Augusta County schools closed over Islam controversy

By Lynn R. Mitchell

The Islam controversy at Riverheads High School in Augusta County has hit news outlets nationwide. I wrote the following and posted it at Bearing Drift where it has over 200 comments as of Saturday evening. It begins:

Augusta County schools were unexpectedly locked down late Thursday after regular classes concluded, and all after-school activities were canceled including sports events and a holiday concert at Wilson Memorial High School. Parents received automated phone calls notifying that Friday classes, the last day before holiday break, were canceled.

The move came after the rural area located in the Shenandoah Valley of western Virginia unexpectedly found itself in the middle of a fire storm of controversy after a world geography class at Riverheads High School caused concern among some parents. Students were asked to participate in a calligraphy lesson writing the Muslim statement of faith, a lesson that has not settled well with some in the community. Conservative news outlets picked up on the controversy and news of it has spread across the country.

The result of so much publicity was a decision by Augusta County’s school board and law enforcement to cancel classes. A message was posted late Thursday on the school system’s website noting that schools and administrative offices would be closed on Friday.

Check out Bearing Drift to read more and follow the comments voicing opinions about this very hot topics.