Khalil Gibran International Academy

Infobox Education in the United States
name = Khalil Gibran International Academy


imagesize =
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streetaddress = 345 Dean St
city = Brooklyn
state = New York
zipcode = 11217
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url = [http://schools.nyc.gov/SchoolPortals/15/K592/default.htm NYC DOE School Portal]
schoolnumber = 592
schoolboard = New York City Department of Education
district = New York City DOE District 15
affiliation =
superintendent =
trustee =
principal = Holly Anne Reichert
viceprincipal =
administrator =
type = Public
schooltype = middle school
grades = 6 - 12 (Currently only 6)
language = English and Arabic
area =
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founded = 2007
enrollment = 61
enrollment_as_of = October 2007The Khalil Gibran International Academy is a public school in Brooklyn, New York City, New York that opened in September 2007 with about 60 sixth grade students. As the first English-Arabic public school in the country to offer a curriculum emphasizing the study of Arabic language and culture, cite web
url=http://abcnews.go.com/WN/story?id=3558134
title=A Public School with Mandatory Arabic
publisher=ABC News
date=September 4, 2007
accessdate=2007-11-25] it has been placed at the centre of controversy by opponents who argue that the teaching of Arabic culture is a façade to veil the teaching of Islamcite web
url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/26/magazine/26wwln-lede-t.html?ref=magazine
title=Universal Faith
author=Noah Feldman
date=August 26, 2007
publisher=New York Times
accessdate=2007-11-25] , or even terrorism.cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/04/arabic.school/index.html#cnnSTCVideo|publisher=CNN|title=New York public school accused of radical Islamist agenda|first=Richard|last=Roth|date=2007-09-04|accessdate=2007-09-05] Khalil Gibran, the school's namesake, was a Lebanese-American Christian Maronite poet.

The committee that designed the school included the original principal Debbie Almontaser (a former teacher and community activist) and several nonprofit groups, including Lutheran Medical Center, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, the Salaam Club of New York, and the lead partner, the [http://www.aafscny.org Arab American Family Support Center] , a Brooklyn-based nonprofit. cite web
url=http://www.nysun.com/article/49971?page_no=1
title=New Brooklyn School to Offer Middle East Studies
date=March 7, 2007
author=Sarah Garland
publisher=New York Sun
accessdate=2007-11-25] The organization's top funders include the U.S. government, the American Jewish World Service, and the Christian Children's Fund.

Premise

The school's stated mission is quote|to prepare students of diverse backgrounds for success in an increasingly global and interdependent society. Our focus is on holistic student development and rigorous academics. Through our multicultural curriculum and intensive Arabic language instruction, students graduate with the skills they need to become empowered independent thinkers who are able to work with cultures beyond their own. Students graduate with a deep understanding of different cultural perspectives, a love of learning, and a desire for excellence, with integrity preparing them for leadership in today’s constantly changing global world. [ [http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/A2BFC846-90D5-471E-B81F-D32C41F3886D/19529/AlmontaserDebbieteachers3.pdf Khalil Gibran International Academy] - Details from the New York City Department of Education.]

Further, the federal government has stated that the country is in critical need of Arabic and Chinese speakers, and grants have been given out for schools teaching those subjects.cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Arabic-School.html|title=Quiet Start for NYC Arabic School|publisher=New York Times|author=Associated Press|date=2007-09-04|accessdate=2007-09-05] Modern Arabic language is classified as a macrolanguage with 27 sub-languages and is the majority language in at least 20 countries of the Arab world, which has a population of some 325 million people.

The BBC reports that some attendees have joined to reconnect with their families' culture and homeland; others, with no Arab or Muslim background, because they believe learning the language will give them a valuable skill. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6980966.stm New York Arabic school sparks row] - BBC News. Thursday, 6 September 2007]

A Brooklyn College professor, Moustafa Bayoumi, says that "It's not uncommon for Arab students to feel isolated — I think [the school is] seen as a foothold" and that he believes that the school is making them feel more at home in the city. [http://www.nysun.com/article/49971 New Brooklyn School To Offer Middle East Studies] - New York Sun - March 7, 2007]

