HOUSTON, Texas — Opponents of a Texas Arabic Immersion Magnet School (AIM) call the pre-K and kindergarten program “civilizational jihad.” The program was imposed by the largest school district in the state, and the seventh largest school district in the United States. Opponents say that Americans simply do not know what is happening in this school, and in America.
The group of protestors billed their event as “Stop the New Jihad!” They say that Americans and Texans in general need to become more educated about Islam and their intent to engage in “civilizational jihad” in America. They warn that the Texas school district is planning to expand grade levels in the AIM school every year.
Local “Stop the Magnet” activist, Liz Theiss told Breitbart Texas, “Civilizational jihad is what we feel is a network operating within the U.S. to promote Arabic culture and language and it operates through stealth within the community to create trust.”
She says this strategy is listed in the Muslim Brotherhood’s Strategic Plan for North America. The plan was seized by the FBI during the largest terrorism financing trial in United States’ history, as written about by Breitbart Texas.
In May 2009, five of the key leaders of the Holy Land Foundation (HLF) were sentenced after having been convicted in November, 2008, of providing material support to the terrorist organization.
The HLF, located in Texas, was designated as a terrorist organization by the federal government in 2001. The organization was shut down and its assets were seized because the charity’s primary purpose was found to fund Hamas. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and other governments.
Julia Appleton told Breitbart Texas, “Some of the funding for the school is linked to Saudi money.” She said it comes from the Qatar Foundation. Appleton added, “I understand students being bilingual but that is not what is happening here.”
Theiss said, “HISD (Houston Independent School District) is relying on questionable organizations to finance its Arabic Immersion program. The Qatar Foundation International has spent thousands of dollars to install Arabic language and cultural programs in schools nationwide.”
Theiss also has an issue in that staffing for schools should go to Americans. She said that an HISD e-mail (attached below) between the school’s coordinator, Mahassen Ballouli, and Nervin Ouida of the Arabic American Cultural & Community Center (ACC) “show a go-to arrangement for Arabic staffing needs.” The e-mail was obtained in an public information act request.
The Houston-area activist continued, “Even for a four hour per week position they feel the need to hire another foreign worker from places like Syria instead of an American-born employee who only speaks English. It is too close for comfort with no security checks on these employees.”
One of those with a different view of the issue, Benjamin Franklin, told Fox 26 News in Houston that the protest is all about “Islamophobia” and fear.
The Houston Independent School District said in an official statement, “As one of the world’s leading energy capitals, Houston has strong economic ties to the Middle East. Additionally, Arabic is the second-most common foreign language spoken at home in HISD. Those factors combine to create a significant demand for Arabic language fluency.”
In late November, Breitbart Texas reported that HISD said that an Islamic State recruiting homework assignment given to high school students “teaches critical and analytical thinking skills using current events.” The assignment was given to ninth graders one school day after the terrorist attacks in Paris.
Breitbart Texas very recently reported that a Texas Imam was forced to resign from his Beaumont mosque for agreeing with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s suggestion that America set-up a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States” until further investigation can be done. The Imam, Nidal Alsayyed, said that “they are being told to either support political correctness or leave.” He added that one of the board members at his mosque, the Islamic Center of Triplex, has vocally and financially supported democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.”
The Imam also said that more than 100 Houston area Imams have been asked to leave because of a “political agenda.”
Breitbart Texas’ Bob Price has reported that despite the order to the contrary from Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Syrian refugees have been relocated to both Houston and Dallas. The arrival follows the withdrawal of a request for a restraining order to halt the relocation by the Texas attorney general.
Lana Shadwick is a contributing writer and legal analyst for Breitbart Texas. She has served as an associate judge and prosecutor. Follow her on Twitter @LanaShadwick2
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