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NPR piece on Friends School’s trip to Islamic Center brings national attention to annual ritual

February 22, 2010 at 6:34 pm 2

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by FERN SHEN

Seems pretty straightforward. To learn about Islam, Deloris Jones’ sixth grade students at the Friends School of Baltimore make a trip every year to the Islamic Center in Washington and the Saudi Arabian Embassy.

This year, though, National Public Radio’s Jamie Tarabay tagged along and heard how well-versed in Muslim religion these social studies students are. (No surprise, there. “Jonesie” is legendary at Friends for being as academically ambitious as she is fun.)

The class trip was pretty routine. It’s the reaction to Tarabay’s piece on NPR’s website that’s interesting. There were, at last count, 58 comments, including a fair number who were quite hostile toward the idea of such a field trip.

 If  they’d listened to the segment that aired Sunday, you’d think they would have heard the kids’ pointed questions about such issues as the role of women in Islam, the Saudi’s speaker’s somewhat evasive answers and Jones’ tart comments at the end and known this was true intellectual inquiry and not indoctriniation.

Listen and decide for yourself.

  • Matt Micciche

    As Head of Friends School, I’m proud of the kind of experiential and authentic learning that the 6th grade’s trip to the Islamic Center and the Saudi embassy represents. It offers the opportunity for our students to have real experience and dialogue with people from a culture with which many of us are almost totally unfamiliar. This leads not to ‘indoctrination’ as some responses have suggested, but rather a critical examination of that culture, and, in turn of the various cultures that the students themselves bring to the experience. Getting outside the familiar and the comfortable is a crucial element of a meaningful education, and that’s the essence of this trip.

    Matt Micciche

  • Josh Seipp-Williams

    I had History with Mrs. Jones way back when in 8th grade. She is a fabulous teacher. I’m very glad that you took the time to add your comment, Matt. Thank you.

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