NY Madrassa principal resigns…now how about nixing the school? Update: Stop the Madrassa to file for injunctive relief against Khalil Gibran academy
Update: 1:57pm Eastern. Just received from Pamela Hall at Stop the Madrassa…
StopThe Madrassa Community Coalition remains absolutely determined to get to the bottom of what the Khalil Gibran Internationl Academy is all about. Dhabah Almontaser’s resignation just adds to the ineptitude, confusion and unwillingness to disclose any details, all of which leads to a conclusion of some kind of coverup.
We’re planning to file for injunctive relief to enjoin the school from opening until the City provides the explanation and information required by law so the public can know what is going on.
In the wake of the Intifada t-shirt scandal, the woman who was supposed to lead the taxpayer-funded, Arabic-themed public school known as the “Khalil Gibran academy” has resigned:
A New York City principal who came under fire for controversial comments about an “intifada” T-shirt that seemed to condone terrorism has resigned.
On Friday, Mayor Michael Bloomberg accepted the resignation of Debbie Almontaser, principal of the Khalil Gibran International Academy, an English-Arabic school set to open next month in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Almontaser had come under fire for comments she made to the New York Post about an “Intifada NYC” T-shirt that is sold by an activist group that shares an office with the Yemeni-American association that Almontaser represents.
Before condemning the T-shirt message’s connection to Palestinian terrorism, Almontaser told the Post that “intifada” means “shaking off” and the shirts represented women “shaking off” oppression.
The comments infuriated the city’s United Federation of Teachers president, Randi Weingarten, who called the message “war-mongering.”
But what about the school itself? Replacing Almontaser won’t make this exercise in sharia creep any better.
The NYPost had reported this morning on the puny turnout for the school:
The controversial Khalil Gibran International Academy scheduled to open next month has attracted only a handful of Arabic-speaking students, The Post has learned.
Just six Arabic speakers and one English-language learner out of 44 registered students have enrolled at the Brooklyn public academy that critics fear will become a city-funded Islamic school.
“We didn’t anticipate a full 50-50 split,” said Department of Education spokeswoman Melody Meyer.
The English-Arabic school was envisioned by Principal Debbie Almontaser as a multicultural institution serving grades 6-12 for native Arabic speakers and students wanting to learn the language. Students would become fluent in both languages while immersed in Arab culture and history under her plan.
At least for the first year there will only be a handful of sixth-grade students able to enjoy the boxes of books and textbooks translated into Arabic that Almontaser ordered.
The grass-roots activists at Stop the Madrassa continue to lobby for shutting down the whole, fundamentally flawed enterprise.
It is utterly damning that this thing has been allowed to progress at far as it has.
***
AllahPundit tips his hat to NYC teachers’ union prez, Randi Weingarten.
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Bye, and take you’re Books with you.
Another poor Muslim victim/
How do you say “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out” in Arabic?
LOL, Michelle…You are a Firecracker!
What ever happened to Brooklyn? They used to be tuff guys in days of old. In the 50’s (and I was not born yet) they would have just laughed and said “get outta here” and meant it. I guess the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s is what happened.
I have been trying to get it changed to MM-80 as she has more punch!
I think she’s the bomb!
Stop the Madrassa!!! I will not submit!!!!!
do not let the door slam you on the Butt
or: creole farsi
di-noosh um kalili portaha ni kiel-basa
I’m gonna make a t-shirt line that has that theme…
“Stop sharia creep” on the front, and “I will not submitt” on the back…
MICHELLE, Whats the plan for the Malkin factor tonight?
“…serving grades 6-12 for native Arabic speakers and students wanting to learn the language. Students would become fluent in both languages while immersed in Arab culture and history under her plan.”
1) Wouldn’t ‘native Arabic speakers’ already be versed in Arab culture & history?
2) Is there a big rush of students wanting to learn Arabic? ( Obviously not )
3) How about learning American history and English ( Since, after all, you live IN AMERICA!!! )
“On August 10th, 2007 at 1:53 pm, allrsn said:
MICHELLE, Whats the plan for the Malkin factor tonight?”
