Islamic School Apologizes For Anti-Semitic Material On Website

CBC  |  Posted: 05/08/2012 5:30 pm Updated: 05/10/2012 8:25 pm


A Toronto Islamic school that is under police investigation after anti-Semitic teachings were found on its website is apologizing "unreservedly" for its curriculum material, which is now being reviewed.


The Toronto District School Board is also reviewing a complaint that the East End Madrassah was teaching children that "treacherous" Jews "conspired to kill" the Islamic Prophet Mohammed. It also contrasted Islam with "the Jews and the Nazis."


The complaint came from the Friends of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, which found the material on the school's website.


The East End Madrassah, a Sunday school that rents space in a Scarborough school, is run by a Thornhill, Ont., mosque. It has since taken the material off the website, but copies are still available online.


"It shocked me and sent chills down my spine when I first saw it," said David Spiro, the Greater Toronto co-chair for the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs.


"That in itself was disturbing, but it does raise a host of other questions about where it came from, where it's being used, how it's being used and by whom it's being used."


Premier lauds police investigation


Those who run the madrassah said in a release Monday that the school's curriculum "is not intended to promote hatred towards any individual or group of people," and that the offending material "should never have been a part of our curriculum."


"We unreservedly apologize to the Jewish community for the unintentional offence that the item has caused."


A team of scholars at the school is reviewing "all texts and material being used in the curriculum to ensure that our teachings are conveying the right message."


But police in York region north of Toronto continue to investigate, and Premier Dalton McGuinty says he's glad they're doing so.


"It's a big province. We can find room for a lot of things. But we can't find room for hatred or intolerance," said McGuinty, who is expected to meet with Israeli President Shimon Peres on Wednesday.


The school has a permit from the Toronto District School Board to teach its lessons from a rented school space at David and Mary Thomson Collegiate at Lawrence Avenue East and Brimley Road.


The TDSB said it will wait until after the police investigation is finished to decide whether to take any action. A spokesman said tenants who break the law — by promoting hatred for example — could be denied a permit to use TDSB space.


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A Toronto Islamic school that is under police investigation after anti-Semitic teachings were found on its website is apologizing "unreservedly" for its curriculum material, which is now ...
A Toronto Islamic school that is under police investigation after anti-Semitic teachings were found on its website is apologizing "unreservedly" for its curriculum material, which is now ...
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03:02 PM on 05/13/2012
They can deny that any administrators or parents saw this stuff in the curriculum (regardless of how unlikely that is). But they can't deny that the teacher that taught the curriculum didnt see - i mean thats impossible. So the question is, why hasn't this principle who apologizes, said anything about firing the teacher who was teaching this garbage, but who clearly didn't bring it to her attention? Seems to me if the principle is so shocked and disgusted by this, she would also not want the hateful individual teachers who taught this stuff, to continue teaching it. The lies never stop with the muslims. There is no moral fabric with them
01:13 PM on 05/11/2012
This is an opportunity to introspect and realize the importance of accountability. It would behove those responsible to think about the myopic views they're spreading.
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Ian Llangan
Your Invisible Sky Friend Is Morally Abhorrent
11:44 AM on 05/31/2012
You are correct, but I would not hold my breath waiting for that to happen if I were you.
01:35 PM on 05/09/2012
Did any of you actually read the article - this Madrassah RENTS the space in the school - just like thousands of different organizations - religious and other wise - do all over the place all the time - it isn't about separation of church and state - or schools - in this case (which I am all for).
Read throughly before jumping on your band wagons and spewing off your rants
10:06 AM on 05/09/2012
No "if, ands, or buts," SHUT DOWN THIS SCHOOL! Withdraw the permit. This is Canada and our schools should never be used for spreading hatred.
08:44 AM on 05/09/2012
I am shocked that this had to be brought to the attention of the leaders of the school. There is no room in Canada for this kind of hate speech. A reminder to all to check their hate at the door when they choose Canada.
08:07 AM on 05/09/2012
"could be denied a permit"

Yes but
did they take the material down and what does the "text" books teach?

These folks are the only ones who seem to get away with this sort of crap in Canada, they were "sorry" they didnt put up more even worst stuff
07:01 AM on 05/09/2012
So... the school included these books in its curriculum, so to amend the problem they're having scholars FROM the school itself review the curriculum...? I somehow sincerely doubt their lesson plan will be changing very radically. They'll just remove 'offensive items' from the website and possibly sugar coat it in a classroom setting.
TheRenaissanceMan
A starry-eyed idealist with too much time
06:32 AM on 05/09/2012
Disgusting.
These people have no place in our society with their hatred.
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Rusty Bucket
Intensely interested in the human condition!
02:21 AM on 05/09/2012
Such ardent ferver. I’m impressed. Next you’ll all be walking on water!
08:09 AM on 05/09/2012
no just buried up to our necks in sand watching rocks heading in
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Turdinthepunchbowl
Just say no, to the opiate of the masses.
11:53 PM on 05/08/2012
All the foundation documents of the Judeo-Christian religions (Jewish Torah, New Testament and Koran) espouse and condone these acts; child rape, rape, slavery, murder of apostates, murder of gays, subjugation of women, the murder of those of other religions and the murder of those who confess to no religion. Do you really think the creator (I am going down the rabbit hole for the sake of argument) of the universe would be so wrong on so many things? That one believes such nonsense speaks to the depravity of the human mind and moral imagination.
07:54 AM on 05/09/2012
That's why religion has no business in schools.
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cdncommentator
10:50 PM on 05/08/2012
It's highly unlikely that the adults tasked with teaching this hatred had no idea what was being taught.

