Student alleges Concrete teacher made racist remarks in class
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CONCRETE, Wash. -- An Islamic-support group is calling for federal investigators to look into the Concrete School District after allegations that a teacher made racist remarks.
The district calls the allegations completely false.
The incident happened in October at Concrete Middle School where a student says a teacher compared Muslims to Nazis. The teacher allegedly said that "just like Hitler," Muslims train their kids to be martyrs and to kill innocent people.
The student who made the complaint is not Muslim, but her father is. They asked to remain anonymous out of fear of potential consequences after coming forward.
Tuesday, the Council for American-Islamic Relations called on the Department of Justice to step in, saying the Concrete School District didn't do enough to investigate the comments.
"We are standing up on behalf of this family," said Jennifer Gist with CAIR. "But we are also standing up on behalf of students and parents in Concrete School District, so they can ensure that their children, when they go to school every morning, are getting a quality education."
In response, the superintendent called this "false information... taken out of context." She declined to give an interview or make teacher Mary Janda available, instead sending over Janda's response to the school district.
In Janda's statement, she says, "the discussion led to some members of groups who employ extreme acts such as Hamas and the Taliban.... The point I was attempting to make was... that people who intend on imposing their will on others are bullies, whether they be Nazis or others... I was not talking about Muslim believers or Arabs in general but people that were trained to kill."
Residents who know of the teacher said they've never heard of any issues with her before.
"The kids that I know who've gone to the teacher have had no problems," said Tabithia Hicks. "The teacher was well-liked, well-respected, and to hear this from this, I'm like, wait, this isn't what we need here in Concrete. We're not a bunch of racists."
The district says it didn't hear about the incident until it got a letter from CAIR a month after it happened. And the district adds the student and her parents never filed a complaint directly with them.
The superintendent says they did an investigation and handled it internally, but CAIR called that inadequate.
"Our concern is that if this is what one student is coming forward to report, how many more times has this occurred and will this occur, and what kind of a message is the school district sending to other teachers that their behavior will be tolerated?" Gist said.
The district calls the allegations completely false.
The incident happened in October at Concrete Middle School where a student says a teacher compared Muslims to Nazis. The teacher allegedly said that "just like Hitler," Muslims train their kids to be martyrs and to kill innocent people.
The student who made the complaint is not Muslim, but her father is. They asked to remain anonymous out of fear of potential consequences after coming forward.
Tuesday, the Council for American-Islamic Relations called on the Department of Justice to step in, saying the Concrete School District didn't do enough to investigate the comments.
"We are standing up on behalf of this family," said Jennifer Gist with CAIR. "But we are also standing up on behalf of students and parents in Concrete School District, so they can ensure that their children, when they go to school every morning, are getting a quality education."
In response, the superintendent called this "false information... taken out of context." She declined to give an interview or make teacher Mary Janda available, instead sending over Janda's response to the school district.
In Janda's statement, she says, "the discussion led to some members of groups who employ extreme acts such as Hamas and the Taliban.... The point I was attempting to make was... that people who intend on imposing their will on others are bullies, whether they be Nazis or others... I was not talking about Muslim believers or Arabs in general but people that were trained to kill."
Residents who know of the teacher said they've never heard of any issues with her before.
"The kids that I know who've gone to the teacher have had no problems," said Tabithia Hicks. "The teacher was well-liked, well-respected, and to hear this from this, I'm like, wait, this isn't what we need here in Concrete. We're not a bunch of racists."
The district says it didn't hear about the incident until it got a letter from CAIR a month after it happened. And the district adds the student and her parents never filed a complaint directly with them.
The superintendent says they did an investigation and handled it internally, but CAIR called that inadequate.
"Our concern is that if this is what one student is coming forward to report, how many more times has this occurred and will this occur, and what kind of a message is the school district sending to other teachers that their behavior will be tolerated?" Gist said.
All those people quoted saying that this is so unlike Mary Janda to say these things are NOT talking about the truth. This is totally par for the course for the way she conducts herself as a teacher. She is a racist, and she's both not smart enough or afraid enough to hide that fact. Let's remember that Concrete generational residents protect each other, and Janda is one of them. It doesn't matter what she said or did, the 'community' would rally around her to the death. My guess is, this complaining family (good for them by the way), are not 'from' Concrete, but have moved into the community within the last few years.Â
For more information about CAIR,,  please go to   http://www.anti-cair-net.org    I find it interesting that KOMO covered this incident and gave CAIR air time and the other news agencies like King 5 and KIRO  did not. Does KOMO support CAIR? KOMO chose not to attend the rally for Mary Janda.  There will be a meeting with CAIR at the senior center this Sunday in Concrete. It will be interesting to see it it is covered by KOMO.
Rally in Concrete in support of Mary Janda
Date: Tuesday, 19 March 2013
Time: 7:30pm
Location: Concrete, WA (at a local church, yet to be determined)
Please save the date and please attend if you live in the area.
http://conpats.blogspot.com/2013/03/cair-denies-truth.html
Hamas is a vicious terror organization that shoots rockets randomly into Israel and the Taliban is a Islamist group that kills teachers for trying to teach girls. I think it's fair to call them "bullies".