My vote goes to exposing that California Lawyer who linked up the ‘ImwithFred2008′ website to a KKK website - and now changed it to linking with the John Edwards site…
This guy needs to be exposed.
I would love to see Elspeth Reeve on the Factor…
But only a friday Factor. Bill shouldn’t get the pleasure of the LAUGHTER that woman would bring to the show…
Or someone from the Oakland reporter story…
Don’t let hijab you in al-Burhkaside.
I’d like to know how it all got this far to begin with. Who’s watching out out for setting up schools that adovcate jihad against NYC? Apparently not Bloomberg. What a guy.
“How do you say “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out” in Arabic?”
Well if you want to get technical about it,Michelle,this is how that translates..
ك خلفيّة بما أنّ أنت تترك الغرفةلا يسمح الكعبرة على الباب أن يصي
Score 100 for Stop the Madrassa! I wonder what Senator Clinton has to say about it? Or Senator Schumer?
Hmmmm. No fooling.
As for how it got this far: school bureaucracy is a giant cookie cutter.
Debbie’s plan was thought of as a good idea because “dual immersion” Spanish language curriculum has been adopted by public schools. If they could do Swahili they would.
Multiculturalism is a fantasy world that is useless on its face because it does not propose any strategies for how to gel as a MULTI-ETHNIC society. The word “assimilate” is interpreted, and subsequently judged, as “racist”.
Multiculturalism is a Marxist concept designed to wedge apart the sensitive balances that make Americans gel as a people sharing a NATIONALITY. It hyper-elevates individualistic identity “politik” and discourages any ideas which speak to a greater good.
The gates of Troy opened willingly to the Horse.
If they taught VAI I might rethink my position……
On August 10th, 2007 at 2:20 pm, Armigerous said:
“How do you say “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out” in Arabic?”
Well if you want to get technical about it,Michelle,this is how that translates..
ك خلفيّة بما أنّ أنت تترك الغرفةلا يسمح الكعبرة على الباب أن يصي
I wonder how long it takes to write that
simple sentance longhand??? And they Pray 5 times a day? And wash their feet how many times a day? And fight jihad? No wonder the cannot progress beyond 3rd world.
What’s the name of the school native dutch speakers and students wanting to learn the language? Or how about the multicultural institution serving native chinese speakers and students wanting to learn the language?
Again I ask, how did it get this far in the first place? I can just imagine the “racist” accusations the media would proclaim if someone went to the NYC schoold board and suggested that we open a “multicultural institute” for Irish speakers and students wanting to learn the language and Irish culture.
Whatever the motives of this school and its backers, this country needs a lot more Arabic-speakers. Though preferably from among those citizens reasonably committed to Western culture.
We did relatively better in Italy, France, Germany, et al at least in part because we always had troops in the ranks who could chat up the locals. We managed a few in Japan, damn few in Vietnam, and I’d bet we’re in as bad or worse shape now in Afghanistan and Iraq.
walterc: we’ve got a German-culture school down the road, I’m half a mile from a highly-regarded Mandarin-immersion school and there’s another one a couple miles north. These are, however, all private programs. In this generic middle-class SF Peninsula suburb, the preschool classes we’ve been looking at for our daughter are 40% Chinese (both FOB and ABC), 30% Indian, 15% Hispanic, and 15% everything else so she’d be in the microgeographic majority anyway.
What grade level are those school, JEM, and are the 100% public? Are they funded out of the local school budget?
Back in the Olden Days of Yore the goal used to be, “Pluralism” — but with the advent of Multi-Culturalism and the New Math, pluralism has become a four-letter word.
The rush among some to bow and scrape before the Mohammedans is too much like the kid at school seeking out the bully to hand over his lunch money, thinking:
(1) “I’m somehow in control, because I gave my lunch money away instead of having it forcibly taken from me;” and
(2) “Because I have removed the bully’s incentive to beat the crap out of me to get what he wants, he’ll respect me and leave me alone.”
Anyone who remembers elementary school - at least the one that I went to - will recall how well that line of thinking worked out.
