@scottalanmiller said:
Doesn't seem weird at all. Learning about world religions is standard education all over the world, even in the US. And the point of the assignment was to learn a little about the calligraphy practices often associated with Islam. If anything, it seems like they were taking an extremely cursory approach trying to focus on the art of the religion rather than more core topics.
It is very important for the understanding the art of the Arab and related world (like Spain) to understand how Catholic iconography and Islamic disallowance of iconography influenced the two regions artistically and culturally.
Right. However, in a public school system, you don't use things that can be translated as doctrinal statements. I would expect the same reaction if somebody were made to write in any language that "Jesus is the only begotten son of God"
Yes: That is a core value of the Christian Faith. But if you want to show off the calligraphy, why not use something that is not so heavily focused at the core of whatever religion. Perhaps something out of Proverbs...
Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart... (Proverbs 3:3, if you are interested)...
vs
"There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is the messenger of Allah"
Which one sounds like pure indoctrination?