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Congressman wants to solve educational crisis by modeling American schools after Islamic religious schools
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And the back of the book segment tonight Indiana democratic congressman Andre Carson who is Muslim.
Thinks he has figured out a way perhaps to solve the education crisis in this country.
According to the congressman America should model -- schools after madrassas.
Islamic religious schools.
America.
Will -- tab and -- educational.
Innovation and ingenuity.
Without looking up the model that we act.
Did not madrassas.
And our schools.
-- innovation doesn't terrorists.
For the foundation -- the thought I.
And that -- that we're pushing and some of schools.
Meets the multiple means.
Of stillness.
America.
Must understand.
That she needs.
Muslims.
There -- over seven million Muslims in this country.
And while we are under attack.
We cannot retreat.
It should be noted that many of the Taliban were educated in madrassas in Pakistan of course.
Hot beds of recruiting for terrorism.
A round of the world and complaints we've seen even in this on our own country and congressman Carson declined our invitation to appear this evening.
But sent us a statement that says in part.
While I do not believe that any particular faith should be the foundation of our public schools.
It is important that we take note of the instructional tools these schools utilized to empower.
-- young people that's not too controversial joining us now.
From Portland Oregon is Harris -- far he's -- national spokesperson for the op idea Muslim community.
-- -- is -- far it's good to see -- I think when people hear these comments.
From congressman Carson.
I'll while his clarification on our statement DOS doesn't seem too controversial.
They remember somebody -- inflammatory things congressman Carson has -- in the past about for instance the Tea Party movement.
Equating it to you -- wanting to bring back Jim Crow laws are saying that.
At some Tea Party members would like to see blacks hanging from trees and it really I just completely off the wall comments -- They hear this kind of stuff about my -- dozens the next thing People's Bank is okay we want to radicalize young.
Man in the United States to become you know -- -- what what's your reaction to this well not tempest in the teapot here.
Well as you know -- reality Muslim community is a leading proponent of the separation of religion and state including public -- -- and we met with the congressman Carson last week at a special.
Bi partisan event on Capitol Hill to honor the arrival of our international Khalifa our spiritual leader of our community he was one of over thirty members of congress there.
And based on our interactions with the congressman I believe his views are consistent with ours I don't believe -- I don't think it's fair to say that he's advocating for some sort of dollar bond style education America I understand his comments to mean that the -- -- system in America can benefit.
From the experience in the -- of American Muslim schools as well as the emphasis on education and rationality and pluralism found of the -- So that statement in and of itself is not controversial especially as as you know we have religiously based schools all of America and they all have many.
Positive facets if I may what I think is part of the confusion here is the use of the -- madrassa.
But that there and that Arabic words only mean school in fact it has some medical origin from the Hebrew word -- -- rush and Ann has no.
And I sorts -- implication other religious affiliation or I political affiliation so I think his clarification from a statement is.
It's fair is that he's nine -- not advocating for an imposition of Islam in our education system.
It's just that we can learn from.
Different schools whether it's Muslim Jewish Christian like we can all the.
Right and vibration and -- yeah I think and and he himself was the product of I think Catholic education.
As well as at other schools so it's kind of an interesting background.
But I think what people might say it's okay if an evangelical Christian.
Who was a congressman got up there and said something like this he would be excoriated her -- By the last it was a separation of church -- -- how dare you say that -- -- we should make this a model for our school system do you keep got out of the schools.
And I think that would be part of the response there and -- -- separated out and -- actually think religious based education has a lot of a lot of values I do get worried.
Places like Alexandria Virginia I -- I know you remember that controversy some from some years ago.
They had to remove the very hateful things from the curriculum and this Saudi funded out Saudi and it was called the -- Islamic Saudi Academy.
Lot of hateful things and that curricula that were really shocking to people that's what people are afraid out.
-- I think the underlying theme is that religious school is Christian Muslim Jewish or others for that matter have seen some notable successes and their system and I think it's important for us to study their successes.
And bring some into our public school system I mean that's an American -- myself whose children.
Will likely attend the public school system I -- -- vested interest -- -- public school system being as effective as strong as possible and I think there are things we can learn now from Muslim education system Christian and Jewish Buddhist even atheists.
And was bringing in all the best for our own systems -- at this.
