Current Events Test O.C. Schools

Three classrooms full of students sport American flags on their backpacks; the girls’ fingernails shine with red, white and blue nail polish. Three teachers have put aside the regular curriculum for discussions of geography and history, patriotism and faith.

And, at a largely Latino public high school in Santa Ana, a private Muslim school and a Jewish day school, there are three vastly different lessons.

“Everyone who is Muslim is under a microscope,” principal Zakiyyah Muhammad tells her seventh-graders as they grab their lunches and line up, giggling girls in white head scarves in one row and rambunctious boys in another.

The 430 children at the Orange Crescent School in Garden Grove, one of only a few Muslim schools in Southern California, have been guarded by armed police officers since the terrorist attacks Sept. 11. Suddenly, their lessons center on what the Koran really teaches about war, and on lectures saying that American society discriminates against their religion. And because many of the students are of Afghan descent, there is an undercurrent of terror: What will happen to relatives left behind?

“There are people out there who just hate Muslims,” their principal tells them, adding that their home telephones are probably tapped.

At Tarbut V’Torah in Irvine, principal Howard H. Haas is equally concerned for his Jewish students’ safety. He implores them to keep controversial opinions to themselves, fearing that a 16-year-old’s misinterpreted comment about Israel or Islam will bring bomb threats or worse to the campus.

Alan Armstrong, the model United Nations teacher at Century High School in Santa Ana, has no such worries for his teenagers. He listens without expression as students--even one who represented Afghanistan last year in a school project--call for American bombs to rain on the Taliban.

But his students hit him with other fears. Most have a friend or a brother in the Army; what will happen to them? And are more attacks coming?

At Century, as at the other schools, teachers say students’ questions and fears are guiding class discussions. But teachers also feel this tragedy is nothing if not a teachable moment, one they are using to show students what kind of citizens they should be.

“It was a tragedy, but it is going to energize model United Nations this year,” said Armstrong, whose students argue fiercely over what the U.S. response should be, and what civil liberties they are willing to give up for greater security.

Many of Armstrong’s students, the majority of whom are either the children of immigrants or immigrants themselves, have talked of joining the military, he said.

“You really don’t see Afghanistan as a place to be bombing,” said Natalie Lopez, who studied the Taliban last year.

Alan Aaron cautioned his Century classmates against drawing conclusions about all Muslims from the attacks. “It’s like with Hispanics, where the little few make us all look bad,” he said.

In Susan Hall’s American History class at Tarbut V’Torah, students said they fear people will blame Jews for the attacks, because U.S. support for Israel has angered many in the Mideast.

“I was afraid people are going to retaliate against Jews,” said Nir Dashti. “Because this is a Jewish school, a lot of people are pointing out the relationship between the U.S. and Israel.”

Students, many of whom have been to Israel on exchange programs or to visit relatives, also said they feel a greater kinship with that country, now that terrorism has hit them at home too.

One student recalled being in a dance class at a Tel Aviv high school when someone called in a bomb threat. The teacher told students there was nothing they could do, and continued to dance.

In the first days after the Sept. 11 attack, Hall said her lessons have focused on current events and rumor control. In the coming weeks, Hall plans to begin a separate unit on media bias. Students will read newspapers from around the world and talk about why they may have different viewpoints.

Despite their differences, the classes at Century and Tarbut V’Torah endorsed the prevailing theory that Osama bin Laden is behind the attacks.

That was not the case at the Orange Crescent School, where teachers nodded approvingly when students said it has not been proved that Muslims are responsible.

School officials said they are trying not to “overexpose” children to the crisis. But they said it’s hard to avoid, especially when so many students have relatives in Afghanistan or Pakistan, and their parents are consumed with worry.

Muhammad, the principal, said she has encouraged students who want to make a video about their school and send it to President Bush. “This issue has frightened our children,” said Muhammad, who converted to Islam 30 years ago and whose sister is a Christian minister. “It has made our children question, why do they always blame Muslims? Why are Muslims looked on in such a derogatory manner?”

“First they should find out who did it,” said one student. “There is no evidence that anyone from Islam did it.”

At Century, students also argued over how much they should allow the crisis to take over their daily lives. Should sports, college and parties all be forgotten in the face of world events?

“I’m tired of hearing about this already,” said senior Joanna Guadard, who said she becomes upset whenever she turns on the television. “It’s sickening.”

Cindy Sanchez disagreed. “You can’t just blow it off,” she said. “They are trying to get you ready for war.”