California Textbooks - 2 - Printable Version

California Textbooks - 2 - Printable Version

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California Textbooks - 2 - Guest - 09-09-2006

QUOTESo Times of India LIED. What a surprise!! 
What else one can expect from Toilet paper. <!--emo& Big Grin

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' />

California Textbooks - 2 - acharya - 09-09-2006

Press Release

HAF Legal Team Assesses Victory and Comments on Failed Brief From Anti-Hindu South Asian Group

Representation of Hinduism in California Textbooks
Introduction - Summary of Events - Summary of Changes - Legal Defense Fund
HAF Assesses Victory and Comments on Failed Brief from Anti-Hindu South Asian Group - Older News

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Sept. 8, 2006) â The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) legal team continued to receive wide acclaim for the landmark ruling last week that upheld its contention that the California State Board of Education (SBE) followed an illegal process in adopting sixth grade social studies textbooks. The mixed ruling in California Superior Court, however, denied HAFâs demand that if the process followed in adopting the Hinduism section of textbooks was illegal, then all of those texts already published must be thrown out and the adoption process revisited. In a statement released today, HAF highlighted sections of the ruling that they felt had not adequately been covered in press reports thus far and responded to comments from a group that tried to oppose HAFâs efforts.

âItâs important to reiterate that HAF at no time submitted any edits or revisions in the textbook adoption process, and HAF only entered this controversy when the SBE acted arbitrarily and behind closed doors, depriving Hindus of a fair and open process, said Suhag Shukla, Esq., legal counsel for HAF. âWe knew going into the lawsuit that a good number of revisions suggested by Hindu groups had already been accepted and the books had been improvedâthough far from perfectâbut our focus was on proving the illegality of SBE actions vis-Ã -vis Hindus.â

In his extensive ruling covering the illegalities of the SBE and the merits of the texts, Judge Patrick Marletteâs first decision was to reject outright an amicus curiae, or friend of the court, brief that a coalition led by Friends of South Asia (FOSA) attempted to introduce. According to its website, FOSA sponsors activities that seek to âbuild Indian communism and fight the agenda of the global ruling class.â The group worked with some non-Hindu and avowedly anti-Hindu groups to file the brief together.

A six page rebuttal from the HAF legal team to the FOSA led effort argued that the amicus brief did not provide âany substantive legal nor adequate factual support for the assertions contained in their proposed brief, relying instead on materials that are not properly subject to judicial notice, as well as several irrelevant and highly objectionable declarations.â

Judge Marlette agreed with HAF and refused to consider the brief. With that ruling, FOSA and other anti-Hindu groups were effectively shut out of the entire legal process and their allegations played no part in the judgeâs ultimate ruling. HAF leaders expressed surprise that some journalists sought out FOSA members to comment on the ruling when their anti-Hindu stance was ignored in the judgeâs ruling.

âHindu parents worked hard in California to bring on par the representation of the religion they practice with the presentation of other major world religions in the textbooks,â said Swaminathan Venkataraman, a member of the HAF Executive Council. âWhile FOSAâs devotion to communism may force it to repudiate all religion, it is ironic that they reflexively opposed only Hindu efforts in the name of âsecularismââcompletely ignoring major revisions to sections covering other faiths prevalent in South Asia including Christianity, Islam and Judaismâand tragic that it also ran an ugly communal campaign by co-opting non-Hindu groups to openly oppose Hindu parents and students.â Sections of the texts on the other three religions were significantly modified in response to comments from the Institute for Curriculum Services, the Anti-Defamation League and the National Council of Jewish Women, and the Council on Islamic Education.

HAF leaders also criticized again the SBE process that illegally allowed Michael Witzel, a professor at Harvard University who teaches linguistics, to accuse only Hindus of sectarianism and act as a reviewer even after Professor Shiva Bajpai, Professor Emeritus of religion and history from California State University-Northridge had already reviewed the proposed edits and corrections to the textbooks.

âAllowing Prof. Witzel to poison the process with his ugly accusations of sectarianism was only the first error in an illegal SBE process,â said Shukla. âWith this ruling, Hindu Americans have collectively demonstrated that we will never again accept unequal or discriminatory treatment instigated by the overt hostility of a cabal of anti-Hindu academics. Hindus must insist that a panel of professors who actually teach, and in many cases even practice Hinduism, such as those that supported HAF in the lawsuit, must be included in the process over those that are antagonistic to practicing Hindus.â

Academics who supported HAFâs contention that there are significant inaccuracies and discrepancies in the Hinduism section of the textbooks included a past president of the American Academy of Religion (AAR) and current co-chairs of the Hinduism Unit of the AAR.

