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Saudis in the classroom

By Michelle Malkin  •  July 25, 2007 04:44 PM

Do you know what your kids are learning in their public school classrooms? Stanley Kurtz examines how Saudi-backed teaching materials have found their way into American education:

Believe it or not, the Saudis have figured out how to make an end-run around America’s K-12 curriculum safeguards, thereby gaining control over much of what children in the United States learn about the Middle East. While we’ve had only limited success paring back education for Islamist fundamentalism abroad, the Saudis have taken a surprising degree of control over America’s Middle-East studies curriculum at home.

How did they do it? Very carefully…and very cleverly. It turns out that the system of federal subsidies to university programs of Middle East Studies (under Title VI of the Higher Education Act) has been serving as a kind of Trojan horse for Saudi influence over American K-12 education. Federally subsidized Middle East Studies centers are required to pursue public outreach. That entails designing lesson plans and seminars on the Middle East for America’s K-12 teachers. These university-distributed teaching aids slip into the K-12 curriculum without being subject to the normal public vetting processes. Meanwhile, the federal government, which both subsidizes and lends its stamp of approval to these special K-12 course materials on the Middle East, has effectively abandoned oversight of the program that purveys them (Title VI).

Enter the Saudis. By lavishly funding several organizations that design Saudi-friendly English-language K-12 curricula, all that remains is to convince the “outreach coordinators” at prestigious, federally subsidized universities to purvey these materials to America’s teachers. And wouldn’t you know it, outreach coordinators or teacher-trainers at a number of university Middle East Studies centers have themselves been trained by the very same Saudi-funded foundations that design K-12 course materials. These Saudi-friendly folks happily build their outreach efforts around Saudi-financed K-12 curricula.

So let’s review. The United States government gives money — and a federal seal of approval — to a university Middle East Studies center. That center offers a government-approved K-12 Middle East studies curriculum to America’s teachers. But in fact, that curriculum has been bought and paid for by the Saudis, who may even have trained the personnel who operate the university’s outreach program. Meanwhile, the American government is asleep at the wheel — paying scant attention to how its federally mandated public outreach programs actually work. So without ever realizing it, America’s taxpayers end up subsidizing — and providing official federal approval for — K-12 educational materials on the Middle East that have been created under Saudi auspices. Game, set, match: Saudis.

Rick Moran has more at The American Thinker and wonders:

“Who could ever believe that a foreign country would be able to influence the curricula of American schools in such a way? And do it without any oversight by the federal government?

Maybe the feds could start a program “No Slanted View Of Middle Eastern History Left Behind.”

The curriculum in our government schools is lousy and polluted enough without the stealth infiltration of Saudi propaganda. Time for some oversight and loophole-closing. Anyone in Congress awake?

***

Flashback: This is a Saudi textbook.

Posted in: Saudi Arabia, Sharia

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Comments

  1. #1
    On July 25th, 2007 at 4:51 pm, Rusty said:

    I doubt Congress is awake, but I bet parents are. If there was some kind of controversial material in the schools a parent would have caught it.

    Obviously another country, especially one so closely tied to terrorism, having a say in our K-12 cirriculum is crazy and unfortunate. But perhaps this material isn’t as terrible as one could imagine.

  2. #2
    On July 25th, 2007 at 4:56 pm, jrlingreenbay said:

    Since when is Middle Eastern Studies more important the history of this country and the world.

    They’re phasing out Winston Churchill, but phasing in Riyadh?

    Unreal.

  3. #3
    On July 25th, 2007 at 4:58 pm, shooter said:

    There’s a new meaning of ‘cramming’ for students.

    Wahabbi-ism (sic) crammed down kids throats…..

    Wonder how the history of the Holocaust and ‘Israel as a nation’ looks in these places?

  4. #4
    On July 25th, 2007 at 4:59 pm, The Raging Republican said:

    I guess we could teach the Saudi class right after Obama’s proposed kindergarten sex-ed class. This way there is a continuous poisoning of our children’s minds.

    Is there any doubt why people put their kids in private schools??

  5. #5
    On July 25th, 2007 at 5:22 pm, IrishEi said:

    On July 25th, 2007 at 4:51 pm, Rusty said:
    I doubt Congress is awake, but I bet parents are. If there was some kind of controversial material in the schools a parent would have caught it.

    It’s not always obvious. My kids studied the Middle East in Sixth Grade Social Studies. I complained at a board meeting that they had to memorize the Five Pillars of Islam, yet the curriculum never even mentioned Christianity or Judaism. There was nothing blatantly anti-Semitic or anti-infidel (I would have noticed;) however, Islam, as well as the entire M.E., was portrayed as culturally rich and bucolic.

