You may recall that in March of last year news reports surfaced containing allegations of improper advancement of Islam at the Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy (TIZA), a taxpayer-funded charter school in Minnesota. Based on these reports there appeared to be substantial evidence that TIZA was in fact an Islamic school funded with tax dollars.

We sent out several educational and alert emails on this. One of our chapter leaders took action, including contacting elected officials. Guy Rodgers, ACT! for America Executive Director, spoke with an official at the Minnesota Department of Education regarding an investigation of the school.

The investigation led to the Department issuing two citations to the school for impermissible advancement of Islam. At least one subsequent Star Tribune story reported that questions about TIZA’s practices persisted, in spite of contentions by the school that it was meeting state and federal guidelines.

Yesterday a new story appeared in the Star Tribune which reports that the ACLU has announced it will file suit against TIZA, “alleging that it is promoting the Muslim religion…” The ACLU is also including the Minnesota Department of Education in the suit, which, according to the story, “is at fault for failing to uncover and stop the alleged transgressions.”

As we all know, over the past several years the ACLU has actively fought anything that appeared to be an impermissible advancement of either Christianity or Judaism in the public schools. We are pleased to see that the ACLU has finally begun to recognize how aggressively and militantly Islam is being promoted in some public schools across the country.

ACLU to sue TIZA charter school in Twin Cities

RANDY FURST and SARAH LEMAGIE, Star Tribune
Last update: January 21, 2009 – 5:04 PM
http://www.startribune.com/local/stpaul/38009569.html

No related posts.