A Conundrum

Can you teach Hebrew without teaching Judaism? The Ben Gamla School, a charter school in Florida is trying to do just that. But it's not easy, apparently. Its third curriculum proposal was rejected because it referred to a website that mentioned religion.

Can the Khalil Gibran public school teach Arabic without teaching Islam? That's been the topic of some debate right here, and it's hard to say. It seems that religion is tied into culture and language in many ways, and it's tough to draw a line and say. "This far, but no further."

The sign outside Ben Gamla was going to include a Hebrew phrase for “welcome,” Rabbi Siegel said, but because the literal translation is “blessed are those who come,” he decided against it.

It's very tough to know where to stop. Unlike Khalil Gibran, these folks haven't yet gotten a green light.

Now if we don't permit religion to enter these language or cultural classes, aren't we providing a harshly edited version of the cultures we're presenting? And if we do permit religion, aren't we sidestepping separation of church and state? Is it possible to teach religion objectively, rather than promoting it?

Or should we just forget the whole thing and leave public schools teaching American culture?

Khahlil Gibran Revisited

Well, the principal who was amused by Intifadah NYC T-shirts is out, and now the Arabic-language school is run by a woman who doesn't actually speak Arabic. While this may quell some of the school's critics, it's symptomatic of a larger problem in Mayor Bloomberg's small school movement.

Of course, partitioning one large overcrowded school into half-a-dozen overcrowded small schools is not quite the revolutionary act Tweed would have you believe. But if you establish an Arabic-themed school, ought not the school leader know the language? And if you establish a school for the performing arts, for example, shouldn't we find a leader who knows something about performing arts?

This seems to be a recurrent problem in the city's "academies." By the time they get started, those who had an affinity for their themes, whatever they may have been, have moved on (or been forced to walk the plank for the team).

I'm not sure why we needed an Arabic-language school. We could certainly teach Arabic in existing schools. But if we're gonna have one, it's patently absurd to hire a principal who can't even understand what's being taught in her own classrooms.

Once again, political expedience triumphs over common sense in Mr. Bloomberg's New York.

The Khalil Gibran School

I've been neutral on the Arabic-language school in NYC, but after reading that its principal has a fondness for Intifada NYC T-shirts, I have to question her judgment. Has she no idea how inflammatory such t-shirts can be? Well, she says she doesn't:

She followed the word's literal Arabic meaning, which is "struggle" or "uprising."

However, most adult Americans associate it with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the one that's been going on for as long as most of us can remember. One would hope that a school principal would not be so poorly informed as to miss the implications of such a message.

This naivete is particularly egregious in one who'd lead an academy that specialized in Arabic. You'd think that this conflict, and the terms we associate with it, would have somehow caught her attention. Unless, of course, it isn't naivete.

In either case, it's an odd public stance for a public school principal, particularly one heading a school that's already under attack from so many quarters. Teaching Arabic is one thing. Encouraging Intifada in New York is quite another.

I'm pro-choice, but I will not discuss that in class or assign abortion as a writing topic. Too many of us on both sides, perhaps myself included, are passionate rather than logical on this topic. Inevitably, kids (who often choose this on a free topic) tell me what God says. I tell them I'm willing to argue with them personally, but not with God. That's an unfair burden on a teacher.

I regularly get kids from both Israel and Palestine, and it behooves me to show respect to all. This means, for one thing, I need to shut my fat mouth about my opinions regarding the conflict between their cultures. I'm a role-model, I want them to get along, and in my classes they do. A principal, ostensibly, is a role-model for teachers. I don't suppose many Israeli kids will be drawn to an Arabic school, though I well could well be wrong. In my school, a number of Muslim students end up in Hebrew classes.

Now there's abundant evidence to suggest Mr. Klein values experience in neither teachers nor principals, regarding loyalty far more valuable than practical knowledge which he deems costly and troublesome. But in this job, to be an effective teacher, you need to know (for one thing) just when to shut your festering gob.

I am not remotely convinced this principal has learned this, nor that she'd be an acceptable role-model. As for allowing her to lead a school that's under constant scrutiny by a largely hostile press, well, that's Mr. Klein's decision.

This administration places a very high value on PR. If this principal hasn't learned that yet, she'd better do so fast.