    I wish I had known more about home-schooling back then. I was so disgusted with so many aspects of their public school that I sent them to a private Catholic high school at $10g/yr/kid. A struggle, but well worth it.

  6. #6
    On July 25th, 2007 at 5:35 pm, zoyclem said:

    A couple of years ago I browsed through my niece’s high school history book and was amazed to discover that Jimmy Carter was one of our greatest Presidents, and that Gorbachev ended the Cold War!

    So this isn’t surprising. We’re living at the onset of the misinformation age and things will only get worse.

    Color me optimistic.

  7. #7
    On July 25th, 2007 at 5:42 pm, Snooper said:

    Golly, Sarge! Why this is a surprise to anyone is quite perplexing. I didn’t know these specifics but now that I do know, it is no surprise.

    We have been doing a research on Jihadist Bloggers that manage to get the fruit loops on the left all askew.

    http://takeourcountryback-snooper.blogspot.com/search/label/Jihadist%20Bloggers

    The Jihadists declared war on the US years ago and they learned quite well from their years of associations with the Nazis and the Communists.

    These are NOT dumb and backwards people and the threats are all so real.

    WAKE UP!!

    http://www.usawakeup.org/

  8. #8
    On July 25th, 2007 at 5:42 pm, gayle said:

    Ironic,

    Two years ago I taught Social Studies to 7th graders at a public school.

    The lesson plans that we were supposed to you painted the Middle East with a glorious tapestry of cultural influences, foods they eat, and landmarks. PERIOD.

    I embellished on my plans in deliberately integrated into MY plans - the wars, both political and religious to my students. We discussed how the conflicts affect Americans.
    Most of these kids never knew anything except what they had been previously exposed to via parents or other teachers.

    I did not follow the curricula guide.

    I wanted to offer candid facts on Israel/Syria/Iran/and Iraq….we spent some time on Turkey and Pakistan.

    What is in the textbooks would shock you. There is so little for debate - that these kids are growing up in a world and are not prepared for what’s ahead.

    Just the facts (unimportant at best) Ma’am.

  9. #9
    On July 25th, 2007 at 5:43 pm, gayle said:

    Sorry, typo!

    supposed to you

    SHOULD BE - supposed to teach painted

  10. #10
    On July 25th, 2007 at 6:09 pm, Gabe said:

    This type of thing has been going on for years in the name of multiculturalism. Almost all world history texts have to be signed off by numerous ethnic and cultural pressure groups before they will be published. Diane Ravitch of the Hoover Institution and Brookings has carefully documented the process in The Language Police, published in 2003.

    Islamic groups carefully monitor what is going into the history books, and almost all of the most popular history texts adopted by the states paint Islam in wonderful light. Therefore, gullible students learn how glorious, highly advanced Muslim culture “spread” throughout North Africa and the Middle East, whereas Christian culture “conquered” and “invaded” other lands.

  11. #11
    On July 25th, 2007 at 6:20 pm, nbarry said:

    All it should take is a Jewish student showing the study materials to his parents for the you-know-what to hit the fan. Then watch how school boards and administrators are shocked, shocked that jihadi materials have entered the curriculum.

  12. #12
    On July 25th, 2007 at 6:23 pm, nbarry said:

    A reliable monitor of Middle Eastern studies programs is http://www.campuswatch.org, led by Prof. Daniel Pipes and the Middle East Forum.

  13. #13
    On July 25th, 2007 at 6:28 pm, greysheepdog said:

    Dhimmitude brought to you by Houghton-Mifflin

    http://www.danielpipes.org/article/118

  14. #14
    On July 25th, 2007 at 6:36 pm, huggybear said:

    All this hand-wringing - has anyone actually *looked* at the curriculum to see whether it’s objectionable? Seems like the logical first step to me before you run into Conspiracytheoryland screaming “Trojan Horse!”

    Islamic groups carefully monitor what is going into the history books

    Is there any reason Christian groups can’t do the same?

  15. #15
    On July 25th, 2007 at 6:43 pm, puhiawa said:

    Damn, how bizarre is this?

  16. #16
    On July 25th, 2007 at 7:03 pm, PBoilermaker said:

    My fiance and I will be homeschooling our kids or sending them to Catholic school.

    This is absurd.

  17. #17
    On July 25th, 2007 at 7:10 pm, IrishEi said:

    On July 25th, 2007 at 6:36 pm, huggybear said:
    All this hand-wringing

    Get your head out of the Saharan sand, huggybear.

    Whether you or any of your multiculturist friends might find the information “objectionable” is unimportant. What matters is that a foreign country is influencing the public education of our youngest and most impressionable citizens, and painting their own misogynistic, totalitarian, barbaric and backward country in a positive light.

