[CSPS] Muslim schools and TAPPS

[Richard Woodward]

I don't know if this is legal, but it is certainly disgusting.  I 
found the organization's membership directory and 4 local schools are 
listed as members:

Allen Academy
Brazos Christian
St. Joseph
St. Michael's Academy
http://www.tapps.net/MembershipDirectory.PDF

Does anyone have personal contacts with the administration of these 
schools?  I'm sure that they would not be pleased.

rtw
----- Original Message -----
Subject: Re: [CSPS] Muslim schools and TAPPS
Date: Mon, 03 Jan 2005 15:29:17 -0600
From: "Paul Parrish" <p-parrish at tamu.edu>


I had noticed the same news item. It is highly prejudicial, but 
whether or 
not it is legal I don't know.

Paul

At 02:52 PM 1/3/05, Rebecca Hankins wrote:
>This e-mail is related to private schools. Does anyone know if this 
is
>legal?
>
>Rebecca
>
>(WASHINGTON, D.C., 12/23/04) - A prominent national Islamic civil
>rights
>and advocacy group today called on the state of Texas to investigate
>the
>discriminatory actions of a private school association that required
>Muslim
>applicants to answer a series of hostile questions about Islam.
>
>The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) 
says
>at
>least two Muslims schools in Texas, one in Houston and the other in
>Dallas,
>have received letters from the Texas Association of Private and
>Parochial
>Schools (TAPPS) demanding a response to the biased questions before
>their
>applications for admission to the association could be approved.
>
>SEE: "Local Muslim School Taken Aback by Letter"
>http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/2960589
>http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/news/122304_APlocal_islamic.html
>
>The 10 hostile questions, which listed a number of distorted and
>stereotypical views of Islamic beliefs, included: (To read the 
entire
>TAPPS
>letter, go to: http://www.cair-net.org/downloads/TAPPSletter.pdf )
>
>* "Why do you wish to join an organization whose membership is
>basically in
>total disagreement with your religious beliefs?"
>* "What is your attitude about the spread of Islam in America? What 
are
>the
>goals of your school in this regard?"
>* "Why do you think the current member schools of TAPPS will not be
>biased
>against your school, based on the fundamental difference in your
>religion
>and Christianity, since about 90% of TAPPS schools embrace
>Christianity?"
>(Note: The TAPPS constitution does not list a religious requirement
>for
>admission.)
>
>In a letter to TAPPS, CAIR-Houston Executive Director Iesa Galloway
>wrote:
>"The TAPPS letter demonstrates a profound ignorance of Islam and
>Muslims
>and a clear disdain for the American Muslim community." He called 
the
>letter "a symbol of religious intolerance (that) has no place in a
>nation
>that was originally built by those seeking asylum from such
>intolerance."
>Galloway's letter also demanded an investigation, a reprimand for
>those
>involved, a formal apology, and sensitivity training.
>
>
>Rebecca Hankins, CA
>Assistant Professor
>Cushing Memorial Library;
>MS5000 TAMU
>College Station TX 77843-5000
>979-845-1951; 979-845-1441 fax
>
>_______________________________________________
>CSPS mailing list
>CSPS at csps.tamu.edu
>http://philebus.tamu.edu/mailman/listinfo/csps

Paul A. Parrish
Regents Professor and Head
Department of English
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77843-4227
(979) 845-3890
(979) 862-2292 FAX
p-parrish at tamu.edu
http://www-english.tamu.edu/pers/fac/parrish/ 

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