A Father is Expelled From His Daughter’s School

When one Marine dad objected to his daughter’s homework assignment, school officials slapped him with a no trespassing order that effectively banned him from the school entirely.

 

Fox News Dallas-Fort Worth reported that Kevin Wood received the order (last week), following a disagreement with the La Plata High School vice principal.  His daughter’s assignment asked students to give an explanation of Islam’s Five Pillars, Muhammad, and Mecca.

 

School spokesperson Katie O’Malley-Simpson defended the school’s decision: “He was threatening to cause a disruption or possible disruption at the school.”

 

In contrast, Wood denies making any threats and claims to have witnesses who support his version of the story. He also adds: “I don’t force my religious views on them, so don’t force your religious views on me.”

 

The school defended the subject matter as a world history, rather than a religion, assignment.  However, Wood’s wife, Melissa, offered a pointed question direct to the school’s argument: “We cannot discuss our Ten Commandments in school, but they can discuss Islam’s Five Pillars?”

 

Learning about a major world religion as part of a world history class doesn’t necessarily seem objectionable.  However, the worksheets assigned to Wood’s daughter seem to delve gratuitously into aspects of Islam that have little to do with history and are perhaps better left for discussion outside of the classroom.  The assignment asked students to outline the Five Pillars of Islam, describe Islam’s links to Christianity and Judaism, Muhammad’s upbringing, and how Muslim rulers treated conquered peoples.

 

If Veteran Wood did indeed make threats, the school’s actions are completely understandable.  On the other hand, if the school is banning him as a means of silencing an inconvenient parent, then that’s alarming.  Judging from the report from local paper SoMdNews, Wood’s words — while brusque – don’t seem to rise to the level of a threat.  “I told her straight up ‘you could take that Muslim-loving piece of paper and shove it up your white [expletive],” Kevin Wood said in an interview.  “If [students] can’t practice Christianity in school, they should not be allowed to practice Islam in school.”

 

The bigger issue, and one the school has yet to address, is the appropriateness of children being taught materials objectionable to their parents.  Regardless of whether you agree that religion should be taught in public school or not, there is no question that parents should have an input in what their children learn, especially when it comes to an issue as deeply personal as religion.

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel