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Tampa school board will allow CAIR officials to propagandize students. The Tampa Tribune’s biased reporting gave comfort to school board decision.
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The school board in Tampa has officially declined to adopt policy prohibiting CAIR officials from addressing students with Islamist propaganda. The Tampa Tribune’s biased reporting gave comfort and support to the school board decision. The history regarding this issue and how the Hillsborough County School Board has responded is posted after this first article.
The Hillsborough County School Board held a workshop on Friday, March 30, 2012 to discuss a possible policy regarding speakers who would be allowed to address students. Six of seven school board members were not interested in adopting any new policies on the subject. Therefore, the Hillsborough County School Board officially allows political advocacy groups to address students. This means that CAIR (Council for American Islamic Relations) may continue to indoctrinate students with propaganda including Islamist Sharia law. Florida Family Association predicted from the beginning that the Hillsborough County School Board would not adopt a policy.
Tampa appears to be the only school district in America that knowingly allows CAIR officials to address students without any restrictions. Do you think the school board would take such a controversial position if they did not have the cover and favor of the local newspaper? Do you think these officials would respond this way if The Tampa Tribune published factual articles regarding CAIR and admonished these elected officials for allowing this terrorist linked organization access to students?
The Tampa Tribune’s biased news report that CAIR is not a terrorist linked organization gives cover and comfort to the Hillsborough County School Board. The Tampa Tribune published comments from a high school student as an authority to negate suspicion about CAIR’s ties to terrorists. The Tampa Tribune reported in part in the article titled “School Board policy ok on classroom speakers: “They (that would be you and other concerned American patriots) claimed the group has ties to terrorists and has an agenda other than educating students about Islam. "I think it's unfounded," Austin Ransdell (Steinbrenner High School Student) said, speaking of the outcry. "It was just about how Islam started." That’s it, that’s all, Mr. Ransdell says it is untrue so why contest it.
Compare The Tampa Tribune propaganda to this News9.com reports “Former CIA Director James Woolsey told a group in Oklahoma City that CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) is an extremist Muslim group with ties to terrorists. Woolsey said CAIR, once called “The Islamic Organization of Palestine”, is named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the federal case U.S. vs. the Holy Land Foundation which “is the biggest terrorist financing case of all time.” Click here for full News9.com report.
The Tampa Tribune’s omission of the facts and propaganda about CAIR is far more destructive than one CAIR official talking to a few hundred students. Tens of thousands of people read The Tampa Tribunes misinformation. More of The Tampa Tribune’s propaganda is reported in this Florida Family Association article.
Florida Family Association encouraged citizens who were concerned about The Tampa Tribune’s biased reports to contact their advertisers during that time period.
April 9, 2012 article update.
See Original article from January 10, 2012 and Update articles from January 24 & 25, 2012
and Feburary 15, 2012 and March 29, 2012 below.
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April 9th Tampa Tribune opinion piece excoriates Florida Family Association while defending CAIR.
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The Tampa Tribune published their own opinion piece on April 9, 2012 titled “School speakers add depth.” The Tribune editorial formally contends that CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations) should have unfettered access to students while ridiculing opponents with factually flawed information.
The Tribune wrote “David Caton's offer of a $2,000 reward for tips about any planned appearances by the Council on American Islamic Relations at Steinbrenner High School is a publicity stunt not worthy of an instant of anyone's time.” If that were true why did The Tribune even mention it now as their first line of defense for CAIR? And why did The Tribune publish a lengthy news report regarding the reward with a huge photo of Florida CAIR Director Hassan Shibly with a demeaningly small photo of David Caton?
The answer to both of these questions is because some Steinbrenner teachers accepted Florida Family Association’s offer. These teachers are watching. The school district can no longer depend on hiding their actions by feeding Florida Family Association belated and incomplete documents in response to public records requests.
The Tribune wrote “He (CAIR’s Hassan Shibly) … was one of a number of speakers, including a priest, the teacher lined up to speak about major religions.” Florida Family Association’s public records request documents indicate that no other religious figures were invited to speak in the teacher’s class until after we inquired about CAIR addressing students. The documents we received from the school district also show that only one other religious figure was scheduled to address students after our inquiry but he cancelled. The Tribune is wrong. No religious figures other than CAIR addressed this teacher’s students.
Furthermore, Hassan Shibly is the fulltime, paid director for CAIR Florida which is a political advocacy group NOT a religious institution such as a mosque, temple, synagogue or church. One of CAIR’s top political projects during the last four months has been opposing legislation in twenty states that would prohibit courts from recognizing Islamist Sharia law in legal decisions.
