A Hamilton Southeastern elementary removed a mention of Allah in its holiday show after it drew the anger of a national conservative Christian group.
Lantern Road Elementary Principal Danielle Thompson said school leaders sought to teach inclusiveness through the second-grade program, which included pieces about Christmas, Hanukkah, Ramadan, Las Posadasand Kwanzaa.
“It went off last night without a hitch,” Thompson said. “Several families thought it was a nice program.”
School officials removed a phrase saying “Allah is God” after the American Family Associationlaunched a protest of the program on its electronic newsletter.
The change was made, Thompson said, because no other deities were directly named in the program.
But one state Muslim leader said the school’s decision to remove the word Allah was far from inclusive.
“It’s unfortunate if that was removed from the program just because of Islamophobic feelings,” said Shariq Siddiqui, executive director of the Muslim Alliance of Indiana. “Schools are a place where we should learn more about each other rather than exclude each other based on stereotypes and misconceptions.”
Siddiqui said “Allah” is the Arabic word for God and is used by Jews, Christians and others in Arabic-speaking nations.
In the week before the program, the principal said, about 30 people called with concerns -- and only four of the complaints came from local families. Thompson said many callers were appeased when they heard the program’s purpose and scope.
Laura Mollo, 26, Peru, called several times over concerns about children saying, “Allah is God,” though she has no connection to the school. She said that as a Christian, she had to protest because she believes it’s wrong to praise another religion’s God.
“I highly doubt all of those children are Muslim, and some of my brothers and sisters of Christ are there.”
Judy Grasso’s son, Andy Grasso, sang in the program and portrayed one of the three Wise Men. Grasso, 44, thought the program was well done and never caught a hint of disgruntled rumblings about its content. As for her son, Grasso said he was just excited to be a part of the show.
“I’m a Christian, and I was in no way offended by the program at Lantern Road,” Judy Grasso said. “Fishers is becoming a much more diverse area, and the program just reflected the different faces around the world and in Fishers.”