[CSPS] Muslim schools and TAPPS

[Katrina.Stewart at coxmedia.com]

Please keep in mind that this is an association of private and parochial
schools. As unsavory as their actions are, this is legal behavior if
they are truly private entities not getting public funds.

Katrina Stewart
Production Assitant, Cox Media
College Station, Texas
 
 
Tenderness is strength, never weakness. True courage is found in letting
ourselves be vulnerable.
Flavia
 

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Parrish [mailto:p-parrish at tamu.edu] 
Sent: Monday, January 03, 2005 3:29 PM
To: Rebecca Hankins; csps at PHILEBUS.tamu.edu
Subject: Re: [CSPS] Muslim schools and TAPPS

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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