A Muslim father, imam, “and proud American” is blasting Maryland’s Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) after the district removed the option for parents to “opt-out” of exposing their children to “sexual orientation and gender identity material” that conflicts with their religious beliefs.
“Last week, I stood among hundreds of parents diverse in our backgrounds but united in our shared concern to protect our children, affirm our constitutional rights to religious liberty, and the fundamental right of parents to raise their children according to our deeply held moral values rather than whatever trend the government finds popular in the current moment,” Shaykh El Hadji Sall wrote in a Thursday opinion piece for Fox News.
“Our simple request to restore the most basic of our rights — the right to opt out — received a surprising backlash,” he continues. “The opposing side lacks an argument as to why they should deny us our basic freedoms and parental rights, and so they have smeared us as bigots.”
Muslim parent: We don’t want our kids indoctrinated into a morality they don’t share. pic.twitter.com/UeLDUIGn2L
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) June 28, 2023
As BizPac Review reported, former White House press secretary Jen Psaki recently made the wild claim that Republicans are secretly manipulating Muslims and weaponizing them against the LGBTQ+ community.
“It’s important to remember that back in 2011 during the Republican primary, the right-wing had designated Muslim Americans as public enemy number one,” the MSNBC host said last week. “No surprise, given that conspiracy theorists — remember the birthers? I do! — had been trying for years to portray President Obama as a Trojan horse for Sharia law.”
“Now, fast forward eight years and the right wing has focused their fear-mongering on trans people,” she stated. “And who better to go after the new enemy than the old enemy?”
Jen Psaki hatches wild conspiracy theory that GOP is ‘recruiting’ Muslims to ‘go after’ transgenders https://t.co/AI0lISu7Ro via @BIZPACReview
— BPR based (@DumpstrFireNews) July 3, 2023
In reading El Hadji Sall’s piece, it appears Paski’s claims are just the tip of a very disturbing iceberg.
“One Montgomery County Council member even said Muslims were on the same side as White supremacists, a deeply hurtful and absurd assertion,” he writes. “As an immigrant from Africa, I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I would ever be called a White supremacist.”
“Others criticized Muslims for partnering with evangelicals or conservatives,” the imam adds. “Yet none of these smears are going to silence me or other parents in Montgomery County from the Muslim and other faith communities. The stakes are too high, and our children are paramount.”
“Schools should focus on academics, not indoctrination,” he states.
El Hadji Sall cites data from the Maryland Department of Education which revealed that “80% of Maryland students have fallen short on state proficiency tests in math and English language arts. Math scores have declined in Montgomery County, especially for African-American and Latino students.”
“Rather than focusing on developing reading, writing and arithmetic,” he writes, “MCPS seems intent on introducing topics like gender identity to young children, which may cause confusion and harm.”
According to the faithful leader, the MCPS materials teach that “it is completely acceptable for a boy to become a girl” and the LGBTQ+ lifestyles are not only “morally acceptable,” they “must be celebrated and praised.”
“Most Americans would agree that such instructional materials confuse young children and negatively affect their emotional and psychological well-being,” he writes.
The behaviors MCPS endorse, he alleges, are ones that “Muslims and other Americans with traditional values consider morally objectionable.”
“These materials reflect the values of an elite, small group of school administrators seeking to promote fringe left-wing values against the wishes of parents,” he states, adding, “This is not about education; it’s about indoctrination.”
In refusing to allow parents to opt their children out of such lessons, El Hadji Sall says the district is violating their right to religious freedom.
“As parents, we have a duty to instill values in our children and guide their understanding of the world in a manner that aligns with our deeply held beliefs. Our fundamental right as parents to raise our children and impart moral values is under threat,” he writes. “Maintaining parental authority is key to protecting our rights and preserving the family. Compelling children to be taught a curriculum that opposes our religious values by promoting behaviors we deem sinful violates religious freedom.”
He dismisses the divisive notion that Muslims are “hateful” for shielding their children from such ideological indoctrination.
Leftists feel ‘sense of betrayal’ after majority Muslim MI city bans ‘Pride’ flags https://t.co/Dk9uKkUyHm via @BIZPACReview
— BPR based (@DumpstrFireNews) June 19, 2023
“Muslim parents teach children to respect all individuals. I teach my children to honor and love all human beings, as the Holy Quran states that God has honored the children of Adam, and our Prophet Muhammad commanded us to love for our fellow humans what we love for ourselves,” he explains.
“Accusing us of hate is a tactic aimed at shutting down debate and distorting our intentions. It seeks to steer the discussion away from protecting our children, supporting parental rights and upholding religious freedom,” he continues. “Allowing children to opt-out is not an act of hate, and forcing Muslim children to accept behaviors regarding gender identity that we believe are sinful is not inclusion.”
“If inclusion means that the state or our schools favor the values of one group over another, it will only breed increased tensions and chaos,” he predicts. “Moreover, it is un-American. Just imagine the mainstream media’s reaction if Muslims asked schools to actively promote Muslim values.”
“We are not seeking special privileges to have our values imposed and taught in schools. We are not requesting books that promote traditional Muslim ideals of sexuality,” he stresses. “We simply ask for the right to opt out.”
The imam warns parents against ignoring the MCPS’s policy.
“This issue is bigger than Montgomery County, and if we don’t stop it here, it will only get worse,” he writes. “To parents around the country who don’t accept this nonsense — you are not alone!”
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Melissa Fine is the former executive editor of Casino Player, Strictly Slots, and Poker
Digest magazines. She is a UCLA graduate, news junkie, and dedicated Stargate SG-
1 fan. Melissa currently lives with her dog and two cats in a tiny town in the Sierra
Nevada foothills.
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