    What do you think the chances are that the U.S. would be allowed to influence ANYTHING that is put in Saudi textbooks? Hell, they won’t even allow Jews to enter the country.

  18. #18
    On July 25th, 2007 at 7:13 pm, blacktygrrrr said:

    We might as well just start facing East and praying to Mecca because apparently doing something to prevent this does not seem to be interesting to the democrats in congress.

    Homeschooling is the only solution. I do not even blame the Saudis for trying to subvert our education system. I blame our education system for allowing this subversion to take place.

    Ms. Malkin, on a totally unrelated note, and I apologize in advance for being off topic, I did an interview today with Amanda Carpenter. If you feel it is of a high quality, I would like to interview you by email as well. I would submit you the questions in advance for your review.

    http://blacktygrrrr.wordpress.com/2007/07/25/my-interview-with-amanda-carpenter/

    Respectfully,

    eric

  19. #19
    On July 25th, 2007 at 7:17 pm, dm60462 said:

    I believe it. Time after time I’ve encountered public school teachers who were sincere, but far from intellectually gifted and all to eager to leap a any ‘new’ teaching hypothesis that crosses their path.

    Christain groups can’t exploit this weekmess because Christianity is seen as threatening and Christian idea should be ’separate’ from state run schools.

    PBoilermaker, you are dead on. Do NOT send your kids to public school. Been there. Done that. After years, I finally saved up enough to send them to Catholic high school. I did it to save their lives.

  20. #20
    On July 25th, 2007 at 7:40 pm, gayle said:

    Did you know that the left wing fruitcakes want to eventually BAN homeschooling????

    You’re not surprised, are you?

  21. #21
    On July 25th, 2007 at 8:40 pm, general company said:

    Most (if not all) of this is authorized by states with a high Muslim population. Please before you berate me, understand this is why it is more important to elect responsible local government then even the on the Federal level.
    The importance of US culture and assimilation must be held above respected foreign culture. The ACLU and other rouge organization that operate under the guise of US citizens defense requires privet funding, start asking your vendors if they support them, and quit doing buiseness with them.

  22. #22
    On July 25th, 2007 at 10:20 pm, englishqueen01 said:

    Reason #95564654864102070017544 to home school or go private.

    Did you know that the left wing fruitcakes want to eventually BAN homeschooling????

    Yep. Can’t have parents teaching their kids about morals, values, religion, and such at home. The State must indoctrinate youth into a leftist way of thinking, or else all will be ruined.

    If you’re a Harry Potter fan, this is a *****SPOILER ALERT*****

    It’s apt to point out that in the final installment of Harry Potter, the first thing Lord Voldemort (the bad wizard, for those of you who haven’t read the series) does is make attending Hogwarts School COMPULSORY for all wizard children.

    I think it’s a great representation of what the left wants to do in reality.

  23. #23
    On July 25th, 2007 at 11:03 pm, bear1909 said:

    I have my own Trojan Horse. A well known columnist and expert on Islamic Fascism gave me permission to reprint large excerpts from his site. I am working to have it reprinted here in the local hyper-Liberal ragsheets in the area. This reprint and dissemination of “newswire” uneditorialized reports of Jihadist stench around the *WORLD* will open eyeballs (even if some of them will open just to condemn my non-conforming ideas about “cultures of the world”.)

    I got myself elected to the PTA at the public elementary school where my son is enrolled. There is a teacher here who actually believes that our kids should study the cultures of Africa because “Our kids have to study ‘who they are not’ in order to understand who they really are.”

    Huh? My son is Navajo, Spanish, and Northern Mexico mixed-blood, and Russian Jew. He knows where his people come from and who his GrandFathers and GrandMothers are. Let him study other places and people of the world to learn about the world in which HE lives. Period. But that teacher’s mentality is the essence of multiculturalism “You can’t know who you are until you define who you are not.” Horse Hockey.

    So…of course, memorize the 5 pillars of Islamic Narcissism and see if you can understand who you are. That mode sows self-doubt and a fear of being judged *wrong* for having core beliefs bestowed on you by your parents *WHO HAPPEN TO KNOW THEIR SH*T culturally, *spiritually* (this religion thing is really pretty tiresome), legally, civically, sexually, socially, and ethically.

    It is our job to inculcate in our own young what their socio-cultural DNA is all about so they can cultivate it according to principles they have tested for themselves as they come of age and mature. NOT THE DAMN SCHOOL SYSTEM. The schools should broker content that is legally sanctioned by the ridiculous school districts acting on behalf of the state. And we parents, whether our kids are in public schools or not, should be all up in the school boards’ business because the trolls they are turning out in public schools end up cruising on our tax dime.

