Students have a reputation for not liking homework. But, for once, it was a parent objecting to homework.
As Kevin Wood’s daughter recently worked on a homework assignment from her La Plata High School World History class, Wood asked her, “What are your history notes on?” He recalled her answering, “Islam.”
“I hesitated, counted, three-two-one, no,” he said, objecting to that religion being taught in school.
The La Plata High School World History class is currently studying Middle Eastern empires.
Charles County Public Schools said students learn how different empires throughout history were shaped by the different religions, in addition to geography, politics and culture, among other things.
The Wood family requested that their daughter be excused from the lesson on Islam and be assigned another project. The school did not allow it.
La Plata High School ultimately issued a no-trespassing order on Kevin Wood in the hopes of avoiding a confrontation on school grounds, according to Charles County Schools.
Wood said there was no reason for the order as he made no threats.
“We just want to be involved in our daughter’s education,” said Melissa Wood. “We as parents should be able to choose what our kids are learning.”
Charles County Schools told WUSA9 that the World History class is a required course in the county curriculum.
Zainab Chaudry is the Maryland Outreach Manager for CAIR, the Council on American-Islamic Relations. She said she was “saddened but not surprised” when she heard the Wood’s objections to Islam being taught in the classroom.
“Unfortunately there is a growing anti-Muslim sentiment in the United States,” said Chaudry.
Chaudry points to current events around the world - from beheadings by ISIS to kidnappings by Boko Harram - as culprits of Islam’s negative image.
The Woods argued, if you’re going to teach Islam, include those current events in the lesson.
“That’s I guess our biggest concern right now is how they’re teaching it and what is really going on right now in this world,” said Melissa Wood.
Her husband Kevin is a firefighter and retired United States Marine. Before being honorably discharged, Kevin Wood said he has been to war, fought against Islamic extremists and watched as those extremists killed his friends.
"[Schools] are not teaching about radical Islam right now - going around beheading people in America and Australia and they’re not teaching that. They’re just teaching, ‘Oh, it’s peaceful.’ And it’s not peaceful,” argued Kevin Wood.
“It’s important that if these [extremist] groups are mentioned [in schools] and that students are taught about that, that a distinction is made so students understand that these groups are not following the teachings of true Islam,” said Chaudry.
Chaudry agreed that extremists, in some ways, have hijacked the religion.
“There is a minority extremist group within every religion that distort the teachings of that religion. Islam is a peaceful religion,” she stressed, “It’s peacefully followed by 1.5 billion people in all parts of the world.”
The Woods say nearly a dozen other La Plata parents have reached out to them in support of their views.
Other Charles County parents seem a bit more comfortable with Islam in the classroom.
“I don’t have a problem with it as long as all the religions are taught equally,” said Ines Depew. Her daughter will be a student at La Plata High School next year.
John Roberts is the father of current La Plata High School students. He agreed with Depew, as long as religion in the classroom is an academic discussion, not philosophical one.
“The truth of the matters is a different discussion. It’s not the school’s responsibility to teach that. History, culture and how they relate makes sense,” said Roberts, before he asked, “If I don’t know what the competing views say then how could I rationally discuss truth?”
Bonnie Lee, a mother of a Charles County student, pointed out that there are differences in Islamic and Christian theologies and that she favors her Christian roots.
“If somehow that’s presented that that’s wrong, that’s when it it’s offensive,” said Lee. But if a religion is presented without bias in a classroom, then she is okay with religion being taught.
“If you’re going to be able to live in an integrated society it’s better to understand it than fear it,” added Lee.
“We’re not trying to challenge other people’s views. But these are our views and they’re trying to challenge our views,” said Melissa and Kevin Wood.
The challenges seem to be everywhere.
“The fact that there is a lot of fear and anger especially in the western world about the religion emphasizes the fact that we have a lot of work to do,” said Chaudry.