UPDATE: Letter to Editor Reports Delaware Fifth Grade Class "taught" Barack Obama is Muslim

This letter to the Cape Gazette is as heartbreaking as it is shocking.

Cape Gazette February 22

Pray for understanding and an end to hate

Our 10-year-old sister, Amani, is in the fifth grade at Lord Baltimore, a public elementary school in Ocean View. Last Tuesday, her teacher "taught" her class that Barack Obama is a Muslim and that she would not vote for him because he does not swear on the Bible, nor recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Her teacher told the class that she is a Republican and that Barack Obama "believes in different things and is scary."

We are very disappointed in this teacher and the Indian River School District. This teacher is telling her class something that is dangerous and untrue. Barack Obama's website (barackobama. com) explains the truth about him. He says, "In the internet age, there are going to be lies that are spread all over the place. I have been victimized by these lies. Fortunately, the American people are, I think, smarter than folks give them credit for."
Many newspapers have debunked the vicious rumors that are being spread about Sen. Obama. Mr. Obama has said, "My grandfather taught me how to say the Pledge of Allegiance when I was two. During the Pledge of Allegiance you put your hand over your heart. During the national anthem you sing."
We are American Muslim kids. We love our country. We feel that kids need to be taught the truth in school. We believe that what is going on in our schools is un-American and scary. Kids are being taught hatred and fear of Muslims. Our sister was badly hurt by what was said in her classroom.
Each of us has experienced similar prejudice in our classrooms in three different schools. We would like for people to know that we believe in peace and respect for everyone. We are your neighbors and this is our home, too. We pray for understanding and an end to hate. Please stand with us.

Fatima and Basima Abdelsalam
Bethany Beach

From the Comments:  The IRSD has a history of this kind of crap.
The targets were once jewish. But every non-Christian needs to stay on his/her toes.

A large Delaware school district promoted Christianity so aggressively that a Jewish family felt it necessary to move to Wilmington, two hours away, because they feared retaliation for filing a lawsuit. The religion (if any) of a second family in the lawsuit is not known, because they're suing as Jane and John Doe; they also fear retaliation. Both families are asking relief from "state-sponsored religion."
The behavior of the Indian River School District board suggests the families' fears are hardly groundless.
The district spreads over a considerable portion of southern Delaware. The families' complaint, filed in federal court in February 2005, alleges that the district had created an "environment of religious exclusion" and unconstitutional state-sponsored religion.
Among numerous specific examples in the complaint was what happened at plaintiff Samantha Dobrich's graduation in 2004 from the district's high school. She was the only Jewish student in her graduating class. The complaint relates that local pastor, Jerry Fike, in his invocation, followed requests for "our heavenly Father's" guidance for the graduates with:
I also pray for one specific student, that You be with her and guide her in the path that You have for her. And we ask all these things in Jesus' name.

More Dobrich Case Cov erage Here

UPDATE:   Here is the reaction from an IRSD parent who is also a delaware blogger.

I read that letter and felt heart-sick. I’m an IRSD parent and my wife is a teacher at the Southern Delaware School of the Arts (an IRSD magnet school). This sort of thing would be no surprise what-ever; there’s plenty of ignorance and prejudice in that District.

I do, however, suggest just a slight amount of caution. This is, after all, a letter to the editor from (if not kids) young people. And it is based on reporting from a 10-year-old. It is possible that the events in the classroom were not quite as reported. It is also the case that there is a family in this area that has bounced among several different schools, and districts, taking offense at what I have heard are small slights. This might (he said very carefully) be something that is being presented out of proportion.

That said, if a teacher did repeat demonstrably false information about a presidential candidate in the classroom, even without Muslim-bashing, it is a cause for concern and the District should take some action. Having watched these folks in action, though, I worry that any strong reaction from around the country will back-fire. The Superintendent is an intelligent fair-minded woman. The Board members, however, have record of lashing out at criticism and defending their “right” to be a “Christian District.”