There are many provisions of Sharia law which advocate violence prohibited by state statutes and deny rights afforded under our constitutions such as wife submission beating, polygamy, female body punishment, pedophilia, marital rape, honor killing and imprisonment and/or execution of blasphemers and non-Muslims.
The school board strictly prohibits any form of political advocacy on school property. It is idiotic for the school board to prohibit employees from engaging in speech about American politics while allowing CAIR officials to instruct students regarding Islamist political foreign law called Sharia.
We cannot and will not rely upon the school district’s untimely and incomplete response to our public records requests regarding future CAIR or Muslim Brotherhood type speakers in Tampa schools. Therefore, a reward for such information was offered to teachers. Thankfully, some Steinbrenner teachers accepted our offer and are watching.
March 29, 2012 article update.
See Original article from January 10, 2012 and Update articles from January 24 & 25, 2012 and Feburary 15, 2012 below.
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Tampa school district declines to adopt policy to prohibit groups like CAIR (Council for American Islamic Relations) from indoctrinating students during March 30th workshop.
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Hillsborough County appears to be the only school district in the country which is floundering on how to respond to CAIR and Muslim Brotherhood type speakers addressing students. Click here to read Tampa Bay Times news report titled Hillsborough schools now a battleground over influence of Islam.
David Caton |
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I addressed the Hillsborough County School Board on Tuesday, March 27, 2012 regarding the Steinbrenner High School history teacher who invited officials from CAIR (Council for American Islamic Relations) to indoctrinate students on Islamist issues including Sharia law. My statement to the school board is provided at the end of this email.
I was amazed at the blatant hypocrisy demonstrated by the board during this meeting. First, the board was preparing to fire a twenty-three year veteran without warning for talking about politics with a fellow co-worker. |
Second, the school board prohibited anyone from mentioning any candidates for office while addressing the board from the podium. I understand policy that restricts politicking on our tax dollars. However, it is idiotic for this board to prohibit school district employees and public meeting speakers from engaging in speech about American politics while allowing CAIR officials to indoctrinate students regarding the foreign law Sharia.
The Hillsborough County School Board has a workshop planned for Friday, March 30th from 2 – 5 pm to discuss a possible policy regarding speakers allowed to address students. Florida Family Association remains doubtful that this board can break through their progressive mindset to adopt restrictive policy on this issue. Additionally, Florida Family Association contends that it is highly unlikely that CAIR will be invited to speak in this school district anytime in the near future after all of this controversy. Click here to read more about Florida Family Association efforts on this issue.
However, support for a policy needs to be voiced at this time since the board is holding a workshop. If there is a clearly defensible position for public policy it would have to be fulfilling their oath of office to defend state and federal constitutions as explained below in David Caton’s prepared statement to Hillsborough County School Board Members.
David Caton’s prepared statement to Hillsborough County School Board Members.
This message was edited down from three to two minutes.
Each school board member swore an oath saying “I, do solemnly swear that I will support, protect, and defend the Constitution and Government of the United States and of the State of Florida.”
Most citizens would interpret that oath to mean that school board members would not have students exposed to advocates of ideas that are antithetical to the constitution. While the school board allows teachers to educate students on the Communist Manifesto with appropriate textbooks, they do not allow foreign government officials or Communist Party USA to indoctrinate students.
Hassan Shibly who indoctrinated Steinbrenner High School students about Sharia law also led the political opposition to anti-Sharia legislation in the 2012 Florida Legislative Session.
Most citizens no more want officials from the Communist Party of the USA (CPUSA) explaining the Communist Manifesto to students than they want CAIR officials propagandizing students about Sharia law.
While this board is legally required to adopt policies that are constitutional you are also legally and ethically bound by your sworn oath to defend that same constitution against those who advocate laws which conflict with the liberties guaranteed by it.
Additionally, it is inconsistent for this board to be considering the firing of a 23 year veteran because he discussed American politics with a co-worker while this board allowed a guest speaker to indoctrinate students with foreign politics.
That is shameful.
February 15, 2012 article update.
See Original article from January 10, 2012 and Update articles from January 24 & 25, 2012 below.
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School board blindly ignores 10,000 emails to each official, votes to allow CAIR to indoctrinate students. Allowing CAIR officials, known for defending people whose actions were hostile to America, to teach unedited propaganda to students is borderline treason.
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Florida Family Association sent out two email alerts and posted an online article which reported that Hillsborough County School Board members were allowing CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations) officials to indoctrinate school children with propaganda including their version of Sharia law.
