Security assigned to teacher amid lesson anger

“Mohammed is the messenger of Allah”.

“They were simply asked to attempt to artistically render written Arabic in order to understand its artistic complexity”, continued the district, adding that schools also cover other religions. And it said that despite the outcry, it would continue to educate students about the world’s religious diversity as required by state education guidelines but that “a different, nonreligious sample of Arabic calligraphy will be used in the future”.

A statement from Augusta County Public Schools said the decision to close the schools was based on the “tone and content” of the communications “based on the recommendations of law enforcement”.

Controversy has erupted in August County, Virginia this week after students and parents complained about a world geography assignment at Riverheads High School.

But Kimberly Herndon, a parent who has been an outspoken critic of the geography assignment, said on Facebook that the students “were instructed to denounce our Lord by copying this creed of Islam”. Instead, it sparked an uproar – and even threats of violence – that led officials on Friday (Dec 18) to temporarily shut down the entire school district.

Parents confirmed that female students in the class were also invited to wear Muslim apparel and were photographed by LaPorte, according to Rob Schilling, who broke the story on The Schilling Show.

Some parents have accused the teacher, Cheryl LaPorte, of trying to indoctrinate students with Islam and are calling for her to be fired.

A student from the same school opened a group in Facebook to extend support to Cherly LaPorte, to condemn the backlash and to send out a message that there is nothing wrong about learning new things.

“As far as the calligraphy, I don’t think it was a good choice to have students write out the shahada”, Haynes said, referring to the Muslim statement of faith.

The illustrative classical Arabic phrase was the basic statement in Islam.

In recent weeks there have been many incidents regarding Islam. In this lesson you will read about how this religion came to hold great influence on the Arabian peninsula.

The text goes on to describe the story of Muhammad and the teachings of Islam, including an excerpt from the Koran labeled as a “Many Voices Primary Source”. The teacher is anxious about herself and her family, Fisher said.

An event page created to rally outraged parents to a forum Tuesday night at a rural church near Riverheads High School was taken over with posts criticizing the actions of those who created the event.

“[LaPorte] gave up the Lord’s time”, she continued.

But some in this deeply religious area in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains said the lesson angered them, especially because of what they said were efforts to marginalize Christianity in the schools.

“There was nothing malicious”, she said.