Soon to be a man’s second wife, Ahlima feels “very fortunate” to live under Sharia law in Saudi Arabia, she writes. “I understand that some foreigners see our dress as a way of keeping women from being equal, but … I find Western women’s clothing to be horribly immodest.”
The fictional 20-year-old appears on a worksheet given to seventh graders in southern Indiana. Parents are upset, reports the Courier-Journal. There’s no mention of oppression in Saudi Arabia, they complained at a school board meeting.
Sharon Coletti, president of InspirEd Educators, said she created the worksheet to engage students, not indoctrinate them. She described herself as a Christian.
I can see Ahlima’s point of view sparking a good discussion about how hard it is to challenge your society’s values. Can we say Western values, such as equality of the sexes, are superior?
Or maybe there’s no discussion. Students conclude that everything’s swell in Saudi Arabia: Ahlima’s happy.
Comments