Hamas-linked CAIR in your Kid’s Classroom: A Parent’s First-Hand Account

Thanks to you, hundreds of calls, letters, emails, AS tweets and FB SIOA messages were sent in protest of the Hamas-tied propagandists, CAIR, speaking to Steinbrenner High School students in Florida, after I broke the story first (here) at Atlas on December 4th and then followed up with actual names and places at which the CAIR rep spoke and when, at the American Thinker ('Hamas High School in Florida?', December 19, 2011).

Kelly R. Miliziano, History teacher of the Social Studies Department, Steinbrenner High School, announced yesterday that they have scheduled additional religious speakers to counter the CAIR operative they had speak in November. I am not sure if it will be a Hindu Priest or a Christian Pastor.

The problem with that is that CAIR's Hassan Shibly is a political speaker. A Hindu priest or Christian Pastor won't counter the poisonous propaganda that Shibly spews to our impressionable young minds. Robert Spencer, myself, Nonie Darwish, Wafa Sultan must be given a chance to speak to counter the lies of Hamas-CAIR.

Hamas-CAIR should not be speaking at all, but if the public school shills insist on presenting jihadi views, they must provide freedom lovers with the same opportunity. Further, political speakers should be off limits on school grounds.

The email exchanges between CAIR and Steinbrenner High School are revealing. Kelly Miliziano, a World History teacher at Steinbrenner, wrote this in a November 14 email: "Every year I invite a representative from CAIR to speak to our AP World History Students." After CAIR-Tampa responded favorably, Miliziano wrote again: "Over the years I have had many speakers from CAIR come to my classes, and it has been such a good learning experience for the students."

According to Kelly Miliziano (history teacher at Steinbrenner High School), she "regularly asks" Hassan Shibly of CAIR to speak. Shibly has a track record of defending jihad terrorist groups and acting as an apologist for the worldwide jihad and Islamic supremacism. Ms. Miliziano's refusal to respond to parents' requests to vet the notorious Mr. Shibly, and instead attack the parents, should be grounds for her immediate dismissal. Ms. Miliziano further went on to call parents' concerns about CAIR "baseless and Islamophobic." I urge you to politely demand that the school principal, Brenda Grasso, move to remove Ms. Miliziano at once. Brenda Grasso, Principal: email, [email protected] Phone 813-792-5131.

Following the 2006 Israel-Lebanon War, Shibly granted legitimacy to Hezb'allah by characterizing it as a "resistance movement" that provides valued social services to the Lebanese people. "They're absolutely not a terrorist organization," Shibly said, and "any war against them is illegitimate" — here). Read the rest at The American Thinker.

Although it presents itself as a civil rights group, CAIR actually has numerous links to Islamic supremacist and jihad terror groups. CAIR founders Omar Ahmad and Niwad Awad (who still serves as CAIR's executive director) were present at a Hamas planning meeting in Philadelphia in 1993 where they and other Hamas operatives conspired to raise funds for Hamas and to promote jihad in the Middle East. CAIR has steadfastly refused to denounce Hamas and Hizballah as terrorist groups.
Several former CAIR officials have been convicted of various crimes related to jihad terror:

• * Ghassan Elashi, founder of CAIR's Texas chapter, in 2009 received a 65-year prison sentence for funneling over $12 million from the Islamic charity known as the Holy Land Foundation to the jihad terrorist group Hamas, which is responsible for murdering hundreds of Israeli civilians
  * Mousa Abu Marzook, a former CAIR official, was designated by the U.S. government in 1995 as a "terrorist and Hamas leader." He now is a Hamas leader in Syria.
  * Randall Royer, CAIR's former civil rights coordinator, in 2004 began serving a 20-year prison sentence for aiding al-Qaida and the Taliban against American troops in Afghanistan and recruiting for Lashkar e-Taiba, the jihadist group responsible for the 2008 Mumbai jihad massacres.
  * Bassem Khafagi, CAIR's former community relations director, was arrested for involvement with the Islamic Assembly of North America, which was linked to al-Qaida. After pleading guilty to visa and bank fraud charges, Khafagi was deported.
  * Rabih Haddad, a former CAIR fundraiser, was deported for his work with the Global Relief Foundation (which he co-founded), a terror-financing organization.
  In 1998 Omar Ahmad, CAIR's co-founder and longtime Board Chairman, said: "Islam isn't in America to be equal to any other faith, but to become dominant. The Koran should be the highest authority in America, and Islam the only accepted religion on Earth."
  After he received unwelcome publicity as a result of this statement, Ahmad denied saying it, several years after the fact. However, the original reporter, Lisa Gardiner of the Fremont Argus, stands by her story.
  CAIR's spokesman Ibrahim Hooper once said: "I wouldn't want to create the impression that I wouldn't like the government of the United States to be Islamic sometime in the future."

And work the phones, demand equal time and a cease and desist from inviting Muslim Brotherhood groups to speak to public school students. Call for Ms. Mliziano's removal. Demand equal time for freedom fighters.