California Textbooks - 2 - Guest - 09-09-2006

Any details on this amicus brief that court kicked out?

California Textbooks - 2 - Guest - 09-10-2006

Textbooks: who writes and for whom?
By J S Rajput
retd. Director NCERT.

California Textbooks - 2 - Guest - 09-11-2006

email that came in
(emphasis are mine)

QUOTE In recent emails, Mr. Witzel and Mr. Rajagopal have sought to
characterize the recent court ruling on the California textbook issue as
a "crushing defeat" for "hindutva forces". In truth, neither was it a
"crushing defeat" for Hindus nor is the Hindu American Foundation (HAF),
which filed the lawsuit against the California State Board of Education
(SBE), a "hindutva force". But before I explain, full disclosure is
necessary. I did my B.Tech from IIT Madras (batch of 1995). I am also a
member of the Executive Council of the Hindu American Foundation. So
what is the full truth about the ruling? It certainly represented a
mixed victory for HAF but there are several nuances to note. The judge's
words have been underlined throughout.

1. The court ruled that the textbook adoption process was illegal, which
was the heart of HAF's lawsuit
2. The decision to continue with the current textbook factored the
impact on other approved textbooks
3. The reading of the contents on Hinduism adopts the "gross inaccuracy"
standard
4. The Curriculum Framework and Content Standards (not up for evaluation
now) are biased
5. HAF and the Hindutva Bogey

Let me elaborate on each of these points:

1. The court ruled that the textbook adoption process was illegal, which
was the heart of HAF's lawsuit
The textbook review process was troubling from the start. While other
religious groups submitted, and won, hundreds of edits without
opposition, changes requested by Hindu groups, rather than being
addressed on the merits, were opposed by a variety of anti-Hindu and
communist groups, as well as U.S. academics, many of whom are not even
members of the Hinduism Unit of the American Academy of Religion, the
official body of Hinduism Studies. These groups, including Mr. Witzel,
did not follow established procedures and inserted themselves very late
in the process. Nevertheless, the SBE admitted them as "impartial" experts and had several private communications and closed-door meetings with them while denying Hindu groups notice or access. These are in
violation of California's Administrative Procedures Act(APA) and the
Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (OMA), and were at the heart of HAF's
lawsuit against the Board. 

The judge completely agreed with HAF, finding that the Board "at all
times relevant to this matter has been conducting its textbook approval
process under invalid 'underground regulations' ." He withheld an
opinion on the violation of the OMA deciding that since the entire
process was already "invalid", a specific ruling would be redundant.

2. The decision to continue with the current textbook factored the
impact on other approved textbooks

In a conflicted ruling, however, Judge Marlette ruled that the "relief"
demanded by HAFâthat is to reject the textbooks adopted under an
illegal processâwould be disruptive not only to those affected sixth
graders, but potentially every California public school student using
any and every textbook (hundreds of them) adopted under the SBE's
unlawful policies. Judge Marlette wrote, "The Court therefore
determinesâ¦that respondent [SBE] should be permitted a reasonable
opportunity to correct the deficiencies in its regulatory framework
governing the textbook approval processâ¦while maintaining the
current system in the interim."

3. The reading of the contents on Hinduism adopts the "gross inaccuracy"
standard

Despite stating that he considered the declarations and correspondences
attesting to the inaccuracies and discrepancies in the Hinduism section
of adopted textbooks from several scholars that actually teach Hinduism,
including a past president of the American Academy of Religion (AAR) and
current co-chairs of the Hinduism Unit of the AAR, Judge Marlette held
that the textbooks were not necessarily illegal in terms of the
standards set forth by the education code because they was not "any
gross inaccuracy, but at most a difference of emphasis or opinion."