Controversies

Although the Khalil Gibran International Academy is one of 67 dual language schools in the city of New York, its unique position as the first public school focused on Arabic language and culture in the USA has made it the target of much criticism. Indeed, an organization called "Stop the Madrassa" held a protest outside New York's city hall calling for the school to be shut down. "The New York Times" reported that KGIA had become the center of controversy as a result of an "organized movement to stop Muslim citizens who are seeking an expanded role in American public life."cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/28/nyregion/28school.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion&oref=slogin | title=Critics Cost Muslim Educator Her Dream School |author=Andrea Elliot |date=April 27, 2008 |accessdate=2008-05-03 |publisher= The New York Times]

Objections to the curriculum

While opponents argue that such a school is unnecessarycite news|url=http://www.catholicleague.org/release.php?id=1324|first=William A.|last=Donohue|authorlink=William A. Donohue|publisher=Catholic League|title=Rally Over Khalil Gibran School|date=2007-08-31|accessdate=2007-09-05] and that creating it only promotes non-assimilation, supporters of the school say that contrary to preventing social cohesion, the school could act to improve integration by providing the school community with health services, counseling, youth leadership development, and English as a second language classes for parents. [http://www.nysun.com/article/49971 New Brooklyn School To Offer Middle East Studies] - New York Sun - March 7, 2007]

Daniel Pipes, an adviser to "Stop the Madrassa" and the founder of Campus Watch, has said that as the school is teaching the Arabic Language, it needs to be held under a "special scrutiny," adding that "Arabic instruction is heavy with Islamist and Arabist overtones and demands". [ [http://www.danielpipes.org/blog/731 On New York's "Khalil Gibran International Academy"] - Daniel Pipes blog - March 7, 2007] However, Pipes has been roundly criticized for being a "propagandist" of "anti-Arab racism" and for his attacks on academic freedom.cite web
url=http://www.thenation.com/doc/20021125/mcneil
title=The War on Academic Freedom
first=Kristine
last=McNeil
publisher=The Nation
date=2002-11-11] cite web
url=http://dartreview.com/archives/2005/01/31/pipes_speaks_civility_ensues.php
title=Pipe Speaks, Civility Ensues
publisher=The Dartmouth Review
first=Michael
last=Ellis
date=2005-01-31] cite web
url=http://hnn.us/articles/1186.html
title=Rejoinder to Daniel Pipes: Fighting for Freedom of Speech
author=Eric Foner
author2=Glenda Gilmore
publisher=George Mason University's History News Network
date=2002-12-30] cite web
url=http://www.leftturn.org/?q=node/440
title= Anti-Arab Racism in the USA: Where It Comes From and What It Means for Politics Today
first=Ziad
last=Abu-Rish
publisher=left turn
date=2007-02-01] Arabic language teachers in America strongly disagree with Pipes' statement and challenge him to prove what he has said.Fact|date=February 2008 Also, Garth Harries, a school official, has denied any religious activities would be taking place inside: "Religion plays absolutely no part in the school. This is a public school, it wouldn't play a part in any of our schools."

The BBC reported that in searching the Internet they found many hateful messages about the school that conflate the Arabic language, Islam, and terrorism. Anthony DiMaggio, assistant professor of Middle East Politics at University of Illinois at Chicago, [ [http://www2.uic.edu/~jsmith20/AD_cv.pdf Curriculum Vitae of Anthony R. DiMaggio] - University of Illinois at Chicago] has described the criticism of the school as "racist", adding that the controversy contained "fundamentalist efforts to demonize not only Islam, but the Arabic language itself." [http://www.counterpunch.org/dimaggio08302007.html Arabic as a Terrorist Language - The Right-Wing's War on the Gibran Academy] - CounterPunch - August 30, 2007] DiMaggio further noted the flaw of equating the Arabic language with Islam: "there's nothing inherently linking Islam with Arabic ... claiming that the Arabic language is inherently Muslim makes about as much sense as claiming that English is inherently Christian." In addition to followers of Islam, the Arabic language is spoken by people in a number of other religions such as Judaism, Christianity, Bahá'í, Druze, Yazdanism, and Zoroastrianism.