Florida Family Association’s Take Action Message Report indicates that EACH school board official has received approximately 10,000 emails urging them to stop allowing CAIR officials from addressing students. That number does not include emails these officials have received from individuals and other groups apart from Florida Family Association.
Several organizations including local Tea Party leaders challenged the Hillsborough County School Board on February 14, 2012 to stop local CAIR officials from addressing students.
School board member Dr. Stacy White offered a motion to have CAIR and a committee “discuss” this situation with no specified stated resolution. Susan Valdez seconded the motion. April Griffin tried to gut the inane motion by requiring that all groups be included in the discussions thereby extending the issue to a non-issue.
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School Board Chairman Candy Oslon, Poster Child for Ultra Progressive Politics, gave another one of her extremely biased bashings of reasonable thinking people. She proclaimed that “Most Muslims are moderate” to justify CAIR officials speaking to students and scolded rational thinking concerned Americans who criticized Steinbrenner High School teacher Kelly Miliziano for inviting CAIR officials to speak to 500+ students. Chairman Olson also lost her cool during the January 24, 2012 meeting when she took a low shot at conservative Americans concern regarding CAIR talking to school children by saying “I don't think we can protect our children from the fact that there are extremists in every religion." Click here for the Tampa Bay Times report. Olson was quoted on tape saying that if you don't like the actions of this school district then you can always move to another county. |
During the February 14, 2012 meeting school board members rejected Dr. Stacy White’s weak motion by a 2 – 5 vote. This rejection vote effectively approves CAIR officials addressing students without regard for the content of their presentations.
Having a TEACHER provide ALL OF THE FACTS regarding Sharia law is called education.
Allowing CAIR officials, known for defending people whose actions were hostile to America, to provide unedited propaganda to students is borderline treason.
Folks we are watching Islamization of America in action. CAIR is telling students only what they want them to know about Islam and Sharia law with the full grace of elected school board officials. As in other countries and cities it starts small and ends badly.
February 15, 2012 article update.
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School board chairman Candy Olson takes a low shot at conservative Americans with her extremist label while justifying CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations) talking to our school children.
Candy Olson lost her cool during the meeting when she went into one of her progressive, liberal diatribes aimed at opponents to CAIR addressing students.
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Several groups addressed the Hillsborough County School Board on January 24, 2012 regarding CAIR officials being allowed to indoctrinate students with a limited version of Islam and Sharia.
Hillsborough County School Board member and Chairman Candy Olson lost her cool during the meeting when she went into one of her progressive, liberal diatribes aimed at people who are concerned about CAIR officials making presentations to students. Candy Olson took a low shot at conservative Americans and our concern regarding CAIR talking to our school children when she said “I don't think we can protect our children from the fact that there are extremists in every religion." Click here for the Tampa Bay Times report.
Candy Olson was chair of the school board in November 2005 when she instructed school district officials to block emails from Florida Family Association’s supporters regarding the school board’s plans to drop Good Friday and Yom Kippur at the same time that Ahmed Bedier Executive Director of Tampa CAIR was pressuring her to add Muslim holidays. Click here and click here for more on this story.
Candy Olson was inaccurate when she told the Tampa Bay Times that she had not heard from David Caton regarding CAIR addressing students and also commented on Florida Family Association’s rift with her progressive policies over the years. Olson said to the Tampa Bay Times "I have not heard from David Caton," she said. "But I'm not sure he thinks much of me." Click here for this report.
Florida Family Association’s concern about CAIR addressing public school students is with the partial story CAIR tells students about Sharia and their apologetics for convicted terrorists.
If you would like to send a personalized email regarding this situation Candy Oslon’s email address is COlson@sdhc.us The school district phone number is 813-272-4000.
January 24, 2012 article update.
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School board allows CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations) to tell students about Islam and Sharia.
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CAIR proclaimed on January 18, 2012 that Sharia law is like the Catholic canon law and Jewish Halacha law when CAIR attacked Newt Gingrich over his comments regarding the hiring of Muslims in top government positions. Click here for Greta Wire and Click here for CNS news reports.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Unlike Catholic and Jewish law, Sharia law authorizes polygamy, pedophilia and perpetuates violence towards women and death for dishonoring the faith.
If CAIR is trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the voting public regarding components of Sharia law then what do you think CAIR is telling students in Tampa classrooms? It is propaganda, plain and simple, paid for by our tax dollars.