    Sorry! The Saudis do not get a pass on this. We need to join with others aroudn this country who are forming a campaign to end Islamic Fascist infiltration of our institutions…the same way the US rooted out Communists to a large degree. McCarthy was right and history has proven him right: they wwere everywhere poisoning institutions. It is still happening, but far less worse than it would be had no one stood up to the Communists. Now it is Communist (Marxist-Socialist-Anarchist) ideology melding with Islamo Fascism in this takeover of American institutions. We must stop this by getting involved in the front lines in our own communities.

    People think I am a nutcase because I speak of these things, because I know my history and I know how flaky our Government is when it comes to Nanny State BS and government pre-occupations of the sort while we are being overrun by Chinese agents and Islamic fascists dressed in “charities” clothing (you know to help the poor Palestinian children that are being murdered everyday by the evil Jews.).

    I am very glad this thread began on the Saudi subversion of the USA. Throw them out of the country and destroy their mosques and their madrasas. And while we are at it, torpedo B. Hussein Obama and his jihadi lite presidential campaign. Wahabbi educated with a Muslim name…..dump his butt now…and while we are at it *SEND A MESSAGE TO OPRAH WINFREY*….you may be rich, but your empire needs a market, and that can be used to bring you down for backing another infiltrator who seeks the nations highest office.

    ….

    Thanks. It feels good to be among friends who GET IT.

    This is Bear1909 in Berkeley California. OUT!

  24. #24
    On July 26th, 2007 at 12:00 am, DaveC said:

    wow, with no vouchers for school choice, and more and more slanted textbooks out there, and to top it all off, pretty sh*tty schools out there too that you have to send your kids too, No wonder why people home school their kids..

    and private schools costing an arm and a leg isn’t an option to a lot of parents as well..

  25. #25
    On July 26th, 2007 at 6:09 am, gayle said:

    If any of you can afford to stay home at least part-time, please do so.

    This is in regards to home-schooling.

    You need to keep your kids OUT of the public schools if at all possible.

    At least set the firm moral foundation for your children before the government takes away your right to parent.

    There are many teachers who disagree with State School Board policies. We are required to teach what is in the handbook that we are given at the beginning of the school year. We are evaluated (rehired, unless tenured) on our accomplishments in meeting those LIBERAL goals.

    It is truly sickening.

    BTW, I am no longer teaching - will no longer pander to liberals.

    If you speak out in NC from a teacher’s perspective, you are treading dangerous territory. Fortunately, I no longer have to work, so I am a very lucky lady indeed! Maybe this explains why there is a teacher shortage. It is not always about the money. The liberals won’t tell the truth about this to the public.

    Please HOMESCHOOL if at all possible.
    Maybe you could team up with a neighbor and share the tasks.

  26. #26
    On July 26th, 2007 at 6:47 am, zorro said:

    As a 2nd generation American of Lebanese descent, I offer this case in point… how many Middle East study classes illustrate the point that Lebanon is the only Christian country left in the land where Christianity began?

  27. #27
    On July 26th, 2007 at 7:27 am, gayle said:

    ZERO. Only if a teacher/instructor is aware - will the students be informed.

    A Liberal inclined teacher would never mention it.

  28. #28
    On July 26th, 2007 at 9:16 am, Rusty said:

    People are really going after liberals for this. Why? This just didn’t happen yesterday. The Saudi “subversion” happened under the GOP’s watch as well.

  29. #29
    On July 26th, 2007 at 9:29 am, Dandapani said:

    CAUTION: Dhimmis in training…

  30. #30
    On July 26th, 2007 at 12:49 pm, Tantor said:

    The Saudis are waging a jihad against America by direct and indirect means. It was Saudi petrodollars, along with some cash from the rest of the Gulf, which financed the $500,000 needed to directly attack us on Sep 11. The Saudis are also waging war on us indirectly by infiltrating America, taking advantage of our tolerance to spread their venomous Wahhabism. It is the Saudis who spread their hate literature throughout every mosque in America, who trained Islamist imams who have radicalized 80% of the mosques in America, who have a monopoly on providing imams as prison chaplains, who build mosques in America as foundations of Wahhabi colonies, who have established radical Islamist indoctrination centers in Middle East Studies centers in our universities, and who now disseminate their propaganda in our elementary schools. It is jihad by other means.

  31. #31
    On July 26th, 2007 at 3:18 pm, Alphonse said:

    We should only get the Israeli viewpoint as was typical in the past.

  32. #32
    On July 26th, 2007 at 4:56 pm, englishqueen01 said:

    Maybe you could team up with a neighbor and share the tasks.

    There are several homeschooling groups that share responsibilities. They do it not only to help share the load, but because not every parent is an expert in every subject. Me? We’d have to find someone more skilled in math to educate our children.

    I’m hoping to get a business up and running, if I do and it’s successful, I’ll be homeschooling.

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