Readers here will have not soon forgotten my recent article in regards to what I call the ‘Burqa Blowout of Bacon Academy’ that actually brought me under personal attack by some students from that very school. Well, I’m definitely not alone in my criticisms of what goes on in Bacon Academy, as well as criticisms of some of its students, faculty and parents, and the events and groups (i.e. CAIR) surrounding it. From Winfield Myers (hat tip: Sheila):
WASHINGTON - Caitlin Dean is a 15-year-old student at Bacon Academy (a public Connecticut high school) who donned a burqa one school day and reported racist remarks and taunts from her schoolmates.
Her case and the reaction to it tells us less about alleged Islamophobia than about two disturbing trends: The continuing seepage of the anti-Western cant common in universities into secondary schools; and the growing habit of baiting Americans in an age that glorifies victimhood a habit that, when Middle East culture is involved, likely as not involves the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Caitlins Feb. 1 sartorial selection wasnt the spontaneous action of a young person engaged in a social experiment. Rather, it was suggested to her by her Middle East studies teacher, Angie Parkinson, who, the Hartford Courant reports, wanted to promote her class by finding students to dress in traditional Arab clothing. On that level, at least, the stunt worked: Enrollment in the class will jump to 48 next year from only 12 this semester.
Parkinsons willingness to use young people for self-promotion is shameful enough; how many adults recall as wise those teachers who sought to ingratiate themselves among students through adopting attitudes and stances more common to (and forgivable among) adolescents than grown-ups?
Among the obligations adults have toward children is to avoid creating situations in which clear temptations to wrongdoing exist, and in knowing the kinds of situations to avoid. Thats why its illegal to give underage persons alcoholic beverages or sell them cigarettes.
By putting immature young people in a position to make hurtful statements, Parkinson allowed her professional well-being, and her political cause, to trump common decency just as much as did the kids who made the remarks.
But infantilization via politicization knows no bounds. Bacon Academy, like the universities it mimics, boasts chic student organizations that long ago displaced such quaint relics as the Key, Beta, or chess clubs. Theres a Gay-Straight Alliance and a Diversity Club. Should your charges grow bored with mundane local issues, they can do their small part in saving the world in the Save Darfur group.
And just as American history is no longer required at most universities, so another student at Bacon who also wore traditional Muslim clothing wishes it would disappear even earlier in the curriculum. As quoted in the Courant, he criticized school leaders for replacing world studies in middle school with more American history.
Such notions among kids arent born ex nihilo; they originate either at home among affluent boomers, or at school, where the products of methodology-obsessed education colleges and the left-liberal National Education Association ensure that students are exposed to the very latest pseudo-intellectual fashions from campus.
Parkinsons ploy also reflects a disturbing trend toward staging events designed to incite negative reactions that, in turn, become fodder for Americas victimization mills. No case better illustrates this phenomenon than that of the so-called Flying Imams.
On Nov. 20, six imams were removed from a Phoenix-bound US Airways flight in Minneapolis after passengers became disturbed at the imams on-board actions, which included moving about the cabin, praying loudly in Arabic (including shouting Allahu Akbar!), and asking for seat belt extensions, which can be used as weapons and which none of the men needed. This example of what Debra Burlingame called grievance theater also worked, since removing the imams from the plane set the stage for round two: the lawsuit.
On March 13, Nihad Awad, executive director of CAIR, which has seen five of its former employees and board members linked to terrorism-related charges and activities, announced a suit by the imams against US Airways. More menacingly, the suit also threatens alarmed passengers who reported the imams activities. The suit was filed by Omar T. Mohammedi, president of the New York chapter of CAIR.
These tactics converge back in Connecticut, where CAIR intends to milk the Bacon Academy incident for all its worth. Rabia Chaudry, an attorney who is spokeswoman for CAIRs Connecticut chapter, told the Courant, I think what the teacher has done is exactly what schools should be doing.
CAIR also hopes, in Chaudrys words, to send representatives to meet with students in Colchester and other communities, to hold town meetings to talk about their feelings about Muslims, the war and terrorism.
The confluence of an irresponsible education establishment that breeds politicized classrooms and a professional victimization organization that threatens to silence critics of radical Islamists weakens our ability as a society to confront and defeat those who would weaken our liberties. Its time to bring down the curtain on grievance theater.
Winfield Myers is a member of The Examiner Blog Board of Contributors and blogs at CampusWatch.org.
Islam is here and its beckoning to your kids. I don’t think I need to expand on that statement, I’ve said it all before; you’re worried enough right now.
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Excellent article Winfield Myers!
I have to say, something about that photo of Caitlin reminded me of the Sally Field movie “Not Without my Daughter” I wonder if Caitlin has seen that one. Surely her teacher will show that one in class for balanced discussion.
Following the links through the articles led me back to campus-watch where I also read about the hijab solidarity day at Columbia MO. I wonder why it never occurs to the feminists that more women are harmed by Islamic practices themselves than by people who disagree with them?
I propose (I’m sure I wouldn’t be the first) a day of solidarity for victims of muslim violence. On that day, all videos of mistreatment of muslim women can be shown free of charge in theaters and on the web and cable stations. This way, if enough non-muslim men witness RoP violence against women we will be able to testify on their behalf. Maybe even Oprah will have silouetted women testify on or “after the show”!
For every woman who blackens her eye or walks with a limp, we can donate $5.00 to the S. Kamen breast cancer cause since the original amount of $50.00 was barely enough to mention in print.
The movie ‘Osama’ should be required viewing if they are so damn intent on teaching “about” Islam — let the kids and especially the girls get a real dose of reality. Instead, these teachers seem intent on indoctrinating and revising and “leaving out the bad parts”. Fools all, but doing this to our kids is far beyond that. These kinds of lies of convenience are criminal.
What an experiment in foolishness. Proof positive that the US has changed for the worse. One can imagine what would have happened had a teacher in 1942 had their students impersonating Nazis being poorly treated by partisans in occupied Europe. PC has poisoned far too many minds far too deeply. One has to wonder (and worry) what the US will be like in another 65 years given this type of foolishness we see today. Will there even be a US by then?