Florida Family Association sent out an alert on January 10, 2012 which asked supporters to send emails to school board officials stating in part “CAIR Tampa Executive Directors’ past public representations regarding issues that many consider contrary to America’s national security should be grounds enough to stop this group from addressing students.” The original article and details are posted below.
While our supporters sent emails to school officials regarding CAIR’s political positions Florida Family Association demanded equal time for all faiths which is the only available legal recourse in this situation.
The school district responded with a highly questionable list of religious leaders who they claim have been invited or spoke to students AFTER the Florida Family Association public records request was made. The school district's email response from Stephen Hagerty is posted below.
Florida Family Association responded with an email to all school board members and superintendent which clarified that our primary objection relates to CAIR’s political agenda which is contrary to the best interest of the American values that we cherish.
Past and present CAIR Tampa Executive Directors have defended terrorists. In the current case, Hassan Shibly is acting as a political leader of the controversial Islamic movement called CAIR who has made public representations regarding issues that many consider contrary to America’s national security. The details on these representations are posted below.
CAIR officials’ own statements and positions should be grounds enough to stop this group from addressing students. However that is not the case for this school district. This school board which has a long history of patronizing CAIR is one of the reasons why Florida Family Association developed the website Welcometotampafl.org with the headline “Tampa could be one of America’s first Sharia compliant cities.” Welcometotampafl.org reports how some progressive officials in Tampa coddle and embrace Islamic leaders.
“Folks we are watching Islamization of America in action. CAIR telling students only what they want them to know about Islam and Sharia law with the full grace of elected school board officials.” Notes David Caton, Florida Family Association President. “As in other countries and cities it starts small and ends badly.”
January 10, 2012 original article and full details on this issue.
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Public school in Tampa allows CAIR officials to inform hundreds of students about Sharia, Islam and Human Rights.
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Florida Family Association heard in late November that a Hillsborough County School teacher in Tampa Florida had allegedly allowed a representative from CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations) to teach more than 400 AP High School students about Islam and the Muslim faith. A public records request was issued to school district officials on December 4, 2011. The school district did not respond until December 15th at 6:00 pm.
Florida Family Association waited until the week of January 9th when all school board officials would be back in office to report that Steinbrenner High School teacher Kelly Miliziano allowed a representative from CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations) to inform students about Islam, Sharia law, etc. for the past three school years. Click here to see Kelly Miliziano’s emails to CAIR.
Miliziano’s email makes it very clear on page 3 of the above referenced email document that “Confronting stereotypes and misconceptions” about Islam was very important to her with her allegation that the topic was a “favorite of students.” Other topics she wanted discussed with students included “Sharia”, “Human Rights and Islam” and “Women and Islam in different countries.
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Rest assured that the CAIR representative did not “educate” these students about the huge step backward that “women” and “human rights” took in Egypt when that country returned to Sharia rule. Click here to read more on Egypt at Jihadwatch.org.
This picture, taken at a recent protest in Egypt, has been making the rounds on various Arabic websites. Note the rope around the women, herding them like camels; note the man to the right holding the leash, walking them. This is a common “precautionary measure” to keep women from mixing with men during protests. |
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Page 4 of the email confirmed that CAIR Tampa Executive Director Hassan Shibly made presentations to Kelly Miliziano’s students on November 29, 2011 throughout the school day.
What do we know about Hassan Shibly? He granted legitimacy to Hizballah following the 2006 Israel-Lebanon War by characterizing it as a "resistance movement" that provides valued social services to the Lebanese people. "They're absolutely not a terrorist organization," Shibly said, and "any war against them is illegitimate."
In his Facebook page, Shibly defended a radical imam killed by the FBI after he opened fire on agents moving in to arrest him. In an October 2009 post, Shibly questioned the use of force against Imam Luqman Abdullah even though the criminal complaint against him made it clear Abdullah advocated violent jihad and urged followers never to surrender peacefully to authorities.
Shibly's online profile also features American-born Islamic cleric Khalid Yasin as an "Interest." Yasin is known for his controversial views, including a 2005 interview in which he says that Muslims cannot be friends with non-Muslims; that suicide bombings are understandable; and that the U.S. orchestrated 9/11 to wage a war against Islam. "There's no such thing as a Muslim having a non-Muslim friend," he said. "If you prefer the clothing of the kafirs [disbelievers] over the clothing of the Muslims, most of those names that's on most of those clothings is (sic) faggots, homosexuals and lesbians." Yasin goes further, encouraging children to take up the "honor" of throwing stones and confronting Israeli soldiers when there are no more men left to do it.
For this and more on information about Shibly Click here.