We believe that judges in general are far better suited to evaluate
violations of laws and procedures than they are in commenting about the
content of the Hinduism section. Even so, it is significant that the
judge let the textbooks stand based on the potential impact on hundreds
of other textbooks and because the contents on Hinduism were not
"grossly inaccurate." HAF neither claimed that the texts were 'grossly
inaccurate' nor did HAF attempt to "whitewash", as has been alleged, the
history of Hinduism â on issues such as the status of women,
treatment of "untouchables", and the Aryan migration theory. Women and
"lower" castes have and continue to face discrimination in India. HAF is
only acutely aware of the fact that all religions, Hinduism included,
have, all too often in history, not lived up to the high ideals espoused
by their saints and sacred texts. However, can Hindus expect that their
religion be accorded the same respect as other religions in sixth-grade
history textbooks? Reasonable observers would answer with a clear 'yes'.
However, this basic principle has been violated in these textbooks and
manifests itself in two ways: in the very different standards employed
for the treatment of Hinduism vis-Ã -vis other religions, and in the
baffling silence about the many positive and uplifting aspects of
Hinduism.

With respect to the discussion of women in ancient India the judge
mentions that, "These discussions appear on their face (italics ours) to
be neutral, objective, dispassionate, factually accurate, not derogatory
or accusatory in their tone, and not such as would instill prejudice
against the Hindu religion or believers." Did other religions and
societies never oppress women? Moreover, the concept of shakti, so
central to mainstream Hindu thought and belief, is limited to perhaps a
small picture of an obscure sculpture; the historical and contemporary
existence of female saints finds no mention, while "sati" and "dowry"
are prominently discussed. This is all the more troubling since Hinduism
is unique among world religions in explicitly worshipping God in male,
female and nirguna (attributeless) forms -- a concept that would surely
provide a grand alternate vision to children raised to believe in a
purely anthropomorphic, male God.

Also absent is the concept of pluralism, or acceptance of many paths to
the Divine, which is a prominent Hindu concept and can serve as a
foundation for avoiding conflict in modern, multi-religious societies.
For many non-Hindu students, the glimpses into Hinduism in their school
textbooks could be their first and last, and if they did not gain
insights into Hinduism's message of tolerance and pluralism that
inspired Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., they would be worse
off.

The caste system has been another bone of contention. Judge Marlette
says "Nothing in the applicable standards requires textbook writers to
ignore a historical reality of such significant dimension, even if
studying it might engender certain negative reactions in students."
While caste is an undeniable feature of Indian society, and caste
discrimination a despicable social evil, the texts do not balance the
presentation by providing analogies from other religions nor do they
mention that, despite caste, some of the holiest Hindu scriptures have
been authored by members of the "low" castes. The Vedas, for example,
were compiled and the Mahabharata written by Veda Vyasa, son of a
fisherwoman who would not be a "Brahmin" under the accepted caste rules.
The Ramayana was written by Valmiki who was originally a bandit
belonging to one of the lowest castes. Even Lord Krishna, who inspired
the Bhagavad Gita, was not born a "Brahmin". The textbooks don't even
mention the existence of numerous "low" caste saints, revered by all,
over millennia down to the present day, such as Mata Amritanandamayi of
Kerala.

To reiterate, HAF's stance on the coverage of various social problems of
ancient India is not to deny the existence of those problems but to
simply demand both balance in the presentation and parity with other
religions. Why talk only about sati but omit the burning of "witches" in Europe and America, for instance?

The textbooks' teachings on the origins of Hinduism fail to address
a major area of controversy among Indic scholars in the textbooks'
rote description of the Aryan Invasion Theory. This racist
theoryâcreated by foreign historians when India was under colonial
rule, held that nomadic fair-skinned "Aryans" invaded ancient
India, subjugated the dark indigenous population, and imposed a foreign
language (Sanskrit) and foreign religion (Brahmanism)ânow stands
entirely repudiated by most practicing Hindus and many scholars
including Professor Witzel himself (see the recent book, The Indo-Aryan
Controversy, edited by Edwin Bryant and Laurie Patton, where Dr. Witzel
himself in his chapter refers to, "The old-nineteenth-century idea
of a massive invasion of outsiders... Presently we do not know how large
this particular influx of ... outsiders was. It can have been relatively
small..."). The texts also fail to acknowledge that many Hindu
practices that are attested to by archaeological findings from the
Harappan sites predate the supposed arrival of Aryans at 1500 BC.

