N.C. lawmakers condemn university reading assignment

By The Associated Press

08.08.02

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RALEIGH, N.C. — A state legislative committee has voted to bar the use of public funds for a reading assignment on the Quran at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The vote came yesterday while the House Appropriations Committee was putting together a new, $14.3 billion state budget. Some committee members attacked university officials over the plan to teach freshmen about the Quran, the holy scriptures of Islam.

"If you stop and think about what 9-11 meant to this country — homeland security, guards everywhere," said state Rep. Wayne Sexton, R-Rockingham. "Just think of what it costs to protect ourselves from this faction, and here we are promoting it."

The committee voted 64-10 to bar UNC-Chapel Hill from using public funds for its plan to teach new students about a book on the Quran unless it gives equal time to "all known religions."

The book, Approaching the Qur'an: The Early Revelations by Michael Sells, is required reading for about 4,200 incoming freshmen and transfer students this month.

New students may decline to read the book and write essays explaining their decision. Students are scheduled to discuss the book Aug. 19 in 180 small-group discussions.

The reading requirement has sparked intense criticism and a lawsuit. Legislators said they had received calls from constituents who were offended.

A lawsuit is pending in federal court, filed by three unidentified UNC-Chapel Hill freshmen and a conservative Christian organization. The lawsuit contends the students' First Amendment right to religious freedom is being violated.

Legislators debated an hour before they voted on the ban. Some legislators attacked the university for intentionally taking an adversarial role at a time when the country needs to stand as one.

"I see this as insensitive, arrogant and poor timing to allow students to read about our attackers," said state Rep. Gene Arnold, a Republican from Nash County.

Several legislators countered that students should be exposed to a wide range of thinking about all kinds of subjects.

"I'm afraid of a lot of things — bombs, bullets," said state Rep. Paul Miller, D-Durham. "But I'm not afraid of concepts."

State Rep. Joe Hackney, D-Chapel Hill, said lawmakers shouldn't complain about a summer reading assignment that seeks to broaden students' understanding of the world.

UNC-CH Chancellor James Moeser said the committee action resulted from a misunderstanding.

"It's unfortunate that people have misinterpreted this reading assignment as a form of indoctrination," Moeser said.

Update

Critics: N.C. lawmakers threatening university's academic freedom
'I can see them saying we have to teach creationism and the rest of it,' faculty chairwoman says of legislators who voted to bar funds over reading assignment.  08.09.02

Related

Freshmen sue university over required reading of Islamic book
Students contend University of North Carolina is infringing on their religious freedom by assigning Approaching the Qur'n: The Early Revelations.  07.23.02