Brenda Grasso, Principal email: [email protected] Phone 813-792-5131

Kelly R. Miliziano, Ph.D. (extended the invitation to CAIR), Social Studies Department

Ms. Geller,
 
Per our discussion, I’ve listed below, in roughly chronological order, the events surrounding Hassan Shilby’s presentation around Thanksgiving to my daughter’s history class:
 
1.       On Dec. 1st my family and I were on our way to dinner.  I was discussing something related to Islam or the Middle East (I don’t recall what) when my daughter piped up that she had recently had a speaker in her class discussing Islam.  My antenna immediately went up and I asked her if the speaker was from CAIR.  She said that she thought he was.  I then asked her what he spoke about and she told me in general it was about Islam.  She said that he also said that most Muslims were not terrorists (I don’t know if this was in response to a question or simply offered), and that only 4% or 6% of Muslims were terrorists.  He went on to state that the kids in the class should go on the internet and research Islam themselves.

2.       Two things immediately concerned me:

• 1) the possibility that this presentation was being given by a representative of CAIR with the full knowledge and support of the school (and maybe the school district), and
• 2) the presentation coupled with the request to do research sounded like borderline proselytizing.  So I decided to visit the school and speak to someone about these issues.

3.       I went to Steinbrenner the morning of Dec. 5th and spoke to Ms. Kelly King, the Assistant Principal for Curriculum.  She immediately saw me, and was very professional during our discussion.  Not knowing if in fact a representative from CAIR had given the presentation (as my daughter wasn’t 100% certain), I first discussed my concern that the representative may have gone right to the line on proselytizing to public school students.  I then asked who the speaker was, and Ms. King confirmed that it was a representative from CAIR (though she did not have a name).  I explained to Ms. King that I strongly objected to CAIR being involved in the school, and recited some of CAIR’s more infamous highlights.  She replied that the presentation was part of a history of religion unit in their history class.  I told her that I have no problem with students being taught the history of Islam, but if the school was going to have a speaker do that, they should invite an Imam, not a representative from a religious based political organization, particularly one with such a dubious history.  This went back and forth a bit, with Ms. King equating a Christian Pastor to a PAC.  I pushed back on that telling her that there is no way she could equate the two.  I left her requesting two things, the name of the individual who gave the presentation and a copy of the invitation letter.  Ms. King said she would get with the teacher who set up the presentation and get back to me.

4.       About a week or so later, I got a call from Ms. King.  She had with her on the line Ms. Kelly Miliziano.  Ms. King introduced Ms. Miliziano as the teacher who invited the individual from CAIR.  Ms. Miliziano asked me what my concern was.  I led off this time with the fact that a representative from CAIR had made the presentation, and reiterated what I had said to Ms. King.  Ms. Miliziano then retorted that she thought my concern was potential proselytizing.  The tone of her reply sounded defensive to me.  I responded that, yes, initially that was my concern, however upon learning that a representative from CAIR had been the presenter, my priority shifted.  Ms. Miliziano stated that she regularly invites Mr. Shilby to give a presentation, and that it is on the five (5) pillars of Islam and six(?) (6) principals.  I told her that my concern was that the school was affiliating itself with an organization that has a less than spotless past, to put it kindly.  Ms. Miliziano stated that she had checked with the State Department and all was well, and that the statements I had made about CAIR were baseless and Islamophobic.  [Please note that I also expressly told her that I had no problem with the school bringing in an Imam to discuss the history of Islam.]  She also stated that for this unit (the history of religion) she was also bringing in a representative of Hinduism and I believe a Methodist Minister.  I attempted to get her to understand that the school was associating itself with a religious-based political organization that propagandizes for Islam & Sharia, and are terrorist apologists.  She completely dismissed these concerns, saying that she had done extensive research on CAIR and Hassan Shilby.  While she was talking I googled his name and discovered that he refuses to name Hamas and Hezbollah as terrorist organizations.  Despite Ms. Miliziano’s protests, I believe our State Department has designated them as terrorist organizations.  [In fact, on checking, they are Nos. 12 & 15 on the list.]

5.       I asked my daughter today if her class had completed the history of religion unit.  She said that she believes they have.  I then asked her if there had been any other speakers.  She said no.  So, thus far the only speaker has been Hassan Shilby of CAIR, speaking about Islam, despite Ms. Miliziano’s statement that she was also going to have a Hindu Priest and Christian Minister speak to the class.

UPDATE: Benny adds in comments:

In addition to what you're doing, I suggest you demand that – in accordance with her promises made to you earlier – she has a Christian pastor brought in EXACTLY the same no. of times as they have brought in this CAIR fellow.  And a Jewish rabbi .. and a Buddhist monk.

And DEMAND that that parity continues from this point forward.

