School District Sued Over Middle East Geography Curriculum

The parent of a New Jersey middle school student filed suit this week against The Chathams school district claiming that the Middle East and North Africa unit of the 7th-grade Geography class violates the Establishment Clause by promoting Islam.  The complaint (full text) in Hilsenrath v. School District of the Chathams, (D NJ, filed 1/23/2018), alleges that an Intro to Islam Video on the Google Classroom assigned to the geography class was a "nearly five-minute long video [which] seeks to convert viewers to Islam and is filled with the religious teachings of Islam presented, not as beliefs, but as facts."  It also contends that an assigned animated presentation on the 5 Pillars of Islam seeks to convert students to Islam.  Thomas More Law Center issued a press release announcing the filing of the lawsuit.