Controversy arose in the Sunnyside Unified School District when rumors began circulating about Muslim students praying in the Desert View High School library. Concerned community members, in the predominately Catholic community, brought their concerns to public school advocate Richard Hernandez after the District’s administration did not respond to their questions.
Board member Buck Crouch responded immediately after learning that there were concerns. Crouch could not find a record of people calling, however the parents believe that their concerns were not shared by the administration initially and as a result, the fires of fear grew.
According to Crouch, four students came to administrators asking that they be allowed to observe Salat, which is the Muslim time of prayer. In response, District officials created an accommodation for the expression of faith. “It is a private classroom off the LRC, no other students should be able to hear them or be disturbed by them. The students are not attempting to convert anyone, nor subject them to listening to their prayers,” said Crouch.
Crouch says that he is unaware that any other students have asked for similar accommodations, “but if others made a similar request, we would do our best to accommodate them as long as we can stay within policy.”
An email was sent out to staff, in which they were notified of the District’s desire to let the children know that the administration “respected their beliefs” and found the students a spot for them to pray, according to Crouch. “We sent a message out to staff so that they were aware. We received very positive responses from faculty thanking us for celebrating diversity and respecting these students beliefs.” They asked the teachers to “PLEASE let us know if this is a problem. Our intent is to provide a safe and caring place for all our students to feel respected and valued.”
Crouch says that they would have notified parents had “an issue were to arise concerning safe and orderly. Since the only impact of allowing these students to practice their religious prayer is on these students and does not affect any other students, there was no reason to notify any other parents. This also does not involve curriculum, instruction or have any impact on other students.”
“I think every child has the right to practice their own convictions, as long as they do not impose those beliefs on others.,” said Crouch in an email to the Arizona Daily Independent. “These are my personal statements, they do not necessarily represent an official statement of the Sunnyside School Unified District nor an official position of the school board. The District’s policy JICEC: Freedom of Expression is the official policy of the district.”
For Hernandez, he appreciates the fact that the District respects students’ faith and he hopes that those students who would like to express their Catholic faith feel free to do so. It is the District’s administration’s history of secrecy that caused the concerns says Hernandez. “We have a new Board and they are just making changes, but they are slow and there continues to be a feeling in the community that the remnants of the old administration are maintaining that old way of doing things. We have a long way to go, but I pray, and the community prays that we will get to a place where everyone has faith that the District is acting in their best interests.”
The policy reads:
Students possess inalienable rights to develop, believe, and follow personal viewpoints and beliefs to the extent their viewpoints and beliefs do not infringe upon nor denigrate the same rights of others.
The District shall not discriminate against students or parents on the basis of a religious viewpoint or religious expression. If a student includes in an assignment a viewpoint expression, an evaluation of the student’s work shall be based on ordinary standards of substance and relevance to the course curriculum or requirements of the coursework or assignment, and shall not penalize or reward the student on the basis of religious content or viewpoint.
Students are to be permitted to pray or engage in religious activities or expression in the same manner and to the same extent as students are permitted to engage in nonreligious activities or expression, before, during, and after the school day.
To the extent and in the manner that other types of clothing, accessories, and jewelry displaying messages or symbols are permitted, students are permitted to wear clothing, accessories, and jewelry that display religious messages or symbols.
Acknowledging and permitting the above freedoms is not to be interpreted to mean the District is requiring any person to participate in prayer or other religious activities nor attempting to violate the constitutional rights of any person.
The District does retain its rights to:
• Maintain order and discipline on District property in a content and viewpoint neutral manner.
• Protect the safety of students, employees, and visitors on District property.
• Adopt and enforce policies and regulations concerning student speech while on District property in a manner that does not violate a student’s state and federal constitutional rights.
• Adopt and enforce policies and regulations that ban student clothing, accessories, and jewelry worn to convey affiliation with a criminal street gang.