# Moron hillbilly's in bumfuck Virginia **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 18, 2015, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moron-hillbillys-in-bumfuck-virginia/740744 "2015-12-18T00:47:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Grsz11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Grsz11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grsz11)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2015, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moron-hillbillys-in-bumfuck-virginia/740744/1 "2015-12-18T00:47:10Z")
_can’t fix the typo in the title…_ > **[Schools Closed in Virginia District After Uproar Over Arabic Calligraphy Lesson](https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/schools-closed-in-virginia-district-after-uproar-over-arabic-calligraphy-lesson/93410/)** > > A central Virginia school district has canceled classes Friday after concerns over the “tone and content” of calls and emails received about a lesson in Arabic calligraphy. School district receives hate mail because students in a world geography had a lesson on written Arabic. Imagine what they will do when they learn these kids have been indoctrinated with Arabic numerals since they were toddlers. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2015, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moron-hillbillys-in-bumfuck-virginia/740744/2 "2015-12-18T01:40:45Z")
Technically, it’s [Hindi-Arabic numerals](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabic_numerals). But I see your point. Do people even understand that simple tools and construction, agricultural revolution, and many other things have started from Arabic culture? ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2015, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moron-hillbillys-in-bumfuck-virginia/740744/3 "2015-12-18T01:52:44Z")
Yeah I’m not sure you want to try and stretch Sumerian/Babylonian and Persian accomplishments out to Arabic culture. There’s lots already there without reaching back into antiquity. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2015, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moron-hillbillys-in-bumfuck-virginia/740744/4 "2015-12-18T11:26:10Z")
It’s certainly an over-reaction, but the teacher could have picked something other than the Islamic statement of faith for the students to copy. Should have, in fact. ---
**Author:** ![Askthepizzaguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askthepizzaguy/32/9405_2.png) [@Askthepizzaguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askthepizzaguy)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2015, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moron-hillbillys-in-bumfuck-virginia/740744/5 "2015-12-18T11:39:54Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > It’s certainly an over-reaction, but the teacher could have picked something other than the Islamic statement of faith for the students to copy. Should have, in fact. +1 Nothing to get up in arms about either way. I was forced to say the pledge of allegiance and affirm the existence of a deity as a child. It shouldn’t be compulsory, but it didn’t scar me for life. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2015, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moron-hillbillys-in-bumfuck-virginia/740744/6 "2015-12-18T13:01:20Z")
Their heads will surely explode later when the kids have to learn Al-Jebra. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2015, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moron-hillbillys-in-bumfuck-virginia/740744/7 "2015-12-18T14:07:41Z")
Good news: under Sharia law a feller can have him four wives Bad news: cain’t none of them be his sister Bad news: got to take your shoes off before you go into the mosque Good news: does that mean we all git shoes now? ---
**Author:** ![Memnon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Memnon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Memnon)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2015, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moron-hillbillys-in-bumfuck-virginia/740744/8 "2015-12-18T14:15:54Z")
I can kinda see why they might be upset. Of all the countless millions of things the teacher could have had his students write he chose “There is no God but Allah and Muhammed is his prophet?” That’s a claim that devout Christian parents (not to mention students) would find theologically objectionable. And to me, the fact that the statement wasn’t translated makes it _worse_ because there might have been some kids in the class who, if they _did_ know what it meant, might not have wanted to do the activity. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2015, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moron-hillbillys-in-bumfuck-virginia/740744/9 "2015-12-18T14:32:43Z")
Choosing that particular thing to write sounds almost like the teacher was trolling. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2015, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moron-hillbillys-in-bumfuck-virginia/740744/10 "2015-12-18T15:06:53Z")
> [@campp](#): > > Their heads will surely explode later when the kids have to learn Al-Jebra. Hey!! No _Star Wars_ spoilers, please!!! > [@Tithonus](#): > > I can kinda see why they might be upset. Of all the countless millions of things the teacher could have had his students write he chose “There is no God but Allah and Muhammed is his prophet?” That’s a claim that devout Christian parents (not to mention students) would find theologically objectionable. And to me, the fact that the statement wasn’t translated makes it worse because there might have been some kids in the class who, if they did know what it meant, might not have wanted to do the activity. Yeah-- Wouldn’t there be some outrage here if a teacher required students to write The Lord’s Prayer? ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2015, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moron-hillbillys-in-bumfuck-virginia/740744/11 "2015-12-18T15:41:06Z")