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Infidel Task Force

12 years ago

Some people just don’t want to listen. This is troubling because they become part of the problem. I doubt very much that Ms Miliziano did the extent of research that she said she did.
The good news is, that America DOES have people out there with the bravery, courage and the stones to confront these idiots and possibly stop them from doing any damage. Sometimes we have success, sometimes not. But we can’t stop trying.
It seems to be very fashionable today to be on the side of the poor poor muslim and go against anything anybody says about them. You cannot force the truth on someone who will not listen.

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Benny M

12 years ago

Well done!
In addition to what you’re doing, I suggest you demand that – in accordance with her promises made to you earlier – she has a Christian pastor brought in EXACTLY the same no. of times as they have brought in this CAIR fellow. And a Jewish rabbi .. and a Buddhist monk.
And DEMAND that that parity continues from this point forward.

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KKKK

12 years ago

i agree with the suggestion of Benny M. if the schools can promote Islam, why not all the other faiths given the same opperunity?

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CameoRed

12 years ago

This parent’s actions are wonderful — inspiring!
The problem appears more wide spread than just Hamas High School.
Yesterday, in frontpage.mag [link here], Ryan Mauro wrote in Report on Biased Textbooks Goes to 500 Superintendents:
Guest speakers on current events at schools are also a problem. In 2010, controversy erupted at Clarence High School in New York because of a guest speaker named Hassan Shibly. I interviewed him extensively and reviewed his Facebook page and published the results. He denied that Hezbollah is a terrorist group, instead calling it a “resistance organization.” Since then, he has joined the Council on American-Islamic Relations as the Executive Director of its Tampa chapter. He [Shibly] recently was a guest speaker in over a dozen high school classes in the area, addressing about 500 students.
I don’t know if “the area” refers to the Tampa area or the New York area (I’m guessing Tampa), but either way, that’s a lot of propagandizing….
BTW, from their website, Hillsborough County school district apppears to have at least 31 high schools. My head spins if Shibly has been making the rounds in even a fraction of those.

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JDL

12 years ago

I would demand to be present during these so-called World history speeches with a member of CAIR and any other speakers. I would also demand that they be taped and posted on the school website for all the parents to watch.
I would not have handled this situation so nicely.
It is past time that we follow the actions of Shibly and all the other terrorist sympathizers. Is it time to start an organization like the Guardian Angels to stop them in their tracks, to mirror them and let them know this is America do not piss us off. CAIR is acting as a not so covert intelligence network within our country, they must be stopped.
It is past time to stop relying on our govt to protect us.

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fern

12 years ago

I haven’t read all your info on this topic. Have you got this: her Global Classroom arrangement with the UN? http://www.unausa.org/gctampabaymun
Kelly Miliziano
UNA-USA Tampa Bay Chapter President
Social studies teacher at Steinbrenner High School

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Florida Infidel

12 years ago

Pamela, thank you for exposing this outrage, but please be aware that the school and the teacher do not fear phone calls, letters, or outraged parents. Their unions have carefully instructed them in how to pretend to care, and then to ignore them all. What public schools do fear with a passion is a lawsuit. I would suggest to the parent to contact any one of a number of Christian legal organizations for free assistance, such as the American Center for Law and Justice, Liberty Counsel, the Christian Law association, etc. They will be pleased to assist her in defending her child’s rights.
Also, kudos to our Governor Scott and the Florida legislature for banning teacher tenure last year. Unfortunately, it applies only to incoming teachers from now on, not the ones who already have it and cannot be touched, as this Islamic indoctrinator in Hillsborough County probably already has. There is no way she would be so out of line unless she had tenure.

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Auntie Gin

12 years ago

Florida Infidel—You’re right. The only thing these lefty, one-world libs respond to is law suits. I wrote to the school, but am pessimistic about any notice that they take of (I’m sure) the many emails and phone calls they must be receiving. I would not allow a child of mine to remain a student there, and hope the parents start taking their children out of the “indoctrination center”. Now that obomination is going to decrease defense spending, more money can be dumped into the corrupt teacher’s union.

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Edward Cline

12 years ago

“In addition to what you’re doing, I suggest you demand that – in accordance with her promises made to you earlier – she has a Christian pastor brought in EXACTLY the same no. of times as they have brought in this CAIR fellow. And a Jewish rabbi .. and a Buddhist monk.”
Is there a reason you left off bringing in an atheist to address the class? Or an advocate of reason? Why must mystics be given a free pass or first dibs to oppose Islam? I suggest that readers here read “Rivals for Your Life: Religious Conservatives vs. Islam” on Rule of Reason. Reason does not tolerate “parity” with mysticism.

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ParahSalin

12 years ago

I say hang her with her own words. Invite Ms. Kelly Miliziano to give specifics as to the “extensive” research she has done. If she has been inviting CAIR to the school for the past 5 years, she has had plenty of opportunity to do LOTS of research – right? Then hit back with your own vast arsenal of research, news reports, and professional level white papers about the real threat of Islam.
It might also be worth verifying if Hassan Shilby actually said only 4-6% of Muslims were terrorists. That translates to 48-72 MILLION terrorists, which is a number literally approaching Biblical proportions.

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