The article about the lesson on islam taught in Augusta County showed the outcry of parents and students after a local geography teacher used muslim scripture to teach her students about calligraphy and had students wear a traditional Islamic headscarf. Parents and students responded with messages and protests towards the school for allowing the event to take place. As a result the school was forced to close and start their winter break a day earlier than intended. The response prompted by the students and their families indicates a presence of authority. The school, according to the article, has similar hands on cultural experiences, yet it was the lesson on Islam that triggered the most drastic response on behalf of the students as well as the faculty. It was not an example of authoritarianism because freedom was not restricted as a whole but rather one school was selectively shut down because one lesson plan so it was a display of authority.
Lesson on Islam Shuts Down Virginia School District
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The parents and the students do have authority simply because they are the population that makes up the school district. However, the reason they exercised their power was because they assumed that the teacher or the school was trying to coerce them away from their religion, by assigning this lesson. Since they felt this way, the parents threatened and harassed the school administration. Students should be exposed to different ways of life. Instead of suggesting that the text change, they warrant attention from the Sherriff’s department. Authoritarianism was demonstrated by a great amount of the parents of the students because it caused the school administration to be cautioned about their safety.
Karia Hill