"Intifada NYC"

Another controversy erupted in August, 2007, around original principal Debbie Almontaser's response in a "New York Post" article to a t-shirt that read "Intifada NYC." The organization responsible for the t-shirt (Arab Women Active in Art and Media) shares an office with an organization (SABA - The Association of Yemeni-Americans) for which Almontaser is a board member and public relations officer. cite news
title=City Principal Is 'Revolting' |url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/08062007/news/regionalnews/city_principal_is_revolting_regionalnews_chuck_bennett_and_jana_winter.htm
date=2007-08-06|accessdate=2007-11-15
publisher=New York Post
first=Chuck|last=Bennett
coauthors=Jana Winter] cite web
title=Board Profiles
url=http://www.saba-ny.org/BoardBios.html
publisher=SABA - The Association of Yemeni-Americans
accessdate=2007-11-15] The "Post" quoted Almontaser: quote|The word [intifada] basically means 'shaking off.' That is the root word if you look it up in Arabic. I understand it is developing a negative connotation due to the uprising in the Palestinian-Israeli areas. I don't believe the intention is to have any of that kind of [violence] in New York City. I think it's pretty much an opportunity for girls to express that they are part of New York City society ... and shaking off oppression. The "Post" claimed Almontaser was trying to downplay the t-shirt worn by Arab women in New York, and attacked Almontaser and KGIA, referring to Almontaser as the "'Intifada' Principal"cite web
url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/08092007/news/regionalnews/randi_rips_intifada_principal_regionalnews_yoav_gonen.htm
title=Randi Rips 'Intifada' Principal
author=Yoav Gonen
publisher=New York Post
date=August 9, 2007
accessdate=2007-11-25] and agitating for the closure of the school.cite web
url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/08102007/postopinion/editorials/whats_arabic_for_shut_it_down__editorials_.htm
title=What's Arabic for 'Shut it Down'?
date=August 10, 2007
publisher=New York Post
accessdate=2007-11-25] Randi Weingarten, the president of the United Federation of Teachers, also criticized Almontaser for failing to condemn the t-shirts immediately.

According to Almontaser, during the interview, she was asked about the origins of the word "intifada", to which she gave a "lengthy explanation" about the history of the word and the negative connotation it has now acquired; "intifada" in Arabic is a "valid term for popular resistance to oppression," but most of the English-speaking world, equates "intifada" with the violent uprising of Palestinians against Israeli occupation.cite web
url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/23/AR2007082301933.html
title=In New York, a Word Starts a Fire
author=Robin Shulman
publisher=Washington Post
date=August 24, 2007
accessdate=2007-11-25] The federal appeals court determined that "The New York Post" quoted Almontaser "incorrectly and misleadingly."

In February, 2008, Federal appeals judges made comments suggesting they thought the city of New York overreacted in its handling of the case, and noted that a Department of Education spokesperson who monitored the interview thought it went well. [ [http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/ny-nyprin065566179feb06,0,7028574.story Judges: City overreacted over Muslim principal] - Associated Press via Newsday - February 06, 2008] According to Judge Jon O. Newman, "this was a situation where she was subject to sanction not for anything she said, not for anything she did, but because a newspaper reporter twisted what she said and the result of it was negative press for the city and the Board of Ed."

Almontaser alleges that she was forced to resign due to this remark, and has sued the city for breaching her free speech rights. [http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/16/principal-of-citys-arabic-school-says-she-was-forced-out/ Principal of Arabic School Says She Was Forced Out] - New York Times - October 16, 2007] Almontaser claimed that members of the ‘Stop the Madrassa’ coalition stalked her wherever she went and verbally assaulted her; that to stir up anti-Arab prejudice, they constantly referred to her by her Arabic name, a name that she does not use professionally; and even created and circulated a YouTube clip depicting her as a radical Islamist. She was replaced by an interim principal Danielle Salzberg, who is Jewish and cannot speak Arabic, while a national search for a permanent principal was underway. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6980966.stm New York Arabic school sparks row] - BBC News. Thursday, 6 September 2007] In January, 2008, Holly Anne Reichert was appointed principal.cite news
url=http://www.brooklyneagle.com/categories/category.php?category_id=28&id=17724
title=Controversy Continues For Arabic-Themed School, Even With New Principal
first=Mary
last=Frost
date=2008-01-09
publisher=Brooklyn Eagle
accessdate=2008-02-03]

References

External links

* [http://www.kgiany.org/ Khalil Gibran International Academy Official site]