K-12 Courses on the Middle East: Are They a 'Stealth Curriculum'?

Education Reporter: The need to educate primary and secondary students on Islam and the Middle East has far outpaced teachers' own knowledge since September 11, 2001. Teachers find that they need new materials to educate themselves and their students. What one critic calls a "stealth curriculum" is filling the gap. Strongly pro-Muslim, anti-Israel groups have provided supplementary curricula on the Middle East for American classrooms. Muslim groups financed by the Saudi Arabian government have poured money into the creation and adoption of materials that reflect their point of view. . . .

Under Title VI of the Higher Education Act, the federal government subsidizes Middle East Studies centers and programs at a number of American universities. Centers receiving federal funds under Title VI must participate in "public outreach" through designing and/or distributing lesson plans and teacher training materials on the Middle East to K-12 teachers. Since most K-12 teachers need professional development credits to maintain their certification -- and most also need extra training if they are to teach on the Middle East -- teacher training materials and seminars on this topic serve a dual purpose. But such professional development could affect teachers' perspectives on the issues, especially if the materials present information from a subtle but definite bias. Saudi Arabian groups currently fund several organizations that create curricula and teacher training materials for K-12 social studies classes in the United States. . . . [Read More]

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