Jeff Siddiqui - Puget Sound's own Islamist! CAIR is being a bully by threatening this small town and the teacher... CAIR is spreading the teacher's name all over and what happens if someone decides to take the law into their own hands? Way to go CAIR! Ya big bullies! This is nothing more than an attempt to strongarm their way into the school to teach Islam. This has a chilling effect on free speech and the next time someone wants to criticize Islam, they will think twice... which is EXACTLY want CAIR wants. The are a front for the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas... so of course they don't want their buddies criticized. They have smeared this good teacher's name!!!
If the shoe fits...
So much for Freedom of Speach. She was one of the best teachers I have had growing up. Something so small being blown out of proportion. What kind of a world do we live in, that we have to fear punishment for speaking our mind? This is pathetic that a child and its parents make a big deal out of nothing and make a name for them selves by getting the feds and media involved.
@Corey Cooper it is CAIR making the big deal so that they can force the school to take their "sensitivity training" and so that Hamas linked CAIR can get into the school and teach Islam!
Ask a German student what happened between 1938-1945.  They were not on "vacation" and nothing happened.
Jennifer and CAIR- GO AWAY! You are just a bunch of troublemakers.
OOOOh,,, Â those poor Muslims,,, Â let's review,,, Â directly responsible for bombing the World Trade Centers,,, Â anyone remember 911??? Â Sharia Law,,, Â multiple wives and stoning etc,,, Â producing some of the world's most premiere terrorists,, Â hey,, Â I believe them,,, Â they look like they are just looking for peace to me,, Â yeah right. They treat their women like camels,,,, Â that's a direct quote from a Muslim man,,, Â obviously it doesn't take much to get them all riled up. I can't believe that KOMO even gave this a response much less the school. This is being blown out of proportion over an obvious misinterpretation. I say we follow the example of Australia and other countries that got fed up with this kind on nonsense.
@Cougartwin I thank KOMO for bringing this to our attention. What we do not know will hurt us and even kill us. Information like this is great eason to be careful who we vote for during our elections. We sure did make one big a** mistake last time. Got a Hamas lover in twice and still don't have any peace with terrorist muslims. Frankly I wonder why we are so concerned with Syria's civil war> Looks like to me one terrorist muslim group killing another of the same ilk. Thanks KOMO
@Cougartwin "This is being blown out of proportion over an obvious misinterpretation."
How ironic.
Islam is a political ideology, not a race.They are a violent, blood thirsty, 1500 year old bunch of terrorists.There are basically two things they are not.One is peaceful, and the other is a specific race.
If it walks like a duck,...sounds like a duck...
I was in the war. Â This is a fair assessment. Â
Well you know it is the religion of peace and tolerance. They sure proved it to me when I was there. How brave they are with women/children bombs and IED's. How they run  when you return fire. LOL
@Gunnartheviking And that was all Muslims right? All of them are that way, not just the radicals. You know, same way all southerners are redneck cousin lovers or same way all Christians are bigots. Nope, no need to tease out the words 'extremist' or 'radicals' because ALL muslims are that way. Holy narrow mindedness batman. No wonder America is falling apart.
@concerned citizen All of them believe the central belief that if you become a martyr then you get rewarded massively in the after life.
Don't talk about something you obviously know nothing about kid.
@Gunnartheviking Exactly.
Whats next? Â KKK members demanding that they deserve to be talked about in a positive light?
Hey Muslims, how about embracing a religion that doesn't support the belief that you are massively rewarded for blowing yourself up as long as you take a bunch of people with you?
Moronic idiots.
I don't know what the other kids in the class have said.You would here the same thing on the news 4,5 7, about people in that part of the world blowing themselves Muslims, Arab. I don't believe the teacher said any thing wrong.Its winter up in Concrete maybe the child is crying out for attention.
Islam is not a "race" so how could it be "racist"? Islam is a religion, not a race, and religion deserves to be criticized and ridiculed anyway.
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@pouledward1 Your spelling and grammar show exactly why you have a job spamming the internet.Â
Now we're getting rid of the Freedom of Speech, too?
@Xirxious OH just wait until you see UN resolution 16-18 that will criminize the criticizing of Islam... as they have in Europe!
"I was not talking about Muslim believers or Arabs in general..."
Arabs? lol
I looked at their website. All school board members are white and look to be 50 years or older. Superintendent is an old white lady. And their students are roughly 92% white. Â
Just sayin...
@lakeview Now you're making racist leaps.  Congrats moron!
Wow a Concrete teacher , I bet that is heavy.
Cry me a river... the world isn't politically correct, and you will get your feelings hurt.. to bad so sad.. Now, I can understand the statement about the extremists.. they do exactly that.. the same way, the Nazi's did in Germany. Yet, some take it a bit further than others..
In fact, most religions do what the Nazi's did, teach their kids to follow the rules of the church, and to recognize the difference in people who are not their religion.. That, is the way things are. All religions, no matter what they do are the only ones going to heaven... all others, are going to the other place... (should you believe that way)
Innocent until proven guilty...or not. I guess this teacher is 'guilty' even if she is innocent as her name is now all over the news and some agency has said she did it. And I'm betting this child took her comment completely out of context and remembered it wrong, and that with each telling of the story it became worse.
