ACTION ITEM: Delay ISA lease renewal

Let the Fairfax County Board have it!

This is a press release issued by the Traditional Values Coalition which
opposes renewing the lease on the Islamic Saudi Academy in Fairfax County.
The county leases the old Mount Vernon High School to the Saudi embassy.
There is a 3:30 Monday Board of Supervisors hearing to vote on this.

TVC Urges Fairfax Officials

Put Saudi School Lease on Hold

Wait for Results of Textbook Review by State Department

Washington, DC – An official of the Traditional Values Coalition (TVC) asked Fairfax County Supervisors to delay the renewal of the Islamic Saudi Academy’s (ISA) lease until a review of the school’s curriculum has been completed by federal officials.

TVC Executive Director Andrea Lafferty said classroom materials provided by the Saudi government for use in schools in America such as the academy in Virginia “attempt to propagate jihadist and incitement to violence against Americans and non-Muslims, particularly Jews.”

Recently, Congresswoman Sue Myrick (R-North Carolina), the founder of the Congressional Anti-Terrorism Caucus, asked President Bush to raise the issue of these materials during his meeting this week with Saudi King Abdullah.

Congresswoman Myrick released excerpts from text books provided by the Saudis to schools in America including an eighth grade text which said,

” The apes are the Jews, the people of the Sabbath while the swine are the Christians, the infidels of the communion of Jesus.”

A sixth grade text urged: "Just as Muslims were successful in the past when they came together in a sincere endeavor to evict the Christian crusaders from Palestine, so will the Arabs and Muslims emerge victorious, Allah willing, against the Jews and their allies if they stand together and fight a true jihad for Allah, for this is within Allah's power."

Mrs. Lafferty said Fairfax County Supervisors should wait until these texts used in this school which is linked to the Saudi government’s Washington embassy have been thoroughly reviewed.

“There is a lot we don’t know about what is being taught there,” Mrs. Lafferty said. “This is not about theology or religious speech unless you make the argument that violence and sedition are prescribed by Islam. This goes way beyond crying fire in a crowded theater. It is not protected speech. It is a crime to incite violence against Americans or against people of certain faiths.

“We have sent a letter to members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors asking them to delay the renewal of the ISA lease until the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and the State Department finish reviewing the texts.”