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This past Monday, a KSTP Television News crew went to the Tarik ibn Zayad Academy (TIZA) in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, to seek comment from school officials regarding a Minnesota Department of Education letter directing the charter school to change two of its practices that impermissibly advance Islam.

However, instead of obtaining a statement from school officials, the KSTP TV crew was assaulted by two people, one of whom is the director of the school.

To see this stunning video, click on this link below and click on the image in the upper right hand corner:

http://www.kstp.com/article/stories/s449649.shtml?cat=1

You may recall that back in March we emailed you news stories containing allegations that TIZA, a tax-funded charter school, was improperly advancing Islam.

At the time, the director of the school denied all allegations, but thanks to public pressure, helped in part by our email campaign and the actions of a Minnesota ACT! for America chapter, the Minnesota Department of Education launched an investigation into the practices of the school.

The Department then issued a letter to the school directing the school to correct two practices that amounted to an impermissible advancement of religion.

To see the letter the Minnesota Department of Education sent to the school, click here: http://www.eleventh-avenue-south.com/Tiza%20Findings.pdf.

Given TIZA's denial of the allegations originally leveled against it, and the totally uncalled for and unprovoked actions on the part of the TIZA director against the KTSP News crew, we remain skeptical that the concerns that have been raised will be thoroughly addressed by the school.

What's more, a new question has been raised: Where has the Minnesota Department of Education been? How could such obvious violations of law regarding religious indoctrination in a tax-funded school be allowed to go on as they have? The Minnesota Department of Education deserves credit for finally uncovering these violations, but it seems unlikely these violations just began recently. Had it not been for public outcry, these violations would be going on unchecked to this day.

What's more, what other impermissible activities are going on inside the school that the school has successfully hidden from state officials? This is not an unreasonable question to ask of a school whose director would deny all allegations and assault a TV news crew. This is not an unreasonable question to ask of a school which routinely prevents members of the public and the media from seeing what goes on inside the school. What is the school trying to hide?

In conclusion, while we are glad that two unlawful actions by the school have been uncovered, we remain dubious that all the problems have been exposed and that those that have been will be corrected as directed.

Our advice to the Minnesota Department of Education: Over the next six months, schedule some unannounced visits to the school.

And if lack of compliance is discovered then, consequences more severe than a letter would certainly be called for.

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