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Univ. of NC Sued for Forced Reading of Pro-Islamic Book
'Opt Out' Policy, Added Later, Called Worse Than Original Requirement
By Rusty Pugh and Jody Brown
July 22, 2002
(AgapePress) - A Christian legal firm has filed a lawsuit against a major university for forcing incoming freshmen to study Islam and participate in a discussion on it.
As part of its "Summer Reading Program," the University of North Carolina is forcing all incoming freshmen and transfer students to read a book that promotes Islam by using portions of the Koran. They are required to attend an August 19 seminar on the book, and finally, write a one-page essay stating their feelings about the religion. [See Earlier Article]
The book Approaching the Qur'án: The Early Revelations, written by a professor of religion at Haverford College in Pennsylvania, is described on the UNC website as a book of "enduring interest" that introduces the literature and culture of a "profound moral and spiritual tradition." In addition, author Michael Sells' biography page says the book allows the non-Muslim to "find a clearer and more direct access" to Islam's most holy book.
The requirement to read Sells' book has come under the scrutiny of several pro-family organizations, one of them being the Virginia-based Family Policy Network, which in early July released a statement seeking a UNC student or students who might be "philosophically opposed" to being required to study Islam. The group stated then that any student wishing to become a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the university over the issue should contact them. Now such a lawsuit has become reality.
Steve Crampton is lead counsel with the American Family Association's Center for Law & Policy. On behalf of three UNC students and two alumni, his firm filed suit today against the university for violating the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution -- specifically, forcing students to learn, and render a favorable opinion on, Islam.
"I believe ... this is the establishment of an orthodoxy of belief about the religion of Islam," Crampton says. "Students are being forced to voice opinions that are favorable toward one particular religion -- in this case, the religion of Islam, which happens to be that religion ascribed to by those who slaughtered 3,000 Americans at the World Trade Center."
"This is a highly biased 'in favor of the religion of peace' sort-of spin of Islam that is being forced upon the students."
The attorney says if the university forced students to read portions of the Bible, lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union would be "parachuting in" to file lawsuits and take it down "on a moment's notice."
The lawsuit filed today seeks an injunction prohibiting the program from going forward as scheduled on August 19.
Opt Out?
The Center for Law & Policy says worse still is an "opt-out" policy at UNC, which appeared on the university's website after criticism of the required reading began to grow. That change still requires students to take part, but forces them to state in writing their objection to being forced to read the book. According to the Center, students have not yet been informed of the change in policy.
Michael DePrimo is a litigation counsel for the CLP. He says the opt-out step essentially pits those students who object to the forced reading against those who do not -- and he describes it as "the modern equivalent of requiring the objecting students to wear yellow stars of David."
"The University claimed that one purpose of the [reading] program is to enhance a sense of community between students and faculty," DePrimo says. "This opt-out program does precisely the opposite."
Joe Glover, president of the Family Policy Network, says the option is worse than the original requirement. "At first, UNC wanted to force their students to read a pro-Islamic text, which is bad enough. But now they want those who object on religious grounds to step forward and defend their own beliefs. That's even worse," he says.
"The administration may as well line up thousands of incoming students and ask objectors to take one step forward," Glover says.
Glover's group quotes a faculty member of the committee that selected Approaching the Qur'án. Dr. Robert Kirkpatrick said the essays being forced upon students rejecting the assignment on religious grounds "will be very interesting to read."
© 2002 AgapePress all rights reserved.
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