4th-graders brainwashed with Occupy 'propaganda'

Student's dad complains to Scholastic News publisher

Posted: December 10, 2011
8:25 pm Eastern

By Bob Unruh
© 2011 WND

A Connecticut dad has accusedan industry giant in education, Scholastic,of delivering Occupy Wall Street propaganda to his 4th grade daughter in her school classroom.

The company's response?

"We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns with us and I made sure that staff in our corporate headquarters will see your comments. Again, thank you. We truly appreciate your support of Scholastic Book Clubs."

The father, Edward, whose last name is being withheld so his daughter is not identified, toldWNDit was the standard, "We don't care about your opinion" response that he expected.

(Story continues below)

But he said he'll be pursuing the issue with his local school district.

The issue arose over the Scholastic News handout given to students and dated Dec. 5 and Dec. 12:

It describes the Occupy Wall Street movement,which has been tied to professional agitators linked to groups funded by billionaire radical George Soros.

It's also been accused of being anti-Semiticand to have been givensupport from Islamic groups that are strong supporters of the so-called Free Gaza Movement.

Scholastic, which declined to respond to aWNDrequest for comment, however, said the Occupy protesters "started with about 1,000 protesters," who mostly were "college students or recent graduates without jobs."

The company's website says it is pledged "to uphold the basic freedoms of all individuals" and it is opposed "to any system of government or society that denies these freedoms."

It continues, "Good citizens may honestly differ on important public questions. We believe that all sides of the issues of our times should be fairly discussed – with deep respect for facts and logical thinking – in classroom magazines, books…"

But Scholastic's report about Occupy said "most of their complaints are about today's tough economic times and who should be blamed for them." And the report said "protesters say that they make up the other 99 percent. They argue that big companies are making too much money as millions of Americans have lost their jobs or even their homes."

It doesn't mention the rampant crime that has been documented at various Occupy protest sites, the filthy conditions left behind by some protest groups, the violence and the incidents of intimidation against even children, as has been reported.

The father, Edward, toldWNDhis alarm comes from his perspective as a conservative independent.

But he said he grew up in the old Soviet Union, and recalls when an official media there would print the "news," from only one perspective.

"When I see something like this it just boggles my mind," he said.

He recalled pictures of government officials posted all over and his grandfather's fear that someone would discover he was listening to Voice of America.

"I've seen it," Edward toldWND. "I don't want to go that way again. I left the Soviet Union to come to the U.S. and then I'm seeing the Occupy Wall Street anti-Semitism. Where do I go from here?"

He said the least Scholastic should have done was to offer a fair explanation that included both sides of the arguments.

Edward's comment to Scholastic was: "I grew up in Soviet Union and seeing your propaganda about Occupy Wall Street brings back my memories. I'm neither Republican or Democrat but I would rather see my kids hear about both sides."

Jenifer, responding for the company, said, "I am happy to forward on your concern about providing both Democrat and Republican views."

WND reported several years agowhen the Junior Scholastic "news magazine" promoted "madrassa" school life for American children who are Muslims, much to the outrage of some parents.

"Remember way back in grade school and getting Junior Scholastic magazine in school? Well here is an example of what JS has devolved into. Force-feeding the barbaric propaganda of Islamic madrassas down the throats of my 7th and 4th graders. Disgusting," a father wroteWNDabout the issue.

Scholastic said at that time that there are few topics the company will not cover if they are brought up in classrooms.

That particular story, "Inside a Madrasa, U.S. kids talk about their daily lives at an Islamic school in Pakistan," was written by Cassandra Nelson in view of "helping students learn about the world they live in. That world does include religion and a variety of cultures," a company official reported.

WNDalsohas reported that Islamic factionsnow are taking part in the development and editing processes for textbooks in U.S. public schools, how some schoolshave required students to "become Muslim"and memorize the "Five Pillars of Islam" during their public school coursework, and how a manonce arrested as a terror suspectfor allegedly trying to transport $340,000 from a group tied to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi helped write the "Religious Expression in Public Schools" guidelines issued by President Clinton during his tenure in office.

Earlier,WNDreported thatThe American Textbook Councilfound that textbooks for children in U.S. public schools these days reflect "the interplay of determined Islamic political activists, textbook editors, and multiculturally minded social studies curriculum planners."

It has gone so far that correcting the situation now becomes a problem, because "educational publishers and educational organizations have bought into claims propounded by Islamists – and have themselves become agents of misinformation."

That comes from Gilbert T. Sewall, who wrote the organization's report on Islam and textbooks. And Middle East Forum directorDaniel Pipeseven has repeatedly expressed concern about the "privileging of Islam in the United States" and warns the stakes go well beyond 7th grade texts. His opinion of Houghton Mifflin's "Across the Centuries"? Full of "apologetics."

Sewall said his study showed world history textbooks "hold Islam and other non-Western civilizations to different standards than those that apply to the West" even while "Islamic pressure groups and their allies seek to suppress the critical analysis of Islam inside and outside classrooms.

"Textbook editors seem not to recognize that a school-related Islamic agenda in the U.S. uses multiculturalism as a device to guarantee a purely favorable and uncritical view of all things Muslim. At extremes, the report suggested, multiculturalism contributes to a form of peaceable cultural jihad meant to discredit or 'problematize' European civilization in favor of non-Western cultures," he wrote.

Twisted lies or truth?

Sunday, December 11, 2011