To clarify a little bit, it appears that this assignment was part of the class study on world religions, the assignment in question came out of a standard textbook and while it doesn’t have an English translation it does state quite clearly that it is the “Islamic statement of faith”. Here’s a CNN story, including a picture of the actual assignment. > **[All schools shut down in Augusta County, Virginia, over Islam homework | CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2015/12/18/us/virginia-school-shut-islam-homework/index.html)** > > Augusta County, Virginia, schools shut on sheriff's concerns about angry calls and emails over a world religion homework assignment on Islam at Riverheads High. So to sum up: -Class specifically includes study of world religions. -Class uses a standard textbook on the subject. -Teacher picks an assignment from that same textbook. -Assignment does say what the phrase is about. Yes, obviously a case of a rogue teacher stealthily indoctrinating innocent students into an Evil Religion completely outside of the material that they should have been learning. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2015, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moron-hillbillys-in-bumfuck-virginia/740744/12 "2015-12-18T15:48:34Z")
Let’s ban textbooks. Not all textbooks, I love some textbooks. But for now, until we figure out what’s going on with textbooks we should ban all of them. ---
**Author:** ![Memnon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Memnon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Memnon)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2015, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moron-hillbillys-in-bumfuck-virginia/740744/13 "2015-12-18T15:56:25Z")
> [@Valgard](#): > > To clarify a little bit, it appears that this assignment was part of the class study on world religions, the assignment in question came out of a standard textbook and while it doesn’t have an English translation it does state quite clearly that it is the “Islamic statement of faith”. Ah, that’s different. If it was actually part of a world religions course and if the students knew what they were writing and had no objections then it’s fair enough. Given all that, the reaction of the parents is pretty silly. Thanks for the info. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2015, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moron-hillbillys-in-bumfuck-virginia/740744/14 "2015-12-18T16:11:25Z")
Having students write out the profession of faith of a religion is not an appropriate exercise for a world religions course. The “moron hillbillies” were right to object. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2015, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moron-hillbillys-in-bumfuck-virginia/740744/15 "2015-12-18T16:19:00Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > Having students _ **write out the profession of faith of a religion is not an appropriate exercise for a world religions course** _. The “moron hillbillies” were right to object. Please tell me your whoosing us, because I’d hate to think somebody needs to be hit with a clue stick that hard. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2015, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moron-hillbillys-in-bumfuck-virginia/740744/16 "2015-12-18T16:29:23Z")
> [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > Please tell me your whoosing us, because I’d hate to think somebody needs to be hit with a clue stick that hard. Oh please do, I’m sure your clue stick will knock me over. You don’t teach Christianity by making students recite the Hail Mary, and you don’t teach Islam by making students copy out the Shahada. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2015, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moron-hillbillys-in-bumfuck-virginia/740744/17 "2015-12-18T16:36:28Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > Having students write out the profession of faith of a religion is not an appropriate exercise for a world religions course. The “moron hillbillies” were right to object. Exactly. > [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > Please tell me your whoosing us, because I’d hate to think somebody needs to be hit with a clue stick that hard. You’re a fuckturd. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2015, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moron-hillbillys-in-bumfuck-virginia/740744/18 "2015-12-18T16:52:50Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > Oh please do, I’m sure your clue stick will knock me over. You don’t teach Christianity by making students recite the Hail Mary, and you don’t teach Islam by making students copy out the Shahada. Yeah, my initial read on this was to assume there was some sort of xenophobia based overreaction. But, it’s bullshit to make a classroom of children in a public school write a religious affirmation of any kind as an assignment. I’m pro hillbilly here. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2015, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moron-hillbillys-in-bumfuck-virginia/740744/19 "2015-12-18T16:53:03Z")
Let’s force the kids write “Christ is Lord” and see how the enlightened sophisticates on this board react. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2015, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moron-hillbillys-in-bumfuck-virginia/740744/20 "2015-12-18T17:00:40Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Let’s force the kids write “Christ is Lord” and see how the enlightened sophisticates on this board react. If the assignment is to write out what each religion believes, then why not? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moron-hillbillys-in-bumfuck-virginia/740744.md?page=2)