as being polytheists and therefore at odds with the teaching of your religion.

Do you think it is time to revisit the instruction that is being given to Saudi youth when it comes to viewing the West, the United States and other religions?

AL-JUBEIR: Absolutely. Absolutely. And we've looked at our textbooks; we've looked at the teaching methods. We've made changes to them. We have put in place two pilot programs, one in Riyadh and one in Jeddah. We are assessing its effectiveness, and we may roll it out on a nationwide basis.

You cannot be a Muslim if you do not believe in the Old Testament and New Testament. You cannot be a Muslim if you don't believe in Judaism and Christianity. And anyone who says otherwise is not being...[8]

False Claims of Pilot Programs

Al-Jubeir also claimed that two pilot programs are being implemented in Jeddah and Riyadh, however no evidence exists that proves such experiments are taking place. The Saudi Institute contacted several sources in the Ministry of Education who denied such experiments.

In a news conference on June 12, 2003, Al-Jubeir said: “We have looked at -- we're looking at our textbooks. We have had a couple -- a number of studies with regards to the Saudi educational system and how we can bring it up to speed so that our students and our young can have a world-class education.”

He said, “We have started two pilot programs, one in Riyadh and one in Jeddah, with new teaching methods, and we're assessing to see how that works. And depending on how effective it is, we may roll it out on a nationwide basis. We have talked to experts from around the world about how one can improve the methods of education. And yes, this is an issue that we're looking at very, very seriously." [9]

The Saudi continued denial doesn’t withstand careful study of the new Saudi curriculum which have the same authors, and the same ideas, but in a different language.

Curriculum Contradicts the Koran

The Saudi contention that Judaism and Christianity are false religions is clearly refuted by the Koran in the 2nd Chapter (The Cow), Verse 136.

Say ye (Mohamed): "We believe in Allah, and the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all) Prophets from their Lord: we make no difference between one and another of them: and we bow to Allah.”

The Author

The Saudi religious curriculum is mainly authored by extremist Wahhabi cleric Shaikh Saleh Al-Fawazan. He advocates slavery, and believes elections are un-Islamic. He is a member of the highest religious body in the country (Council of Senior Clerics) whose members are appointed by the King.

The Academy

According to the website of the Saudi Embassy in Washington, “the Islamic Saudi Academy was established in 1984 to provide the sons and daughters of Saudi nationals, children of the Arab and Muslim community, and all other interested applicants with the opportunity to study Islam and the Arabic language.

The embassy website describes the Academy as “an independent, non-profit educational institution, funded by the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It does not receive contributions from any source." [10]

The Saudi Islamic Academy stresses that “the Arabic program follows the curriculum, syllabus, and materials established by the Saudi Ministry of Education." [11]

The Saudi Islamic Academy’s address is: 8333 Richmond High Way, Alexandria, VA 22309

Translation of Page 19 of the First Grade Religious Textbook

“Monotheism and Figh"

Lesson Nine: "Islam is Our Religion"

- Islam is the oneness of God, obedience to Him, and the abandonment of sins

- The foundation of Islam is: Proclaiming that there is no God but God, and that Mohamed is His messenger.

- I do not seek any religion other than Islam

- All religions other than Islam are false religions

Verbal Questions:

1- What is your religion?

2- What is the foundation of Islam?

3- What is the true religion, and what is the false religion?

For the Teacher:

Ensure to explain the following:

- That the meaning of religion is to commit to the limitations of God by acting on his orders, and through the abandonment of sins.

- The greatness of the Testimony of Faith, with which one enters Islam

- Explaining that all religions, other than Islam, are false, including that of the Jews, Christians, and all others.

Recommendations by The Saudi Institute:

1) Include educated, informed members from the wide spectrum of Saudi society in the writing of the curriculum, to provide a plural and representative education system that reflects the various understandings of Islam and life in Saudi Arabia.

2) Include the promotion of cooperation, coexistence, and harmony of the other branches of Islam and other religions; Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism etc.

3) Reform the curriculum of the Islamic Saudi Academy in order to make it a model of modern education, suitable for Saudi schools in the country and abroad.

4) Incorporate the examples and expertise of education models in other countries (U.S., Germany, Japan) to create a modern, legitimate system in Saudi Arabia.

5) Remove Shaikh Saleh Al-Fawazan, and other extremists, from the authorship of education materials, and replace them with education specialists with international exposure.

6) Remove all religious intolerance from the curriculum issued by the Saudi Ministry for Education. It is unacceptable that this information is encouraged, and taught to young children, by the sovereign government of a country.

References:

1) NBC ‘Meet the Press’ with Tim Russert: Adel Al-Jubeir, Foreign Policy Advisor to Crown Prince Abdullah, May 18th 2003.

2) Saudi Embassy Press Conference with Adel Al-Jubeir, June 2nd, 2004.

3) News Conference with Adel Al-Jubeir, May 12th, 2004.