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More reasons why CAIR's Hassan Shibly should not be addressing students about Islam.
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Shibly opposed government detention of suspected terrorists. Hassan Shibly is shown here during a Muslim Street Radio program strongly opposing the National Defense Authorization Act because the provisions in Title X, Subtitle D, entitled "Counter-Terrorism" allow detention of persons the government suspects of involvement in terrorism. Click here to see this interview on Youtube. The National Defense Authorization Act was signed into law by the president on December 31, 2011. The legislation passed the US Senate by an 86-13 vote on December 15, 2011 the US House of Representatives by a 283-136 on December 14, 2011. |
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Shibly’s two sided representations regarding Tampa terrorist arrest illustrate CAIR’s conflict with the truth. Hassan Shibly said that several mosques banned Tampa terrorist suspect Sami Osmakac because he "was no friend or supporter of the Muslim community." Then Shibly flipped to his real agenda by taking a jab at the FBI when he expressed "concern about a perception of entrapment" and said CAIR will monitor the case. "The weapons and explosives were provided by the government. Was he just a troubled individual, or did he pose a real threat?" said Shibly, who was briefed by FBI agents prior to Osmakac's arraignment. Click here to read more on this issue at Sunshine State News. |
These types of representations are not limited to the current CAIR Tampa Executive Director. Former CAIR Tampa Executive Director Ahmed Bedier defended renowned convicted terrorist fundraiser Sami Al-Arian when he told The Tampa Tribune “Al-Arian did not agree to admit to any charges associated with terrorism” and "There is no conspiracy to support terrorism." Click here to read Bedier’s comments in The Tampa Tribune.
Additionally, Ahmed Bedier defended Ahmed Mohamed who was arrested on August 4, 2007 in South Carolina for allegedly possessing pipe bombs. Mohamed was sentenced to 15 years for his offense. Bedier said "We have faith in the American judicial system.” So far we've only heard and read about vague language describing an explosive device, but no actual evidence. Until that's displayed it's going to be unclear what's going on." Click here to read Bedier’s comments in The Tampa Tribune.
Florida Family Association officially requested on January 9, 2012 that the Hillsborough County School Board stop Kelly Miliziano or any other teacher from allowing CAIR personnel to make any presentations to students. Click here to read news report in the Tampa Bay Times. (Formerly St. Petersburg Times).
School district's email response from Stephen Hagerty to FFA's request for list of all other religious speakers. All the dates for subsequent speakers to the CAIR speaker occurred AFTER Florida Family Association's public records request. Highly questionable.
----- Original Message -----
From: Stephen Hegarty
To: davidcaton@floridafamily.org
Sent: Friday, January 20, 2012 1:04 PM
Subject: Response to Your Request
Mr. Caton,
Below is the district's response to the following request:
Please provide us with a list of all other religious speakers, including dates and times that such speakers addressed her students, that Kelly Miliziano allowed to address the same classes that CAIR officials did?
Thus far this school year, two speakers (listed below) have visited Steinbrenner classes. Others (also listed below) have been invited. The process of seeking out and inviting speakers started at the beginning of the school year.
Topic: Islam, history and beliefs
Hassan Shibly, Imam prayer leader in several Tampa Bay area Mosques, recognized leader in the local Muslim community, executive director of CAIR.
November 29, 2011
Topic: Judaism, history and beliefs
Rabbi MendyYarmush, Chabad Jewish Center at Wiregrass http://chabadcountyline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=117&Itemid=182
December 9, 2011
Topic: Hinduism in the modern era
Dr. Sridara Sastry, Hindu Temple, http://www.htflt.org/
The presentation was scheduled for January 17, but Steinbrenner teachers decided to reschedule for the time when teachers are covering the independence movements (India).
Topic: Christianity, history and beliefs
Father Kenneth Malley, St. Timothy's Catholic Church http://sainttims.org/
Scheduled to speak at the end of January.
Topic: Buddhism, history and beliefs
Dr. Lucjan Shila, Buddhist, parent of a Steinbrenner High School student. Dr. Shila volunteered to speak on the subject when it became clear that the teachers were having difficulty scheduling another speaker. Teachers had been in contact with the Buddhist temple, Wat Mongkolratanaram of Florida (Wat Tampa), but learned that the spiritual leader is in Thailand this year. No date has been set for this speaker to visit Steinbrenner.
Stephen Hegarty
Communications Officer
Hillsborough County Public Schools
901 East Kennedy Boulevard
Tampa, Fl. 33602-3507
office: 813-272-4060
fax: 813-272-4510
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