@Thunder Don't worry... CAIR is gonna get theirs!
@ThunderTeachers are always guilty until proven innocent.Â
@thebigteacher @Thunder That's why you have your public union, to protect you from consequences.Â
@lakeview @thebigteacher @Thunder What a silly uninformed statement. Do you have any idea what the teacher's Union does? Not what you have been told by the biased or privatization zealots but what really happens? No you don't. Try talking to a teacher or volunteering in a school. Edify yourself.
So.....talking against the Taliban now is considered racism? Good to know.
Odd that only ONE student came forward with this issue. Sounds like someone misinterpreted what was being said. The sensitivity level of some people has gotten to the point of annoyingly common.
@swansong68Â as a parent I have come forward 3 separate times on a similar issue with Concrete school faculty. Each time it was dismissed without any investigation
@concerned citizen Wow, three separate times you acted like a pinhead. No wonder they ignored you.
@concerned citizen No, you should raise your son to be a sissy and run to an agency to cry foul and get the federal government involved... I feel sorry for your kid when they get out into the big bad world... His skin will be as thin as Obamas!!!
@Donacita @concerned citizen yes talking to school officials about your son being bullied and verbally assaulted is the very definition of a pinhead. let me guess your solution is to have them fight it out the good old American way
@concerned citizen @swansong68 That's concrete for ya... Not endorsing or excusing it, but the times we've been through and camped nearby, we didn't exactly get the feeling that it's a culturally or ethnically diverse city...
The truth hurts!
Does anybody really think a "melting pot" of several cultures,races,religions is going to be absolutely tolerated by everybody? We are supposed to hold hands and love each other and not allowed to point out any facts past or present about a certain group that may be offensive to someone because they can't handle the truth. I'm not generalizing that all muslims are this way, or all christians are that way, but what do you expect with a huge population of hundreds of different types of people all protected by the same amendment? You get called racist,bigot,ignorant,intolerant,etc. There is no happy neutral territory, don't get so butt hurt about stupid little things, yes, stupid little things, you can't please everybody all of the time.
@DrOrpheus Way to take the high road there. While I agree, that as much as what other people say may get me quite upset and angry, I will vigorously defend their right to free speech. That said, the school district is not the place nor do the teachers have the right to endorse racist or bigoted beliefs. Schools are and must be all inclusive, meaning no single entity should be singled out for ridicule. Taliban, sure I'll grant that. Muslim, or any religion for that matter compared directly to Hitler and nazi's no way. That's out of line, if it did in fact happen as it's being conveyed.
@what? @DrOrpheus it did not happen and other kids from that class posted on FB that it didn't happen that way.
@what? Well, most religious people are like Nazis. Religion is poison. Â
For a group who is supposedly looking for peace,,, Â CAIR appears to me to be creating another "Jihad" with collateral damage. Any excuse will do. Â I quote Wikipedia here,,, Â please look it up,,, Â
In 2009, the FBI broke off formal outreach contacts with CAIR, following the Holy Land Foundation trial and rising concerns about the organization's ties withHamas which is considered to be a terrorist group by the US government.
Tawfik Hamid referred to CAIR as "perhaps the most conspicuous organization to persistently accuse opponents of Islamophobia". He criticised the way the organisation uses the "charge of 'Islamophobia' as a tool to intimidate and blackmail those...who rightly criticize current Islamic practices and preachings", citing its lawsuit filed in the Flying imams incident.[104] Zuhdi Jasser has been stridently critical of CAIR by claiming that its agenda focused on "victimology".[101] Neuroscientist and best-selling author Sam Harris, noted mainly for his contribution to the New Atheism movement, criticized CAIR by doubting their legitimacy saying CAIR is "an Islamist public relations firm posing as a civil-rights lobby"So this organization with proven ties with Hamas is now focusing on a small town school.Â
Perhaps a thursday night stoning might  satisfy them. I can't believe that the school is even giving these radicals any attention.  Let it go.
PEACE???
@Cougartwin Because CAIR isn't about peace at all but is an advanced group trying & currently succeding at infiltrating our society and changing our laws.  They are a "political lobbying group" of Islam, the passive application of Jihad takeover that is done just as financial Jihad is done relatively passively in the beginning until a certain population base is achieved in a country.  Once that population size is achieved and the population demographics have changed enough, then outright physical riots and violent overthrow begins.
@Gaikokujin @CougartwinAhhh man you figured us out, damn it! Back to our Jihadi caves to think of a new plan!Â
OK, so let CAIR prove that what the teacher said is false. Of course it isn't and there is ample info to prove it. half of those groups are on the terror watchlist by the gov't. Palestinian school books are full of this stuff. I don't worry too much about the teacher. She will have the full support of the people of Concrete. CAIR picked the wrong place for this victim wannabe stuff.
@lin Not just Palestinian books - have you seen the crap in the books here in WA??? funded of course by Prince Alaweed bin Talal of Saudi Arabia.