The textbooks also fail to acknowledge or expound the more recent view
(post late nineteenth century) of competing historians that Hinduism
emerged from an indigenous civilization rather than having been brought
by the invasion or migration of Indo-Europeans. In fact, the same
evidence that has been used to support the Aryan Invasion Theory is also
being used to disprove it. Further, it is also wholly unattested in
Hindu traditions and sacred texts. In contrast, an analysis of the
textbook treatment of the other major religions demonstrates that the
textbooks do not discuss existent theories that external, non-indigenous
influences may have played a role in the development or evolution of
Christianity, Judaism or Islam

4. The Curriculum Framework and Content Standards (not up for evaluation
now) are biased

In a way, textbook publishers are not to blame. Hindus in California and
other states should shift their focus to changing the standards and
framework that set the criteria that must be covered in any textbook
covering Hinduism. The current Curriculum Framework and Content
Standards developed by the Board is striking for the absence of any
significant discussion of Hindu theology and beliefs when compared to
other religions.

For instance, sections on Judaism must describe "â¦the origins and
significance of Judaism as the first monotheistic religion based on the
concept of one God who sets down moral laws for humanity; identify the
sources of the ethical teachings and central beliefs of Judaismâ¦;
describe how the ideas of Hebrew traditions are reflected in the moral
and ethical traditions of Western civilization; and explain the
significance of Abraham, Moses, Naomi, Ruth, David, and Yohanan ben
Zaccai in the development of the Jewish tradition. Similarly, for
Christianity, students should learn about the rise and spread of
Christianity throughout the Mediterranean world and of its origins in
the life and teachings of Jesus. . .through selections from Biblical
literature, such as the Sermon on the Mount, the lost sheep, and the
Prodigal Son, the students will learn about those teachings of Jesus
that advocate compassion, justice, and love for others. For Islam, the
religious ideas of Mohammed, the founder of Islam, should be discussed
both for their ethical teachings and as a way of life. Mohammed should
be seen as a major historical figure who helped establish the Islamic
way of life, its code of ethics and justice, and its rule of law.
Students should examine the position of Christians and Jews in the
Islamic world who, as "People of the Book," were allowed to practice
their religious beliefsâ¦"

However, for Hinduism the texts must "Discuss the significance of the
Aryan invasions; Explain the major beliefs and practices of "Brahmanism"
in India and how they evolved into early Hinduism; Outline the social
structure of the caste system". Note the focus on social issues absent
for other religions. Also, Buddhism is given more importance than
Hinduism and is presented as an improvement over Hinduism.
"â¦Buddhism, a great civilizing force that emerged in the sixth
century B.C. in the life and moral teachings of The Buddha . . . Through
the story of Buddha's life, his Hindu background, and his search for
enlightenment, students can be introduced to the Buddha's central
beliefs and moral teachings: unselfishness; compassion â¦; tolerance
and nonviolence; and the prohibition of lying, stealing, killing,
finding fault with others and gossiping. While Buddhism did not survive
on Indian soil, Jainism, which introduced the idea ahimsa, or
nonviolence, has continued to play a role in modern India, especially
through Gandhi's idea of nonviolent civil disobedience. Students should
also study the development of Hinduism and the role of one of its most
revered texts, the Bhagavad Gita."

Hinduism and the Gita comes in almost as an afterthought. What about the
uniquely Hindu concept that divinity exists in all living beings and
that the role of religion is to help manifest that divinity? What about
the notion of pluralism, or multiple paths leading to the divine? Is not
a mention of various philosophies such as Advaita, Dvaita and
Vishishtadvaita, and of the various Bhakti schools warranted? What about
the various great saints and philosophers in the history of Hinduism?
Don't Americans deserve an accurate and balanced understanding of a
faith that inspires over a billion people worldwide and underpins the
culture of a country that is a growing partner of America is every sense
of the word? If those standards accurately reflect the Hinduism that
most Hindus practice, then the textbooks will necessarily comply.

