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Islam focus of Tennessee schools records request

Andy Humbles
USA Today Network - Tennessee

The American Center for Law & Justice has made an open records request of all Tennessee school districts that pertain to Islam curriculum.

The request was made because of contact from concerned parents, said Cece Heil, Senior Counsel with the ACLJ, a Christian based national nonprofit that advocates and litigates freedom of religion and free speech issues.

The American Center for Law & Justice is seeking records pertaining to Islam curriculum in Tennessee schools.

“Although a school may teach curriculum on religion, it must be objective,” Heil said in an email. “It may not prefer one religion over other religions without running afoul of the Establishment Clause. After receiving specific complaints from parents, it seems that some school (districts) may have crossed this line.”

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The time and depth Islam has been taught in schools has been scrutinized recently by Tennessee lawmakers and community members representing multiple districts.

The state provides academic standards, which Tennessee Department of Education Commissioner Candice McQueen said are designed to provide a deep understanding of how world religions have affected world history.

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But the state has moved up the social studies standards review process ahead of its traditional six-year cycle. Social studies standards were originally set to be reviewed in 2018, now the review process will begin in January 2016.

Individual districts have leeway in how curriculum is taught within the state guidelines.

The ACLJ letters are requesting records and information on what students are learning about Islam and other religions, how students are being taught and what resources teachers are using.

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The open records requests are being made to all 146 districts and state special schools because the ACLJ alleges decisions the organization believes have concerned parents would likely come from the district level, Heil said.

Reach Andy Humbles at 615-726-5939 and on Twitter @AndyHumbles.