https://patch.com/new-jersey/chatham/chatham-moms-hire-lawyers-over-islam-middle-school-curriculum

After seeing this article, I feel very disappointed to see:

1) People protesting a religion specifically (even though it isn't given special treatment in the curriculum)

2) seeing Americans think this is a christian country( it is NOT)

I was taught about Islam, Judaism, Christianity (several sects actually), Buddhism, Shintuism, and some ancient religions. We never had people going around screaming and trying to sue my old high school. 

The article states they are fighting against this "propaganda" video:

It seems like as time goes on, the religious fanatics just get crazier and crazier. Just looking at the comments makes me pity people- while the majority of people who follow a religion are very tolerant and welcoming, it seems as though some people do not know what an opinion is called. The supposed "doctrines" of faith being taught are simple- the video stated that Muslims pray, give charity, fast, and must do a pilgrimage once in their life. I never thought teaching "(insert religion) for dummies 101" would be considered propaganda. I (along with my former classmates) learned the basics of the largest religions, along with Judaism. Even in a fairly conservative city, no problems rose from discussing how each religion worked. 

Certainly not gonna bash any group of people though- I just hope the school stands its grounds. America is a secular nation, and a class about the world should teach about the second most followed religion in the world. Ignoring Islam in a world culture class would be like skipping everything about the Chinese in AP Geography. 

It's disappointing in all honesty, as many people will shift topics to Islam and turn these types of discussions into a playground for insults. Not really sure what we will see from this thread, but I'm hoping we can see a decent discussion on this event.

I will say one thing; that video was pretty cheesy ;p

I think it's great. Teach the kids about Islam. Then let them decide about it for themselves.

I believe students should be taught all about the different religions, their history, their contributions, their immoral acts, all of it. - It's what makes up a significant part of the world around us.

But there is a line. Once students are forced to pray every morning then a line has been crossed, it's gone from teaching to preaching and that's not okay, schools should be teaching on a fact-based basis, teach the kids about religion from a historical context backed by evidence and not some crazy mystical faith-based aspect.

Religions shouldn't be taught in public schools.

Religion has played a big part in history so it makes sense to go over such topics. Also the dominant religion is Christianity (75% of Americans)

There is a difference between indoctrination and presenting the different beliefs that different people have, though. Something similar to history.

It's fine with me as long as it is presented as a study of people, not as something that you're supposed to believe.

it needs to be A) or B):::

A) all religions are taught equally to INFORM students (not to perform an actual religious class or religous acts or whatever, school is not for that)

OR

B) no religion is taught in schools except for in historical context.

I understand those that  may feel like Christianity is America's religion (loosely), as the Constitution and a lot of the articles written by the Founding Fathers literally were built around the religion. That said they were also around FREEDOM of religion and its not healthy to only teach certain religions in school.

In the end though 'teaching religion' should be a pretty loose thing. I would expect citizens to teach their own children in their own time about all of the religions (on some level), I wouldn't expect the school system to do that.

The school system should probably explain the basic fundamentals of the religions and how they tie into history and the forming of cultures. There shouldn't be some endless discussion explaining to 10 year old the rules and logic of Islam or some sort of biased "your parents are Christian because...!" sort of thing.

So the real discussion is whether to lightly teach all the religions or to teach none of them in school. Either is fine in my eyes. Obviously for a historical class it will be near impossible to avoid some religious discussion in terms of the context of cultures and war (Crusades, Catholic Church, Islamic wars, etc. etc. etc.), but the reality is that anyone learning about that sort of thing in an advanced class will no longer be that young (i.e. middle school or high school) 

It just needs to be cut an dry that religion is not heavily because taught to students by teachers because in the end any teacher is bound to have some level of bias if they themselves are religious. 

In the end if a parent wants their child to have strong religious teachings at school they need to send them to a specialized private school.

I don't see the problem with being a topic amongst others in social studies class.
As mentioned, it's pretty much required for context in understanding historical developments.
I'm not really sure of relation of cartoon to the teaching in American schools.
The cartoon is clearly a British cartoon, made by Islamic advocacy group.
It's also clearly aimed at very young age, and I don't see how it would fit into a curiculum
spending 3 days teaching the basics of islamic religion, which would be well above level of cartoon.
It seems the cartoon may be unrelated to school article and is merely "illustrative" in abstract sense?

Honestly the cartoon itself does reek of propaganda and not is purely neutral and informative.
e.g. it goes from describing tithe for charity to "if everybody did this there would be no poverty in world".
Well that's a rather inproven theory, contrasting with actual poverty in muslim world, and is more like "advocacy".
Likewise, it discussing ramadan fasting and then says it helps overcome greed... well that's kind of questionable.
Meanwhile it mentions pilgrimage to mecca... without mentioning this is site of ancient pagan meteor venerage.
So it is spends time on "feel good" advocacy while omitting basic objective facts. Not school appropriate IMHO.
I don't see that advocacy as unlike what any other religion would do, but again that isn't appropriate in school.

^ This

Why are we dedicating regular classes to teaching what is to many families is fantasy based studies in public schools

One area that I think we need to think about that will be of great benefit is the study of Philosophy at all ages, this would also bring in discussions around religions, Science, Morals, Ways of thinking, that would be of great benefit to Children as they grow and try to analyse the World around them 

I was taught about different religions in Jr High (Middle School) way way way back when.