GREENVILLE, Va. (AP) – During a forum, parents expressed concern over a world geography lesson at Riverheads High School that involved Islam.
News outlets report teacher Cheryl LaPorte had students complete an assignment Friday that involved practicing calligraphy and writing a statement in Arabic. The statement translates to: “There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.”
At Tuesday night’s forum in Greenville, parents discussed the lesson and some expressed outrage over what they called indoctrination.
Kimberly Herndon, a parent who organized the event, said she didn’t want a false doctrine spoken in schools. Others called for LaPorte’s termination.
Augusta County Superintendent Eric Bond sent a news release, saying that when students learn about a geographic region, they also study its religion and language. He added the lessons were not an attempt at indoctrination.