Should schools SERIOUSLY be teaching our children about Muslims right now?

 

Dear Zoey’s School,

So the other day Zoey came home with something in her folder that made me do a double-take. This.

MuslimClothing

I have to say, it made me pause. I mean, hellloooo, have you been watching the news? Didn’t you see that two Muslim people in California just shot and killed fourteen people and wounded twenty-one others? I had to ask myself, is this really what we should be teaching our children right now? Acceptance? At this time?!! I mean I know you’re trying to be all P.C. and shit, but do I want my kiddo walking up and befriending the next terrorist?

Yeah, I guess most Muslims are totally nice, regular people, but a few of them aren’t and how the hell do we know which ones are the bad apples? How do we know which ones to smile at and which ones to avert our eyes and act like a-holes to? So maybe we should just avert our eyes and be a-holes to all of them, you know, just in case.

I keep hearing all these politicians and people on the news saying we need to keep our eye on them, and maybe they have a point. I mean the other day I saw this woman at Target wearing a burka so I watched her, and do you know what she did? She bought some Tic Tacs. Gasp! Thank God I was keeping a close eye on her.

It’s not like we see regular white homegrown Americans bombing buildings and shooting up places. Well, except for that Adam Lanza guy in Newtown. And those guys in Oklahoma City. And the boys at Columbine. And that crazy guy in the Aurora movie theater. Hmmm, okay, so there are a lot of white guys who have done it too, but that’s not what I’m talking about right now. I’m talking about Muslims.

You gotta wonder, what’s gonna happen if our children are totally accepting of Muslims and they feel included in this country? What’s gonna happen if they fit into society and people don’t look at them with fear anymore? What’s gonna happen if our kiddos learn about them at school and aren’t scared of them and they become friends with them and shit?

Wait a sec, now that I’m taking some time to think about this, I have a good idea what will probably happen. Muslims will be happy, well-adjusted Americans who feel connected to this country and to all the awesome people who live here. F’ing brilliant.

Don’t get me wrong, do I think this is actually going to end all terrorism? Nope, I’m not that naive. But I do think that somewhere there is a boy who is ten-years old who is going to get to a point in his life when he has to decide what he wants to be in this world. And if people have been nice to him and shown him kindness and smiles and he’s felt accepted, well, then hopefully he’s going to choose to be something good. And if my child and everyone else’s children have looked at him with fear and distrust and looked at his parents with fear and distrust, well, then he might choose a different path.

So now that I’ve thought about this thoroughly, I’d like to say one thing about your choice to teach our children about Muslims right now when so many people are looking at them with distrust. Thank you!!!!! Thank you for trying to help my daughter understand that the way someone dresses doesn’t make them scary. That no matter where we’re from, no matter what we eat, no matter what we practice, no matter what color our skin is, no matter how we talk or pray or dress, underneath all those customs and clothes and origins, we are all human beings. And we all deserve acceptance and a smile.

Sincerely,

A mom who hung that awesome worksheet on her fridge and is keeping it there for a long, long time

If you liked this, please don’t forget to like and share it. Thank you!!

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There are 47 comments for this article
  1. Helene at 10:06 am

    You’re an awesome Mom and I love your blog. I loved this post.

  2. Shelley at 10:22 am

    I can tell you this. I’m a white Australian living as an expat in the Middle East. I’ve been here nearly a year.

    In that time I have seen more Muslim fathers playing with, kissing and pushing their children in prays than I’ve seen in my entire 45 years living in my home country – Australia.

    the family unit here is tight and beautiful. The elderly are cherished and respected, not shoved in homes to die. The kids are confident in the love of their parents.

    I am free to drink, eat pork, observe Christmas and Halloween, wear a bikini and just about any other thing I choose…. Far more tolerance is shown to me as a temporary resident here than my own country shows to these people when they reside there.

    I will never be afraid of the burqua or the abaya and I will NEVER, ever, again allow the media to tell me of whom I should be afraid.

  3. Jamie at 10:35 am

    I have no words other than “so awesome”. Thank you for putting your thoughts out there, you’re not the only one to feel this way, just the only one brave enough to let the world see it on paper.

  4. Saleena G at 10:39 am

    I love you. But you already knew that.

    The end.

    -The Samoan Queen

  5. Megan at 11:03 am

    My God I wish more people had your decency and common sense! Thank you!!!

  6. Julia Nemeth at 11:07 am

    So I started reading and even into the 3rd paragraph, I thought, “Wait, who IS this woman? What is she saying??? This is SO not like her at all, I better put her in check” And I was about to run straight for the comments section, to rip you a new one, but being the lazy human I am, I kept reading. Good thing! That last line of the 3rd paragraph, and everything that follows, restored my faith in your blog. Thanks for keeping me on the edge of seat. 🙂

  7. Dee at 11:14 am

    Thank you for being so friggin awesome. I wish more people in this country took a minute to really think about what their actions and words do to people. Happy New Year!

  8. Paul Frazier at 11:26 am

    Thank you for this essay. You took a chance that people would react without reading your piece until the end. I like that. And just so you know it, you reached the correct conclusion. Well done.

  9. Kirsten at 11:28 am

    Great post. Although I was a little stumped at first about your daughter’s favorite piece of clothing. Yeah. I’m slow in translating kid writing sometimes….

  10. Julia Scammahorn at 11:30 am

    This is so awesome in so many ways. THANK YOU for tackling real issues in such a great way. You are spot on sister. Love.

