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.

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

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