5. HAF and the Hindutva Bogey

Witzel and Rajagopal also invoke the hindutva bogey. This also needs to
be firmly laid to rest. HAF is a human rights group that provides a
public voice for Hindu Americans. HAF has pro-actively worked with
Buddhist, Christian, Jain, Jewish, Muslim and Wiccan organizations
through interfaith seminars and legal cases, including last year's U.S.
Supreme Court hearing on public displays of the Ten Commandments in
Texas. In fact, our amicus curiae, or friend of the court, brief was
cited by Justice John Paul Stevens in his dissenting opinion in that
case. HAF's track record in promoting tolerance and pluralism speaks for
itself. HAF has built strong relationships with such progressive groups
as the American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for the
Separation of Church and State and the Coalition for the Free Exercise
of Religion. We note with satisfaction that an amicus curiae brief filed
by several anti-Hindu groups, led by the "Friends of South Asia" (FOSA),
was rejected outright by Judge Marlette as having no merit or relevance.
These are the very groups that Witzel and Rajagopal fervently supported,
and were supported by, in this debate. In the end, despite their
repeated efforts, FOSA and its collaborators were completely shut out of
the entire textbook adoption processâthey neither submitted edits to
textbooks, nor was their shrill, anti-Hindu vitriol even considered by
the Judge.
By continually labeling every organization that stands up for Hindus as
"Hindutva-inspired", these anti-Hindu groups are in effect showing their
true colors. Skirting discussion of issues by launching attacks on
organizations and individuals or trying to tie every Hindu effort here
with events in India only brings a halt to civil dialogue.

6. Conclusion

The California textbook issue is as much about textbooks as it is about
setting a place for Hindus at the table. Two organizations -- the Vedic
Foundation (VF) and the Hindu Education Foundation (HEF) -- submitted
edits to the Board. HAF took no position on individual edits suggested
by HEF or VF. HAF got involved formally only when the process being
followed for the textbook adoption violated legal rules and we now stand
vindicated. The lack of complete victory should not diminish the fact
that Hindus, for the first time, managed to have their voice heard with
regard to the depiction of their own faith in textbooks and achieved
several very important changes. For instance, Hindu Gods will now be
referred to in upper case "G" reserved for the God of other religions
rather than in lower case "g"; the word "deity" will rightly be used to
refer to specific temple images; Aryan migration will be called "a
controversial theory that is not accepted by many scholars"; and Hindus
will no longer be teased with: "The monkey king Hanuman loved Rama so
much that it is said that he is present every time the Ramayana is told.
So look aroundâsee any monkeys?" Finally, the textbooks, though far
from perfect, are in much better shape than previously, as close to 75%
of the edits and corrections submitted by HEF and VF were accepted

California Textbooks - 2 - agnivayu - 09-11-2006

We need to know who wrote this kind of bigoted hate speech in the first place. The pigs who wrote this must have their names and photos published, so people can know who these racist pigs are when they walk down the street.

QUOTE(Viren @ Sep 11 2006, 12:29 AM) Hindus will no longer be teased with: "The monkey king Hanuman loved Rama so
much that it is said that he is present every time the Ramayana is told.
So look aroundâsee any monkeys?" Finally, the textbooks, though far
from perfect, are in much better shape than previously, as close to 75%
of the edits and corrections submitted by HEF and VF were accepted

California Textbooks - 2 - acharya - 09-11-2006

Hi, Agnivayu. How are things? <!--emo& Smile

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' />

California Textbooks - 2 - agnivayu - 09-11-2006

Hey, very good. When is the next India-forum meeting ?
<!--emo& Big Grin

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' />

QUOTE(acharya @ Sep 11 2006, 06:35 AM)Hi,Â Agnivayu. How are things?Â <!--emo& Smile

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' />
[right][snapback]57165[/snapback][/right]

California Textbooks - 2 - Guest - 09-11-2006

another email which is one the mark:
QUOTEThe first four URLs, listed below, provide a fair report on the CA Superior Court's judgment on sixth grade textbooks. The report is unanimous: The process adopted was illegal and the textbooks are flawed. The judge recommends that HAF and CDE/SBE should work out a fair procedure to redress the illegalities.

There are two key issues:
1. Curriculum content

2. Who decides?

While the deliberations will be ongoing related to the curriculum content and the guidelines or procedures related to determination of the content of the school textbooks, the CA Superior Court judgment should be seen as an episode in the ongoing Hindu Civil Rights movement. Civil Rights movement it is, because, it involves the 1 st amendment (Freedom of _expression and religion), 14th Amendment (Non-discrimination on the basis of religion or ancestry) and Article 42 Association Clause of the US Constitution (Non-discrimination on the basis of association). Using 'hindutva' as a derogatory term is a direct violation of Art. 42 Association Clause. The movement has thus to be proceed through many systems: legal, and political systems and also by involving the society of American parents concerned about the transmission of values to the younger generation through the education system consistent with the practices and traditions venerated for generations in family, farm and social or community festivals. The right of the Hindu community to get involved and be heard in matters related to curriculum content and fair depiction of hindutva (Being Hindu, Essence of Being Hindu) as a component of the civilization studies to which the students are exposed through the grades of the educational system.

