Chapter 12: The Role of Islam and Muslims in American Education: Critical Issues in Teaching and Curriculum

This chapter will explore the rationale for teaching about religion in public schools and examine critical teaching and curriculum issues regarding Islam, a religion that is often characterized by myths, distortions, and stereotypes. Teaching about Islam will allow students to obtain a knowledge base, engage in critical thinking, develop a sense of the complexities and contradictions common to all religious and political worldviews, and make informed and rational decisions that, hopefully, will lead to greater intercultural understanding and social justice—2 primary goals in American education today.