Submitted by Adem Carroll, Oct 19, 2007 16:51

Dear Editor:

In his letter (Oct 18) Walt Gardner writes that Arabic schools and "nationality-specific counterparts", do not belong in the public school system because "their value is overwhelmingly to these groups alone." But that is not the case with the Khalil Gibran International Academy, which has the majority of students non-Arab, but African American, seeking new skills to enter international business, diplomacy and other forms of bridge building in this ever more interdependent world. The KGIA school is indeed an effective application of the admonition to "think globally, act locally." With a standard curriculum enhanced by language and area studies, there are no grounds to see any "balkanization", especially in these days of standardized testing. There should be no fear of the KGIA approach, which involves private public partnership in the New Visions role.

Certainly we should all agree that the education of students is the bottom line, whether the school is a charter school or not. Does privatizing our public school system not confuse public service with profit? By all means let us improve our schools through careful experiment, indeed it is likely that there is room both for a KGIA and an Arab-theme charter school. But surely that has not been the main concern with KGIA-- paranoid political groups have been projecting all sorts of scary images of radicalization, with absolutely no grounds. And the Sun has amplified these fears irresponsibly.

The recent Sun editorial complains about founding Principal Debbie Almontaser's so-called "inability to credibly distance herself from organizations such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations." As you know, Debbie interacts with ADL, CAIR, and a wide range of community groups. Moroever, while occasionally critical, but more often appreciative of its effective advocacy work, Muslim leaders in New York City generally do not consider CAIR a danger. Furthermore, interacting with local CAIR staff does not in any way correlate with radicalism or extremism but rather relates to a healthy commitment to community dialogue. Those of us that believe in a dialogue of civilizations must accept a diversity of opinion, but we expect honest argument and accurate analysis. In this we differ from the Sun columnist Daniel Pipes (of Camus Watch, etc) whose irresponsible smears of Debbie Almontaser were actually featured on the Sun website for many months this year.

Certainly her many supporters believe that Debbie Almontaser (not Dhabah, which no ones knows her as— in calling her this name what is the Sun trying to convey?) has a case for a lawsuit, one not motivated for personal gain but rather a struggle for communtiy justice-- to expose the exclusion and disempowerment of minority communities from the workings of power in this our city. At the press conference last week the African American presence was strong, as was Jewish support; recognizing the clear link to earlier struggles for inclusion and respect in our diverse society. What could be more American than that?

Adem Carroll

member, CISKGIA

P O Box 1719 Bx 10451

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