A coalition of groups wants the Hillsborough School District to ban the Tampa CAIR director from speaking in schools. The district says it has no plans to make changes.
A coalition of groups wants the Hillsborough School District to ban the Tampa CAIR director from speaking in schools. The district says it has no plans to make changes.
TAMPA (FOX 13) -
Tensions were high Tuesday afternoon at a rally of people opposed to having speakers from the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, in Hillsborough County schools.
The Education Coalition of the group "Community Issues Council" gathered and held a press
conference at Joe Chillura Park in downtown Tampa.
At the press conference, several people opposed to the group's agenda
showed up with signs and bullhorns. The two groups got into heated confrontations.
The Education Coalition is opposed to having speakers from CAIR in
Hillsborough County Schools because they say CAIR is tied to terrorist groups.
The Education Coalition is part of a broader coalition of groups that formed last year when a teacher
invited Hassan Shibly to talk about the Muslim religion at Steinbrenner High
School.
Shibly is with the Council on America Islamic Relations. At the time,
Shibly said he discussed the origins of Islam and its basic principles, and
said he also sought to break down stereotypes and misconceptions.
Soon after, the coalition formed to protest Shibly's visit, and went to
the Hillsborough County School board, asking to ban any future visits by Muslim
speakers. That coalition included the Education Coalition.
In April, The Hillsborough County School Board upheld a decision to
allow religious speakers in classrooms.
FOX 13's Tanya Arja will have more on today's
confrontations at 6.
