CIE Forbids These Insults to Islam

(MGM Productions, 1991)

As found on page 101 of Teaching About Islam & Muslims in the Public School Classroom, published in 1995 by the Council on Islamic Education, the following excerpt is from the section entitled "Materials Not Recommended For Classroom Use":

"...By mixing cultural, political and religious features of Iranian Society, the story does a disservice to viewers' understanding of Islam...Viewers' emotions are manipulated by...a major plot turn which has Mahmoody almost separated from her daughter Mahtab.

"While some educators have used this film to shed light on Iranian and Muslim life, it is an unacceptable teaching tool, which only serves to alienate young Muslim students in the classroom even as it maligns one of the world's major faith traditions...."

The CIE goes on to speak of this:

"[T]he necessity of allowing a religion or culture to speak for itself with an authentic voice, and the importance of presenting information in an open-ended manner..."

Never mind that the story presented in the film Not Without My Daughter is a true one! Never mind that Islam indeed mixes culture, politics, and religion!

And since when does Islam allow for discussion in "an open-ended manner"? How much "open-ended" discussion did Muslims participate in when the Danish cartoons were published?

Note: Two other items are listed in this no-no section: the book Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind and the video Jihad in America. I'm guessing that all of us should check out these CIE-forbidden materials.