One of the declarations admitted by the CA Superior Court judge was that of Prof. Nathan Katz. Hindu tradition places enormous emphasis on responsibility, vratam and hold that rights flow from due performance of responsibilities. Hindu term adhikaara flows from the performance of responsibilities. Prof. Nathan Katz made a comment that only the insider has the adhikaara to state the Hindu tradition and what is involved not mere historical chronicling but a compassionate understanding of the meanings of cultural metaphors.

I would invite a reference to the last URL which deals with teaching of 'religion' in many schools. An excerpt follows: " One exception is Modesto, Calif. For the past five years, all ninth-graders have been required to spend nine weeks studying major world religions. The course begins with a segment on the First Amendment and religious liberty in the United States, then describes in succession, though not comparatively, the beliefs and practices of Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Sikhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The semester's other half covers world geography; apparently, students should know about seven spiritual continents as well as the physical ones. In a rare example of empirical research in this area, Modesto's experience has been studied by Emile Lester, a visiting professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va., and Patrick S. Roberts, an assistant professor at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va. Their report, "Learning About World Religions in Public Schools," is available from The First Amendment Center's offices at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Surveying approximately 400 students with 75 written questions before and after they took the world religions course in the fall of 2004, the researchers found that after the course, students expressed modest increases in their already strong support for religious liberty and their weaker support for other First Amendment rights like freedom of speech and assembly. The course increased students' basic knowledge about world religions and stimulated student interest in learning more about major faiths. After the course, students were far more likely to view all major religions as sharing "basic moral values." But this increased appreciation of similarities among faiths "did not contribute to religious relativism or encourage students to change religious beliefs," the researchers write. Students did not conclude that "differences between religions are negligible or that choices about religion are arbitrary whims." In fact, later in-depth interviews with a sample of students showed that students' personal faith was more likely to be invigorated than enervated."

During the proposed deliberations between CDE/SBE, it is the responsibility of HAF, Hindu parents and the Hindu community to re-affirm the cardinal principle enunciated as a guideline that the children studying the educational material should get instilled with a sense of pride in their heritage and to reclaim their civil right to get involved in transmitting information on Hindu traditions and value system to the students.

The task has just begun; the CA court judgement is but one milestone in the ongoing Hindu Civil Rights movement involving over 2.3 million Hindu Americans (according to the 2005 survey figures). Hindus are contributing immensely to the American society and economy and their voices have to be heards.

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1051433 Hindu textbooks flawed but retained

http://www.indiawest.com/view.php?subactio...rt_from=&ucat=1 Judge Admits SBE Flaws, Upholds Calif. Textbooks

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1786353,00050001.htm US court retains flawed Hinduism textbooks

http://tinyurl.com/nwzxz Underground processes, hostile academics

http://www.newsobserver.com/105/story/483749.html California public schools teach about religion

California Textbooks - 2 - Guest - 09-12-2006

Pyrrhic victory for US Hindus

QUOTEHindus received unfair and unequal treatment in the matter of how sixth grade students in the public education system would be taught about the Hindu religion. Why should Hindu children be taught that âHindus worship talking monkeys and throw widows into fires?â Why should the primordial stories in Hindu scriptures be branded as âmythsâ when the scriptures of monotheistic traditions are said to come from Only One (mutually exclusive) God(s)? Why should later-day social evils like untouchability and rigid caste divisions be linked falsely with Indiaâs ancient civilisation, when they are products of the medieval encounter with Islam?

The judgeâs refusal to order revisions in the textbooks has had the effect of officially promoting a negative projection of the Hindu faith as compared to other religions. This deprives Hindu students of an educational experience at par with that of their peers, and thus violates their rights under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution.

The judgement also tacitly ignores the violation of the constitutional requirement of State neutrality towards religion in general, especially towards different religions. The California Department of Education indirectly endorsed the monotheistic faiths by accepting the changes they wanted, while denigrating Hindu dharma by portraying it incorrectly. It remains to be ensured, therefore, that the textbooks eventually incorporate a fair representation of Hindu faith and culture, rather than fashion cosmetic legal standards for judging textbooks. California needs to respect and enforce the guideline which states that a child should feel proud of his/her heritage. This is an issue of Hindu Civil Rights.