Balkanization of the type being contemplated with this “school” is not the path to long-term co-existence. It’s backfired in Europe, and will produce the same result here. But I’m sure that the folks behind this “Madrassa” are thinking to themselves, “Yes, but we’ll get it right this time.”
Sure.
I am just speechless in amazement that NYC would even CONSIDER opening a PUBLIC school with a mission including “Students would become fluent in both languages while immersed in Arab culture and history under her plan”. Is anybody awake?
No, as noted they’re private programs. We do have local public districts that do Spanish and Mandarin immersion programs but to my knowledge they’re not over-heavy on culture.
Am I crass enough to suggest that to three thousand New Yorkers, ‘Arab culture and history’ smelled a lot like Jet A?
Arab culture and history were indeed impressive and worthy of study (but not an entire school!), that is before their forced submission to allah.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH…..sorry…my silent scream!…why do we continue to patronize these scum? I’ll tell you why, we’re being force to kneel at the alter of multiculturalism! GOD, help me. They say if you’re white/male/over 40..you are evil and the cause of all evil..if you are black…muslim….hispanic….Gay…a woman (unless you’re a conservative woman)…ANY Minority…then you can do no wrong…multiculturalism is not what makes America great…it’s only a by product of our freedoms, but you must assimilate to continue to keep this country great, and that doesn’t mean opening up religious schools with MY GOD**** tax dollars….STOP THE INSANITY…
Ok, so where’s the balance??? Where are the tax-funded schools which teach about the culture and history of Christianity and Catholocism?
E Pluribus Unum
I am getting tired of the ‘diversity’ issue. America first under every circumstance.
I have a great idea (even though its been suggested before) SCRAP the entire public school system, apply a business model (Harley Davidson’s or Lee Iococca’s)to education, and watch a profit made within 3 years.
Bye Bye madrassa!
Then your annalogy falls utterly flat. The school in NYC is publicly funded. Taxpayer money in New York is going to fund a school that will teach Allah is greatest, and damn them white folk. And you girls? Cover up!
Private schools can teach whatever they want so long as they cover the basics. The moment public money starts to fund a school that will deal heavily in a religion, I draw a line.
If I wanted to start a school that pushed christian ideals, I would be lucky to make it the parking lot before the lynch mob caught me…
That is great as extra subjects, but what about immersion in US culture and history because that is the country they live in now?
If more then 1 class a day goes toward arab studies and their main focus is not US history and culture, then they do not deserve public funding here in the US.
multiculturalism is no more than a load of crap…what made this county the greatest in history was not hundreds of cultures keeping to themselves, but melting together and living, working and playing as one.
Why do so many americans bow to this 3rd world culture…they are barbaric and what have they contributed to the world in a positive manner since the “zero”, course i’m bitter, hated algebra.
Multiculturalism?….Multiculturalism?
We don’t need no multiculturalism!!!
…..well, Hugo “The New Crusader” Chavez, as you may remember, not too long ago solidified ties with the tolerant president of Iran. Well, I guess multiculturalism is taking place in Venezuela. Apparently,many Venezuelans are turning to Islam as their new religion. Don’t believe it?…here’s proof:
Sorry, for Spanish (and Arabic) speaking only..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJxmKdtm-J0
Rio
Semper Fi!
To hell with multiculturalism!I used to be a high school history teacher,hard to believe huh?
How many more Jews like Soros and Bloomberg will help in the destruction of Judaism , Christianity, America and Israel for money? Count on those two to always short those countries and sow chaos for profit. In the camps they had names for such trash.
swj719AWG: I never attempted to draw a direct analog to what is going on in NYC.
Homogeneity of American culture is more a post-WWII development than anything else; just as one example there were entire German-speaking units in the Union army back in the Civil War (led, in large part, by German officers who’d bugged out of their homeland after 1848.)
We had, through the later 19th and early 20th century, large numbers of Irish immigrants whose hatred of Britain pretty much paralleled what the activist Muslim community thinks of Israel. They funded the Provos and did their (ineffective, as it turns out) best to keep the US from saving the British bacon in the World Wars. But they never represented an existential threat to the UK.
A Southern expression: “Don’t let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya!” We love and support the military all the way…always have, always will. Semper Fi
goose … gander