Islam 101?

Religion | Parents, pundits, and pedagogues battle over New York's Arabic school | Alisa Harris

BROOKLYN, N.Y.— Most students starting middle school face problems like pimples and algebra. But when sixth-grader Noor Hasne walked into Khalil Gibran International Academy (KGIA) for the first time on Sept. 4, she faced reporters, uniformed security guards, and the opposition of a 500-strong grassroots coalition.

Amal Hasne, a pregnant mom trailed by a toddler and wearing the traditional Muslim headscarf, said she enrolled her daughter in the public school because it teaches Arabic, a language she wants Noor to learn and pass on to her own daughters. But KGIA's critics, including the "Stop the Madrassa" coalition, say that the school will teach not just Arabic but the Islamic religion as well.

KGIA is located in a Brooklyn neighborhood with a high Muslim population, just down the street from a Chinese restaurant that serves cuisine approved by Muslim religious law. The school is starting with 57 sixth-graders and plans to add a grade each year on the way to becoming a 6-12 school. According to its Executive Summary, the school's primary focus is "learning about the richness and diversity of Arab culture and history," including "the history, culture and official language of the Arab Nations."