California Textbooks - 2 - Guest - 09-15-2006

HAF Legal Team Assesses Victory and Comments on Failed Brief From Anti-Hindu South Asian Group
some interesting quotes:
QUOTEAccording to its website, FOSA sponsors activities that seek to âbuild Indian communism and fight the agenda of the global ruling class.â The group worked with some non-Hindu and avowedly anti-Hindu groups to file the brief together.


QUOTEWhile FOSAâs devotion to communism may force it to repudiate all religion, it is ironic that they reflexively opposed only Hindu efforts in the name of âsecularismââcompletely ignoring major revisions to sections covering other faiths prevalent in South Asia including Christianity, Islam and Judaismâand tragic that it also ran an ugly communal campaign by co-opting non-Hindu groups to openly oppose Hindu parents and students

QUOTEWith this ruling, Hindu Americans have collectively demonstrated that we will never again accept unequal or discriminatory treatment instigated by the overt hostility of a cabal of anti-Hindu academics <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rocker.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='rocker.gif' />

California Textbooks - 2 - Guest - 09-15-2006

Thanks to all the people posting these updates here. Sadly, other than rediff (& TOI in a very self-hating way) mainstream desi media is'nt paying puch attention to this.

For kicks <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ROTFL.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='ROTFL.gif' /> , please read my blog " Macacaâs fate in California hangs in balance " at karigar's blog

Meanwhile....

Hari Om

California Textbooks - 2 - Guest - 09-15-2006

QUOTE(aruni @ Sep 9 2006, 07:36 AM)Any details on this amicus brief that court kicked out?
[right][snapback]57086[/snapback][/right]


Aruni

The brief that was kicked out is here

http://www.google.com/search?hs=Ibb&hl=en&...cus&btnG=Search

California Textbooks - 2 - Guest - 09-15-2006

comments on Rajeevs Blog.

QUOTE#Â TallIndian Says:
September 10th, 2006 at 3:27 am

I grew up in the US and speak from experience as to the damage that can be done by the likes of Witzel/Jha et al.

I still in recall in the 5th grade (circa 1965), our textbook said that Hindus worshipped cows and would still be burning widows if not for the British.

In the 8th grade our textbook said that the overwhelming reason for poverty in India was due to the strictures of Hinduism.

Even in college (1975), I read a paper in peer reviewed journal that said India lagged in economic growth because of Hinduism discouraged entrepeneurship.

I was fortunate in that I had support at home and recall my father telling me in elementary school that this should be lesson in that I need to assume that not everything that I read is 100% true.

My father also suggested back then that I ask my teacher why those same textbooks never seem to mention the religion of the German goverment from 1934 to 1945 or the religion of the rebellious government established in Richmond VA in 1861 to defend the institution of slavery.

California Textbooks - 2 - Guest - 09-18-2006

QUOTEHAF reply to 'false' reporting of 'Secular 'TOI'
9/15/2006 6:10:37 AMÂ http://hinduamericanfoundation.org
The Hindu American Foundation's (HAF)Â letter in response to a Times of India article, âUS text row resolved by Indianâ, by Akshaya Mukul on September 9, 2006. The article erroneously reported that the case was resolved by an Indian academic.

Dear Editor,

Your September 9, 2006 story âUS text row resolved by Indianâ is based on a one-sided reading of the âfriend of the courtâ brief submitted by a coalition of anti-Hindu groups in the U.S. that was thrown out by Judge Marlette in his judgment on September 1, 2006.

D.N. Jha did file an affidavit as part of an amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief filed by the self-proclaimed Marxist-communist group, âFriends of South Asiaâ (FOSA). However, Judge Partick Marlette of the California Superior Court rejected the brief outright, as it lacked merit and relevance. The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) argued that the amicus brief did not provide âany substantive legal nor adequate factual support for the assertions contained in their proposed brief, relying instead on materials that are not properly subject to judicial notice, as well as several irrelevant and highly objectionable declarations.â Judge Marlette agreed with HAF and refused to consider the brief.

