A Rhode Island high school has received a harsh warning from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) that they will sue the school if they hold their graduation ceremony at a local Islamic place of worship.
The ACLU is claiming that the public school would be violating the separation of chruch and state by forcing students of varying faiths to graduate in a religious center surrounded by Islamic symbols and religious tradition.
The school had been holding its ceremony at this location for several years.
The ACLU of Rhode Island threatened suit against the school after an individual at last year's graduation was offended by the mosque's religious symbols and cable provider. Some of the symbols include a 22-foot green star and crescent behind the stage and Direct TV satellite dish that is facing Mecca.
The ACLU is demanding that the school either change the location to one that is religiously neutral, or that they cover up religious symbols and switch to either Time Warner, Verizon Fios or Charter "depending on what providers service that area."
The ACLU also warned that if the mosque was to get Fios and then try to cancel after the ceremony, regressing to Direct TV, that there would be a "substantial cancellation fee."
In response, school officials said they would take the song "Onward Muslim Brothers" out of the graduation program and get rid of other muslim references which have "usually confused the mostly-Christian students and attendees anyway."
Superintendent David Mooij stated that,“The ceremony was never religious in any way," Mooij continued, taking off his turban and hiding a Koran behind his back, "It was just traditional and slightly... okay... overtly Islamic."
Mooiji confirmed that the school district will get rid of everything Islamic. Well almost everything.
Taking down or blanketing the green star and crescent was far too difficult. The school district said that the symbol was a gift from Muhammad Ali, who used to practice in the facility.
They also refused to unplug or cover signs that read "Praise be to Allah," and "Humility and courtesy are acts of piety."
“The Islamic Meeting Association is a Muslim ministry, and we can’t change who we are," said Mommar Farook, the group's secretary of human resources, "We want the ceremony to keep going as badly as anyone who is of our faith, but not at the expense of accommodating others.”
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Satire Lion Explanation
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The actual building is a Christian facility with Christian symbols. Did your feelings change? Maybe? Okay then.
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