(OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 06/25/2024) – The Oklahoma Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-OK) today welcomed the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruling against a taxpayer-funded religious public charter school as a win for religious freedom, while denouncing and questioning the Oklahoma Attorney General’s comments on Sharia Law.
SEE: Oklahoma high court rejects religious charter school contract
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/06/25/oklahoma-high-court-rejects-religious-charter-school-contract-00164843
Oklahoma Attorney General Genter Drummond released a statement that read, in part, “Now Oklahomans can be assured that our tax dollars will not fund the teachings of Sharia Law or even Satanism. While I understand that the Governor and other politicians are disappointed with this outcome, I hope that the people of Oklahoma can rejoice that they will not be compelled to fund radical religious schools that violate their faith.”
CAIR-OK is concerned about the perpetuation of Islamophobic stereotypes and calls into question AG Drummond’s referencing of Sharia law in relation to radical religious schools. In a time of rising Islamophobia and anti-Muslim sentiment, negative rhetoric such as this has the potential to result in an increase in anti-Muslim bias and hate.
SEE: CAIR says it received more than 8,000 complaints of anti-Muslim bias in 2023 – a 56% increase over the previous year
https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/02/us/cair-muslim-bias-complaints-2023/index.html
“While we join AG Drummond in celebrating the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s decision upholding the Establishment Clause and rejecting the idea of taxpayer dollars funding public religious education, we are less thrilled with the Attorney General’s’s assumption that Sharia law teachings are automatically suspect,” said CAIR Oklahoma Deputy Director Veronica Laizure. “Sharia law teaches tolerance and respect for religious diversity and encourages students to be intellectually curious about the world around them – tenets that could certainly benefit Oklahoma’s school children. We encourage Mr. Drummond to get to know Oklahoma’s Muslim community and to learn about what Sharia law says before he equates Islamic educational principles with harm done to children, particularly in a state with the lowest education outcomes in the country.”
In 2013, CAIR-OK welcomed a federal court ruling permanently striking down an Oklahoma state constitutional amendment that would have banned state courts from considering “Sharia law” (Islamic principles) and “international law.”
SEE: CAIR Welcomes Court Ruling Striking Down Oklahoma Anti-Islam Amendment
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-welcomes-court-ruling-striking-down-oklahoma-anti-islam-amendment/
SEE: The Fight Against Anti-Shariah Measures
https://www.cairoklahoma.com/initiative/the-fight-against-anti-shariah-measures/
CAIR Oklahoma offers workshops, trainings, and resources to assist Oklahomans in better understanding the Islamic faith and the Muslim community.
SEE: Guide to Islam and Muslims in Oklahoma
https://www.cairoklahoma.com/resource/islam-guide-second-edition/
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: Adam Soltani, CAIR-OK Executive Director, asoltani@cair.com, 405-248-5853; Veronica Laizure, CAIR-OK Deputy Director, vlaizure@cair.com, 405-430-9877