With that ruling, FOSA and other anti-Hindu groups were shut out of the entire legal process. As such it is inexplicable why your report credits Dr. Jha with âresolvingâ the textbook row. As a matter of fact, the new textbooks will now mention that the Aryan migration is âa controversial theory that is not accepted by many scholars". May we request that your reporters verify with all contending parties in this debate before deciding to disseminate information about the nature and content of the arguments in this complex debate?

Sincerely,

Swaminathan Venkataraman

Member, Executive Council
Hindu American Foundation

California Textbooks - 2 - Guest - 10-14-2006

From BR psyops thread..

QUOTE("Sadler")<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE("AshishN"):evil:

There was a DC Co-op Radio show called "Voices of Vision" today about sex offenders/child molestation. Basically decent show. Then one guy calls in. (parahrasing)

Caller: "...immigrant communities cause a lot of child molestation in US..immigrants..immigrants..immigrants.."
Compere: "Caller can you name these immigrant communities?"
Caller: "I don't want to do that, since that will give rise to a lot of opinion, and I don't want that.."
Compere: "Well, you don't have to worry about opinion, they will call us, not you"
Caller: "The Indian community. It is a practice for girls to get molested by their uncles, its just a rite of passage.."

So...Some of the things this guy could be:
1.Â a missionary out to spread the "Good News" about India, a heathen country
2. a preacher who not has molested any kid fix for over a week now and is getting desperate
3. paging Arundhati Roy, his long lost sister
4. asking for a quick and easy sainthood from the Pope without having to go to Calcutta.
5. redneck who just lost his job to outsourcing to India

:evil:

You will have to fight such canards and fight them aggressively. On-line petitions are well and good, but for this sort of filth that is aimed to denigrate the hindu to a sub-human level, you have to be aggressive. That means demonstrations, sending mails/emails to local civic officials, getting on the local TV, state officials etc.

It took us jews a long time to dispel (even now they are not completely dispelled) lies such as the use of a christian child's blood for our passover bread etc. And it was not easy. And it wont be easy for you hindus either, given the extreme rightwing type atmosphere that pervades the beltway with God regularly appearing before certain high ranking US officials telling them precisely what to do.

Shalom.</div>

California Textbooks - 2 - Guest - 10-14-2006

QUOTESo...Some of the things this guy could be:
1.Â a missionary out to spread the "Good News" about India, a heathen country
2. a preacher who not has molested any kid fix for over a week now and is getting desperate
3. paging Arundhati Roy, his long lost sister
4. asking for a quick and easy sainthood from the Pope without having to go to Calcutta.
5. redneck who just lost his job to outsourcing to India
How about:
6. idiot watched Monsoon Wedding and rushed to phone the radio show
7. is enrolled in Hindu something course at Hayward under Weasel
8. is member of some Indo-EuroRacists club
9. on fooosa payroll and desperate that the judge didn't buy crap
10. is one retired Slobodan Milosoviec apologist who got a sound cyber trashing from yindoos for his bigoted views
11..

California Textbooks - 2 - dhu - 10-14-2006

QUOTEIt took us jews a long time to dispel (even now they are not completely dispelled) lies such as the use of a christian child's blood for our passover bread etc.

even the betrayer of christ is given the name judas, from jew.....

California Textbooks - 2 - Guest - 10-14-2006

How about"
11. Khalistani trying to be smart.
12. Paki just trying to be Paki

California Textbooks - 2 - agnivayu - 10-14-2006

What's in Monsoon wedding that would make someone do that. Is it full of anti-Hindu propaganda.

We do know that India's rapid economic growth is due to Hindu / Vedic culture. Anytime someone insults Hinduism, tell them this fact as counter-propaganda.

QUOTE(Viren @ Oct 14 2006, 02:55 AM)<div class='quotetop'>QUOTESo...Some of the things this guy could be:
1.Â a missionary out to spread the "Good News" about India, a heathen country
2. a preacher who not has molested any kid fix for over a week now and is getting desperate
3. paging Arundhati Roy, his long lost sister
4. asking for a quick and easy sainthood from the Pope without having to go to Calcutta.
5. redneck who just lost his job to outsourcing to India
How about:
6. idiot watched Monsoon Wedding and rushed to phone the radio show
7. is enrolled in Hindu something course at Hayward under Weasel
8. is member of some Indo-EuroRacists club
9. on fooosa payroll and desperate that the judge didn't buy crap
10. is one retired Slobodan Milosoviec apologist who got a sound cyber trashing from yindoos for his bigoted views
11..
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