In November 2011 a Tampa, FL high school invited a Muslim lecturer to speak about Islamic history and tradition to college-level Advanced Placement students.
When anti-Muslim extremists David Caton and Terry Kemple found out, for months they brought dozens of Islamophobes to school board meetings to angrily denounce the idea. None of them had any connection to the school, used the venue to spread lies, fear, and hatred against Islam & Muslims at the meetings.
When asked by the media, they claimed their problem was not with Islam just the choice of speaker. However, their statements show otherwise...
According to the Tampa Bay Times, Steinbrenner High school in Hillsborough county decided to add guest speakers to the AP World History class, for topics such as Islam and Buddhism.
Hassan Shibly, executive director of the local chapter for Council on American-Islamic Relations, was asked to be a speaker. That was just too much for former-porn-addict-turned-crusader David Caton, who bragged about getting the TLC reality show "All-American Muslim" taken off the air. His one-man-organization is offering $1,000 to anyone reporting CAIR speakers at the school.
Then, he stirred up a backlash by having supporters show up at school board meetings, complaining about the upcoming speaker and demanding guidelines that would bar him from the school. As the video shows, there were also calls to ban CAIR, exclude Muslims from public school, and just vile drivel calling Muslims evil, rapists, murderers, mysogynists, etc.
"I don't think our children need to be exposed to things that are not healthy and wholesome, especially political issues."
— A speaker at the Hillsborough County School Board opposing a Muslim leader who spoke at a high school.
"Christianity can be described in one word: Love."
— Another speaker who wants a Muslim group banned.
"Coexist? Oh please."
"If someone would be a member of NAMBLA, I wouldn't let them in a classroom," he said. "If someone were a member of KKK, I wouldn't let them in a classroom. It's no different." -Terry Kemple
CAIR tracks anti-Muslim hate crimes and abuses of Civil Rights. There have been other incidents of late, such as parents protesting a show-and-tell on Ramadan at a school in Washington State, and in Texas parents complained about a CAIR speaker who came because of bullying; the principal was transferred in response.