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WBFF Fox 45 :: New Concerns about Islam Fueling Parents' Fears
A document with the Islamic Center's name on it convinced parents by the dozens to pack the Rutherford County School Board meeting Thursday night, but as FOX17's Sky Arnold reports, Islamic leaders say they don't known who wrote it and the school district says it's nothing to worry about. A packed room of parents worried about something that's not even on the school board agenda. Donna Sutton says the reason is a Muslim student guide she believes is an attempt to give preferential treatment to Islam.

"I don't think my child should be around that and that religion," says Sutton. "If we can't do it in schools, the shouldn't bring theirs in schools."

The document describes Muslim holidays like Ramadan, but what bothers parents are sentences that say students may want to pray during school hours or object to certain co-ed P.E. classes. Some fear that's a push for split classrooms and special Islamic prayer areas.

"No no no no we are part of the community," says Islamic Center Imam Ossama Bahloul. "We do not ask anyone for special treatment."

Bahloul says he's never even seen this document before.

"When we were first asked about it nobody remembered it," says Bahloul.

Schools Director Don Odom says it actually arrived here 4 years ago. Odom says the guide is similar to documents like the ones the district receives every year from organizations like the Jewish Federation. He says despite the fears of this crowd, there are no plans for separate classrooms or prayer areas.

"We did have one student that asked to pray," says Odom. "That student prayed at lunch time. We also had another group that studied their Bible at lunch time."

Again, the Islamic Center claims it didn't write this Muslim guide. The school district also says it doesn't know if it was ever forwarded to any teachers or principals. We will continue to keep you updated on both stories. You can get the latest when you're away from your tv at Fox17.com or Facebook.com/FOXNASHVILLE.New Concerns about Islam Fueling Parents' Fears

Thursday, July 19 2012, 10:39 PM CDT

Tennessee News

National exhibit on Civil War in Nashville
May 20, 2013 08:09 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- A national traveling exhibit on the Civil War will be on display at Nashville's Green Hills Library beginning on Monday.

The exhibit lets viewers experience the war through the eyes of politicians, soldiers, families and freed slaves. It includes letters, personal accounts and images that demonstrate how people grappled with the end of slavery, the nature of democracy and citizenship, the human toll of the war and the role of a president in wartime.

According to the library, the Gilder Lehrman Institute developed the exhibition to mark the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.

More information on the exhibit is available at http://www.library.nashville.org .

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