Tensions between Muslim parents and Montgomery County Public Schools over the Maryland district’s mandatory LGBTQ books escalated after a Democratic official compared the families to White supremacists.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations demanded an apology for “offensive and disparaging remarks” made by Montgomery County Councilmember Kristin Mink at Tuesday’s board of education meeting on the elimination of the classroom opt-out policy.
“This issue has unfortunately put, it does put some – not all, of course – some Muslim families on the same side of an issue as White supremacists and outright bigots,” said Ms. Mink at the meeting. “However, the folks who I talked to here today I would not put in the same category as those folks, although it’s again complicated because they’re falling on the same side of this particular issue.”
Zainab Chaudry, director of CAIR’s Maryland office, said Ms. Mink used the public forum “to link your Muslim constituents with the same White supremacist groups who so often threaten our own existence and well-being.”
“To help repair some of the damage that your remarks caused, CAIR is seeking a statement from you publicly apologizing for your remarks and committing to showing respect for the views of Muslim families in Montgomery County, even if you personally disagree with them,” said Ms. Chaudry in the Tuesday letter.
Montgomery County Councilmember Kristin Mink spoke, at the meeting, expressing a nuance to this discussion while supporting the curriculum without opt-outs.
— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) June 6, 2023
She explains that while this issue “puts some Muslim families on the same side of an issue as white supremacists”… pic.twitter.com/pjmPUQ1uHs
SEE ALSO: Muslim, Christian parents sue MoCo schools to opt out of mandatory ‘pride’ storybooks
Hundreds of protesters gathered outside as the board heard testimony from 30 representatives on each side of the district’s decision in March to cancel its parental notification and opt-out policies, a switch made after approving 22 “LGBTQ+ inclusive texts” for grades pre-K through 8.
Muslim parents waved signs and shouted, “Protect our children!” Those advocating for the LGBTQ curriculum countered with “Secular schools!” as shown in video posted by News2Share producer Ford Fischer.
VIDEO THREAD: “Protect our children!” Today a Muslim-led coalition rallied outside the Montgomery County Maryland School Board against the removal of an “opt-out” option from human sexuality related material.
— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) June 6, 2023
Pro-LGBT activists counter-protested, chanting “secular schools!” pic.twitter.com/48qpRDJzyM
The books include “Pride Puppy” by Robin Stevenson, which asks three- and four-year-olds to find items at an LGBTQ pride parade, including an intersex flag, drag queen, leather and underwear, as well as books in support of gender transitioning and preferred pronouns for kids.
The district made it clear that the books aren’t optional, announcing in a March 23 “revised message” that “there is an expectation that teachers utilize these inclusive lessons and texts with all students.”
A group of Muslim and Christian parents sued the district last month, asking a federal court to block temporarily the “no notice, no opt-out” policy slated to take effect in the 2023-24 academic year pending the outcome of the lawsuit.
Also called on to apologize publicly was Lynne Harris, a member of the Montgomery County Board of Education, who singled out a young Muslim student who spoke in favor of the opt-out policy at a May 25 meeting, according to Montgomery County 360.
“Recalling the student’s testimony, board member Lynne Harris (At-large) said she felt ‘kind of sorry’ for the girl and wondered to what extent she may have been ‘parroting dogma’ learned from her parents,” said the MoCo 360 report.
Edward Ahmed Mitchell, CAIR national deputy executive director, said that the notion that young religious Muslims are “simply brainwashed individuals repeating ‘dogma’ they have heard from their parents, without any independent thought, is a bigoted stereotype.”
He said that Ms. Harris expressed no such opinions about students who spoke in favor of eliminating the opt-out.
“Just as you did not question whether or not those other students are parroting ‘secular dogma’ learned from their parents, you should not have made similar disparaging remarks about a Muslim student,” he said in the Tuesday letter. “To address this mistake, we ask that you publicly both apologize for your remarks and commit to showing respect for the views of Muslim students in the school system, even if you respectfully disagree with their concerns.”
The Washington Times has reached out to Ms. Harris and Ms. Mink for comment.
The board listened to community members but took no vote at the Tuesday meeting.
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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