4) CNN ‘Late Edition With Wolf Blitzer’ Interview With Adel Al-Jubeir; McConnell, Nelson Discuss War on Terrorism; Cisneros, Rohrabacher Debate Illegal Immigration, May 18th, 2003.

5) Saudi Embassy Press Release ‘War on Terrorism News Story’ Prince Bandar Responds to Senator Levin’s Statement, January 15th, 2002.

6) ‘Saudi Arabia Enter the 21st Century: IV Opposition and Islamic Extremism’ by Anthony Cordesman. www.CSIS.Org December 31st, 2002.

7) National Review Online, “Inside the Saudi Classroom: Seeking Reform” by Steven Stalinsky, February 7th, 2003.

8) Fox News Sunday Interview with Tony Snow Saudi Foreign Policy adviser Adel Al-Jubeir, May 18th, 2003.

9) News Conference with Adel Al-Jubeir, May 12th, 2004.

10) Statement by the Saudi Embassy: Saudi Schools Overseas.

11) The Saudi Academy Website http://www.saudiacademy.net/

* * * * * * * * * *

"Saudi School in Alexandria Promotes Religious Intolerance"
By Erik Ruselowski - The Saudi Institute

“For the teacher: Explain that all religions, other than Islam, are false, including that of the Jews, Christians, and all others.” Not a good example of tolerance and freedom of religion as guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States and echoed in classrooms across America! However, at the Islamic Saudi Academy, hostility toward Jews and Christians is embedded in the curriculum. The opening line is taken from a book given to first graders at the Islamic Saudi Academy in Alexandria, Virginia.

America’s obsession with political correctness reinforces obedience to the non-establishment clause, which forbids government association with one religion or another. However, in a country defined by the Christian majority, strict separation of Church and state only exists in Utopia. Nevertheless, many Americans feel that religious references should be removed entirely from the public sphere. Amid the debate over neutral faith-based statements, Americans remain unaware of state-sponsored religious intolerance being practiced and taught to children in the U.S.

The Islamic Academy is a private institution wholly financed by the Saudi government. The director, Ibrahim Al-Gosair, and his Saudi staff are given diplomatic status. In fact, because of diplomatic immunity, the school lies only under the jurisdiction of the State Department. Saudi citizens constitute 50 percent of the student body while the remaining half includes Arab and Muslim-Americans. The Saudi Academy teaches an intolerant form of Wahhabi Islam to young Muslim children.

In the eighteenth century, Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab established a zealous fundamental sect of Islam. Wahhabism considers itself the only true religion and kaafir (infidels) are to be converted or destroyed. Members of the al-Saud family adopted Wahhabi Islam as the nation’s religion when they came to power. Despite such antiquated theories, Wahhabism remains the ideology preached by Saudi clerics. Sheikh Saleh al-Fawzan, a top Saudi cleric known for equating the West with the “enemies of God and humanity,” writes Wahhabi religious books for Saudi schools – including the Islamic Saudi Academy.

Ironically, the teachings of the Koran contradict the religious curriculum offered at the Academy. Chapter 2, Verse 136 of the Koran describes the Jewish and Christian faiths respectfully. “We believe in Allah, and the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and that give to Moses and Jesus, and that given to Prophets from their Lord. We make no difference between one and another of them, and we bow to Allah.” Although differences are abundant, the three faiths share the same God, with “Allah” being one of his names. How can Judaism and Christianity be considered false when Muslims treat Abraham, Ishmael, and Jesus as prophets?

Institution-sponsored discrimination should be criticized wherever it is found. When former presidential candidate George W. Bush spoke at Bob Jones University, the South Carolina school’s administrative policy prohibiting interracial dating was publicly scrutinized. All ideas taught to students for the sole purpose of promoting hatred should be condemned.

In the past, the Saudi government renounced this disrespectful curriculum. Saudi Ambassador Bandar dismissed these teachings and further stated that “the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia prohibits the teaching of hatred and violence.” The Saudi government plans to “revitalize our education system.” The Saudi spokesman in Washington Adel al-Jubeir claimed that so-called pilot programs have been implemented to modernize the Saudi education system. However, Saudi officials have been secretive about the progress of such experiments. The Saudi Education Ministry refuses to release any evidence showing substantive interest in modernizing education. If the Saudi government fails to disclose information on educational reform, expecting the government to cooperate in the War on Terror is laughable.

This example of Saudi-funded religious intolerance violates what Saudi officials have been earnestly proclaiming. Although the Saudi government assures the Bush Administration that it is committed to combating conditions that spawn terrorism, education that promotes intolerance is one of the primary causes. Unfortunately, the U.S. government is oblivious to these contradictions. How can Americans demand the separation of church and state while permitting the dissemination of state-sponsored religious hatred within Islamic schools operating in our country?

http://www.saudiinstitute.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=164&Itemid=

* * * * * * * * * *

As far as I can tell, this issue has yet to be corrected by The Saudi Academy.

Or, does freedom of speech include hatred and religious intolerance?