Wellesley Schools Apologize For Letting Students Pray At Islamic mosque

From The Wellesley Townsman and Alliance Defense Fund:

Wellesley schools apologize for letting students pray at Islamic mosque.
.By Teddy Applebaum

Wicked Local Wellesley

Posted Sep 16, 2010 @ 04:31 PM

Last update Sep 16, 2010 @ 05:14 PM

Wellesley — Wellesley’s superintendent of schools apologized today after Wellesley middle school students were allowed to pray at an Islamic mosque during a May field trip.



“It was not the intent for students to be able to participate in any of the religious practices,” Superintendent Bella Wong wrote in a letter being sent to parents later today. “I extend my sincere apologies for the error that occurred and regret the offense it may have caused.”



Wong said the field trip to the Cambridge-based Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center—which faced opposition during its construction—was part of a social studies course called “Enduring Beliefs and the World Today,” that includes introductions to a number of religions. During the course students visit a mosque, synagogue, attend a gospel performance, and meet with Hindus.



“These activities provide experiences for our students that enhance their understanding of the curriculum,” Wong wrote in the letter. “The purpose of the field trip was for students to observe a place of worship.”



In the letter, Wong said students required parental permission to go on the field trip during which “a representative of the Mosque told students they were welcome to join in the prayer that was occurring.”



The trip gained wider attention after the Boston-based group Americans for Peace and Tolerance released a video on Sept. 16 showing five middle school students praying during the trip. A parent who chaperoned the field trip allegedly shot the footage of the trip included in the video.





“Today, Americans for Peace and Tolerance released a video showing 6th graders from Wellesley, MA as they rise from prostrating themselves alongside Muslim men in a prayer to Allah,” the group wrote on their website. “Teachers did not intervene. Parents have not been told.”



The video claims the permission form for the trip said that students would only observe and not participate in the prayer event. It also highlights male and female students separated during the prayer claims historical information presented during the visit by representatives of the mosque as inaccurate.



“In various parts of the country, public schools are allowing Muslim extremists to promote Islam to our children,” the Americans for Peace and Tolerance wrote on its site. “Something’s broken here. Our leadership is failing. It’s now up to ordinary citizens to fix it.”



Members of Wellesley’s school committee forwarded comment to School committee chair KC Kato who said she was supporting Wong’s position.



“I’m supportive of [Wong’s] letter and I’m supportive of the educational program which we provide,” she said.



Wong said prior to the video being released her department hadn’t received complaints regarding the field trip though one family declined to allow their child on the trip.



“Apparently someone wasn’t happy and it just took some time for it to come back to us," she said.



Following the incident, Wong said she teachers were told students shouldn’t have been allowed to pray.



“We’re giving better guidance to our teachers. I don’t know if they’ll do [the field trip] differently but it won’t necessarily be because of this,” she said. “I support the field trip, I support them being able to go to observe; I do think allowing kids to participate in the prayer crossed the line.”



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