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To: Peter Dierks who wrote (4344)	2/22/2006 10:41:59 AM
From: paret	Respond to of 71588

Blast destroys Al-Asqariya Golden Mosque" cnn.com ^ BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- An explosion ripped through a Shiite holy site in Samarra Wednesday, destroying the golden dome of the al Askariya mosque, a U.S. military statement and a local security official said. (Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ... globalsecurity.org i.a.cnn.net i.a.cnn.net

To: Peter Dierks who wrote (4344)	2/22/2006 11:08:09 AM
From: paret	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 71588

Public School Caves to Religious Group (no suprise-the religion is Islam) Federal Review ^ \| 2.22.06 ST. PAUL, MINN--A publicly funded charter school is changing its art curriculum to avoid offending the religious sensibilities of its Muslim students. The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that "ArtStart," a St. Paul-based nonprofit organization that provides art classes to the school was requested by the school to change its classes due to Muslim law: [S]ome Muslims ...refrain from producing images of ordinary human beings and animals, citing Islamic teaching. [As a result] parents were...upset that their children were drawing figures [and] some pulled their children out of art class altogether. [Executive Director Bill Wilson] then sat down with teacher and parent liaison Abdirahman Sheikh Omar Ahmad, who also is the imam at an Islamic center in Minneapolis, to work with ArtStart in determining how to meet state standards without running afoul of Muslim doctrine. As a result of those meetings, the paper reports, the curriculum was revamped: Out the window right away went masks, puppets and that classic of elementary school art class, the self-portrait, said Sara Langworthy, an artist with ArtStart. Revamping the curriculum "definitely requires stepping outside of the normal instincts that you fall back on," she said. In their place came nature scenes and geometric forms and patterns..... This week, the class was cutting out shapes to make into cardboard pouches. Another project involved taking photographs and mapping the neighborhood around the school. The conversation about what is appropriate is still open. Langworthy said she and fellow teacher Katie Tuma don't police what the students draw, but they do have conversations with students who are drawing figures to make sure it's really OK. Second-grader Hawi Muhammed said her parents don't mind if she draws people once in a while, but "God doesn't like people to draw a lot," she said. The curriculum applies to all elementary students regardless of religion. It is unclear at this time whether the American Civil Liberties Union, which normally opposes the mixing of "church and state," will weigh in on the matter. However, in regard to schools teaching Judeo-Christian religionn, the ACLU has previously stated: While people have a right to teach their religious beliefs to others in churches, mosques, synagogues and private schools, public schools should not be used by people to teach their personal religious beliefs to other people's children. One art teacher at the school called the new curriculum "narrowing." "But then within that, you can find the depth," she added.