FLORENCE, Miss– Students in the 7th and 8th grade history classes at Florence Middle School are learning about world religions. The content has some parents upset.
A post started circulating on Facebook claiming that a teacher had told one of her students to keep the pillars of Islam assignment a secret. The students are studying Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam this semester. The slides for the class are available on the Rankin County School District website.
A picture of that assignment was sent to District 60 Representative John Moore.
“A parent has sent a copy of some information that she said was being taught in the class,” says Moore, “I try not to jump to judgement, but I sent word to her and others down there to go talk to the principal.”
Moore says that even if there is a good explanation for the teaching, this is still an issue of parental involvement.
“It needs to be handled very aggressively at the local level,” says Moore, “that’s where parental involvement needs to be ramped up. They need to contact the principal and the teacher to find out why it is being taught the way it is.”
A post on a Facebook page called “The Rankin County Conservative Coalition News” claims that five parents went to the middle school this morning to speak with the principal. News Mississippi has contacted one of the parents and the Rankin County School District office, but no one has returned the call just yet.