Glad they were caught. NOW they'll take action.
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Ian Llangan
Your Invisible Sky Friend Is Morally Abhorrent
11:46 AM on 05/31/2012
Don't hold your breath...
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
wendyweb47
Keeping an open mind
09:50 PM on 05/08/2012
How school administrators can claim they didn't know what was on their website does NOT sound believable. This is NOT acceptable in any way in Canada. Find the person responsible and charge them with hate crimes.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
John David Payne
godisimaginary
08:14 PM on 05/08/2012
As both of the "books" spoken about here are allegorical in nature at best, why is it that people continue to be bothered by comments one way or the other. Koran or both Testaments are full of plagerized materials, primarily from ancient Egypt. As both major religions can claim if they wish to do so, Abraham as the founding father and considering he was at best an Iraqi who got lost and wandered into what was Palestine with his tents and camels what is it all about. Power and that's all. If it isn't the religious fanatics it's the political fanatics, always has been and likely always will be. Such a gigantic and wasteful use of the time we have here on earth. We are here to love and help each other and spouting either of these books tenets is useless in the extreme
08:48 PM on 05/08/2012
learning islamic tenets is dangerous, especially to these little minds as they will soak it up and think it's true. at least with christianity the beliefs in present form are non-violent and may actually inspire many to raise up and do better in life and in the afterlife regardless of how bizarre they may be. at least they are non destructive whereas muslims have to sanitize their beliefs. the problem with islam is that sanitizing it is like asking an alligator to stop killing prey that is in front of it.
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Turdinthepunchbowl
Just say no, to the opiate of the masses.
07:59 PM on 05/08/2012
The birthplace of "Holywar" are the Jewish Scriptures. Dozens of passages such as "When the Lord your God brings you into the land that you are about to enter and occupy...seven nations mightier and more numerous than you [shall fall] and when the Lord your God gives them over to you and you defeat them you must utterly destroy them [actually, place them under 'the Ban,' where you kill every living thing: man, women , child and animal]. Make no covenant with them and show them no mercy" (Deuteronomy 7:1-6). This is the God of the Jews condoning and inciting genocide. In the New Testament,"After this Jesus went about Galilee. He did not wish to go about in Judea because the Jews were looking for an opportunity to kill him." (John 7:1). I would also refer you to Revelation to see what Jews are called; moreover, actually read Revelation to see what Jesus will do to all the unbelievers upon his return (spoiler alert, he kills every non-Christian). Also, the father of Protestantism, Martin Luther when referring to Jews, "First, to set fire to their synagogues or schools and to bury and cover with dirt whatever will not burn, so that no man will ever again see a stone or cinder of them." All three Religions of the Book are an offense to decency and moral clarity. As the saying goes, "Religious war is like fighting over who has the best imaginary friend."
08:44 PM on 05/08/2012
well put, there is truth in the fact that crazy people will fight to defend their version of faith. however, there are ones that raise above the crowds and show true devotion and love: mother theresa of calcutta - working with the poorest of the poor, saint maximilian kolbe - giving up his own life for another prisoner in auschwitz, saint brother andre of montreal who healed countless people, saint padre pio in italy who was able to see in people's souls and lead them to god - these are the people that properly lived out their faith, christian faith - the remainder of believers very rarely raise to that level and resort to all sorts of fallacies including violence, hate, etc. under the cloak of religion.
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cdncommentator
10:51 PM on 05/08/2012
...and teaching this to children other than as an example of bigotry is a hate crime.
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Turdinthepunchbowl
Just say no, to the opiate of the masses.
10:32 PM on 05/10/2012
Well written comments, however, I will disagree on some of your points.  The current religions (s) we call Judaism (specifically Rabbinical Judaism) is really a creation of the Common Era (CE).  and we're really talking about the 4-5th centuries CE.  For the most part, from the assumed (and there's isn't one shred of evidence for most of what happens in the Torah or Christian scriptures) exodus until the creation of Christianity, Judahism (a religion of Judea and one of hundreds) was a religion that didn't tolerate apostasy.  Religious rivals were simply killed.  This was common for all the ancient Canaanite religions of which Judahism (prior to rabbinical Judaism and the creation of the Talmuds) was part of.  After the creation of Christianity, pre-Judaism (what most outside the academy would call Judaism) certainly proselytized.  The gentiles who didn't wish to commit fully would be called god-fearers and would assume a supportive role within "Judaism."  What you're discussing are the current forms of Judaism, and I agree that most (let's leave aside certain Messianic forms) reject the idea of Holy War.  But that does not preclude what I and most scholars (Jewish, Secular and Christian) state openly and without much controversy (simply read the Torah and particularly the "historical" books and it's there in Hebrew, Koine Greek-the Septuagint) that Holy War was integral and seminal to the Torah. The Peoples of ancient Canaan (most scholars now suggest that the "Jews," never immigrated from Egypt but were likely indigenous to the area and
07:45 PM on 05/08/2012
Common sense would say that the administration of this madrassa would have reviewed the content of their website. Duh. If it was disseminated they are responsible. I have no religious affiliation, but the promotion of devisive ideology in the name of a religious organization is repugnantand in Canada, I believe it is a criminal offence.
08:37 PM on 05/08/2012
whether they reviewed it or not they have a duty as administrators to know what's going on in that school. if they don't know what's going on or what's being taught they should all resign. the problem with islam is that it cannot be sanitized as these beliefs are fundamental to islam. it's like asking an aligator to stop biting and killing prey.