By Talia Gerard
Opinion Editor
and Emily Petillon
Copy Editor
At Manhattan Beach Middle School, the Islamic religion is addressed and studied by seventh graders in the Medieval history curriculum. Parents who have raised concerns about including Islamic teachings in the curriculum incorrectly argue that seventh grade teachers are trying to promote Islam, but the teachers are simply attempting to promote a discussion on prominent world religions and adhere to social science state standards.
During the Dec. 10 Manhattan Beach Unified School District Board of Trustees meeting, Manhattan Beach Middle School parents Judy Diethelm and Keith Johnson requested to have the topic of the Islamic curriculum added to the meeting’s agenda. Among others, they voiced their belief that teachers are indoctrinating the Islamic religion instead of teaching the history of Islam. The district responded by ensuring that the materials taught in seventh grade history follow the California State Standards for social science.
According to the parents, the controversy started when their seventh grade son, who had just begun studying at MBMS, showed his parents his history homework. The students in the class were reviewing Islam in order to fulfill state standards.
However, the couple saw his studies as an attempt to promote Islam over other religions to students. This was an unfair assumption that is taken out of context since students learn religions like Christianity, Judaism and many others that align with the time period being taught.
Even if Manhattan Beach Unified School District wanted to remove the teaching of Islam from the social science curriculum, it would not be possible. California educational standards explicitly require students to “analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious and social structures of the civilizations of Islam.” MBMS made the correct decision when it refused to alter the classes’ lesson plan, because they have adhered to standards, which includes teaching “the significance of the Qu’ran and the Sunnah…in Islamic daily life.”
MBUSD Superintendent Dr. Michael Matthews ensured that the current teaching falls in line with California State Standards and is taught at every public middle school in the state. According to Matthews, Islam is taught so students can have a background understanding as they learn about the history of different world cultures. Without knowing the cultures and religions of the people students are studying, it would be impossible for them to connect and contextualize the materials and time periods.
Students need to be taught about these religions to fully understand the information they are learning in a world history class. The teachers are not asking students to believe in Islam. They are simply trying to help the students understand the information and history being taught.
The California Educational Code does not focus this kind of attention on Islam alone, as all civilizations studied receive the same level of attention, although they may be taught in different grade levels. According to MBMS Principal John Jackson, the distribution of the curriculum is state mandated and not used to promote a particular religion.
The standards make it clear that all religions are taught in a political and social context, which is necessary for students’ understanding of history. The district acted with prudence by recognizing the inextricable link of history.
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