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Dawah Educational Awareness in the Public Schools Intent to Convert Schoolchildren: Cease and Desist

Cherie Vandermillen

Two days after FCDF sent a “cease and desist letter” to the West New York School District, attorneys for the school district’s Board of Education notified FCDF on Friday that “the poster(s) that may have been deemed legally impermissible in a public educational setting have been removed from Memorial High School.” Early last week, a Memorial High teacher had contacted FCDF, expressing grave concerns that the high school was unlawfully promoting Islam.

Despite the school district taking down the posters, FCDF is continuing to investigate the matter—including submitting a public records request—after alarming new facts have come to light about the extent of Islamic influence in Memorial High School.

At issue is two Muslim high school students going class-to-class during school hours, interrupting lessons, and trying to convert students to Islam under the guise of teaching them about Ramadan. The students are also allegedly responsible for creating massive bulletin boards promoting Islamic religious practices and inviting students to learn more about the benefits of being a Muslim.

Ramadan bulletin board sponsored by local mosque’s “Dawah Committee”

According to FCDF’s investigative findings thus far, the two Muslim students’ proselytizing is sponsored by the North Hudson Islamic Educational Center’s “Dawah Committee.” According to its website, the Dawah Committee’s mission is “sharing the guidance of the Glorious Quran and the mercy of the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) with our neighbors and friends.” The committee is “also committed to empowering Muslims to be advocates of the message of Islam.” 

In an article entitled “Sharing Islam (Dawa) in Public Schools,” the Muslim advocacy group Sound Vision states “Dawa [or Dawah] means to share the message and traditions of Islam with fellow non-Muslims.” Sound Vision declares that “spreading the message of Islam” in the public schools is part of the “obligations of Dawa.”

For years, courageous Americans have been sounding the alarm about the threat of Islamic indoctrination in America’s schools, only to be smeared as Islamophobic, anti-Muslim conspiracy theorists. What is transpiring in this school district is no doubt a conspiracy, but the blatant Islamic proselytizing here requires no theorizing—it is fact.

Daniel Piedra, FCDF’s Executive Director

As part of its public school outreach, the Dawah Committee provides a School Ramadan Outreach Kit 2019. The kit teaches public schoolchildren that Mohammed is “a prophet and righteous person” and that Allah is the “One God.” Among dozens of “activities” and lessons, the kit also encourages teachers to have their students fast, invite imams to school to extol students about the “spirit of Ramadan,” and “arrange for students to be part of an Iftar gathering at the Islamic Center or a [Muslim] parent’s home.” The kit encourages teachers to email the mosque at [email protected] for more materials. 

Continue reading here.

[Editor’s Note: This article was written and originally published at Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund. Title changed by P&P.]