  11. Erin Bentancourt at 11:34 am

    I’m with Julia. I had to double check which blog I was reading. I thought, “She is usually full of tolerance and good life lessons, what has happened?” Thank goodness I kept reading. This is AWESOME!

  12. Christine at 11:44 am

    It was going a little sideways at first and I could feel my blood pressure rising, but then in true Baby Sideburns fashion you brought the sarcasm around. Good stuff.

  13. tanya m at 11:46 am

    I think you it the nail on the head yet again Karen, you are right we are all just humans and I do feel our Christian beliefs as well as theirs deserve to be acknowledged. I just have a issue if for ex: taking Christ out of school and having their god replace it is one thing, they are in school to learn and see the difference in the world just as long as they include everything we were taught as well as the new.

  14. Kristen at 12:22 pm

    Phew, you had me worried. I have a hard time even reading things like the beginning of your post because I know that unfortunately many people believe those things and much worse. But your message is wonderful and hopefully it will help open some eyes. “gakit” also took me a bit of thinking, I can’t imagine teaching elementary school and trying to decipher all of the spelling mishaps.

  15. Efram at 12:27 pm

    Not a troll at all…Someone who has known them my entire life. They are a disgusting bunch and there is nothing that a group of haus fraus could say that would change my mind. I only hope that you come to understand them for what they are before it is too late.

  16. Charlie at 12:55 pm

    Holy crap, you had me worried and wondering what the hell happened to you there for a minute! Whew. I’m glad you hadn’t been abducted by conservatives and brainwashed!

  17. Deborah at 12:56 pm

    So nicely captured!… even though you freaked me out at first. Your “wait a sec” turning point had me bouncing and smiling ear to ear! Nailed it!

  18. Rochelle Hamel at 1:06 pm

    I have to say, I agree with acceptance and tolerance and all that. But my children are also not taught in religious meetings that Christians are “fair game” It’s actually in their holy book that it is acceptable, even desirable to enslave, torture and kill Christians. I can’t accept that no mater what. #sorrynotsorry

  19. Kristin at 3:35 pm

    You scared me for a minute. I thought s**t don’t let her say some awful racist crap that will make me stop reading her blog! But nope you came through for me. Sincerely, A Social Studies teacher who teaches about Islam

  20. Kathy Jordan at 4:59 pm

    Love, love, love! Tolerance is key if we are to bring about the change we want to see in the world! Our kids need to learn it everywhere!

  21. Debs at 5:12 pm

    Leaps of faith !!! It takes faith, to leap, and faith to keep us strong in our convictions. Acceptance and unity will go a long way in mending this hole in our society. God bless us everyone. Love is the answer.

  22. thaikone (@thaikone) at 6:31 pm

    Meanwhile you allow you daughter to befriend Americans, who are far more likely to be the perpetrators of mass killings in the States.

  23. thaikone (@thaikone) at 6:36 pm

    Sorry. Knee j**k reaction before I read the entire text. People who do this are usually my pet peeve, so I’m ridiculously embarrassed.

  24. Leila at 7:26 pm

    I have to admit, I tried scrolling past but figured you would share something i either totally hated or totally loved. I freaking love this and couldn’t have said it any better myself!!!! Epic win for Baby Side Burns!!

  25. Nicole slocum at 8:33 pm

    Lol! When I first started reading this I actually began to dislike you for a minute; wondering how you, of all people, was so close-minded. Then in your typical fashion you had me giggling through the rest. Good stuff.

  26. k hicks at 5:02 am

    Soooo glad I read past the first paragraph! I was shocked by the first few lines….should habe known better!

  27. Melanie Maturano at 6:32 am

    You do realize the husband and wife (Muslims) that shot Americans in California shot the SAME people who were friends the also had thrown a baby shower for them just a few months before. Great idea, be friends. Good luck with that.

  28. Kristine @ MumRevised at 11:46 am

    Karen, thank you for sharing. Not a surprise that you have some nay-sayers. I really do believe that love and acceptance will triumph over hate and intolerance.
    And Jackets really are the best.

  29. Sanna at 1:35 pm

    Thank you for writing this. As an American Muslim regular reader of your blog I really appreciate this and seeing the comments on this thread, with compassion outweighing hate and fear, also are very much appreciated.

  30. Ashlynn at 2:15 pm

    You are so open-minded and a truly amazing mother!

  31. Deborah Corbett at 6:09 pm

    100% agree with this understanding and knowledge does squash fear …. and don’t get me wrong, but Muslim is a religion and on which day are they going to study Christianity?

  32. Cheryl Saltzman at 7:30 pm

    Ermhegerd!! I started reading this post and my blood started to boil and I was all about to go South Side cray-cray on you…and I LOVE you! I’ve followed you for a long time. You’ve made me laugh. I thought…what the hell??? How has Donald Trump possessed her??? And then you did what only you can do, and you made me cry. So effin’ thanks for that. 🙂 Still love you.

  33. Mary B at 10:41 am

    Thanks for wording things better than I can. Well said Baby Sideburns!

  34. Anonymous at 10:54 pm

    Remember when Adam Lanza shot innocent little kids and his own mother? Yeah, and you probably thought he was a sane person.

  35. Anonymous at 10:55 pm

    And that previous comment was to @Melanie Maturano.

  36. AWD at 9:57 am

    Now that we can add another “good” American, the Uber driver/murderer in Kalamazoo, to the list of those who seemed to be a “normal” person, your blog post is more relevant than ever. However, maybe elementary school books on ALL religions / cultures of Americans would be even better.