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Reporters from U.S. and Saudi Arabia report jointly on Islamic schools in both countries
 American journalist Kelly McEvers (pictured, left) and Saudi journalist Asma Alsharif (pictured, right) teamed up to report on how Saudi-funded schools in both countries are adjusting curricula accused of inciting violence during and after 9-11. They worked on an ICFJ program aimed at building journalistic bridges between the United States and predominantly Muslim countries. Three other teams are also working on joint-reporting projects, all funded by Carnegie Corporation of New York.
McEvers' story ran on National Public Radio on July 14. She reported that promised reforms in the curricula of Saudi schools after 9-11 have been slow in coming because of resistance from the religious establishment, which controls the judiciary and the ministry of education. Alsharif published stories on the same issue in Arab News and Reuters. Following criticism after 9-11, Saudi schools removed all mentions of "jihad" or holy war, and "walaa wal baraa," the notion that Muslims should be "emancipated from non-Muslims." But many critics say the texts still incite violence against non-Muslims.
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ICFJ program participant Asma Al Sharif shares her concerns when covering religion. She also sheds light on her experience in the Faith in Media conference, held in Turkey that she participated in.
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With support from Carnegie Corporation of New York, ICFJ held a conference in Istanbul, Turkey, called “Faith in Media: Improving Coverage of Islam and Other Religions.” Four pairs of journalists then embarked on joint reporting projects in Muslim countries and in the United States. Each of the four pairs of journalists attended the conference in Istanbul, along with other participants from the United States and majority Muslim countries. The pairs will conduct reporting together over several months. The pairs will be encouraged to collaborate on the writing of the stories, but they are not required to publish or broadcast identical stories in translation. Other teams are reporting in the United States and in Indonesia, Iran and Morocco.
ICFJ concluded the Faith in the Media program with an instructor-led online course on responsible religion coverage open to journalists in the U.S. and Muslim countries.
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| Read More from Alsharif and McEvers
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 Back in Saudi Arabia, some changes have been made to the curriculum in recent years—changes similar to, but not as far-reaching as, those at the Islamic Saudi Academy outside Washington, D.C.
Now any passages relating to Walaa wal Baraa (the question of whether Muslims should associate with non-Muslims) and jihad have been removed from all Saudi textbooks. But Saudi analysts say these deletions have done little to address how the curriculum might have led to violence in the past.
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 Inside Saudi Arabia, debate about how to reform the education system began after the 2003-06 al-Qaida attacks there that killed nearly 200 people.
Outside Saudi Arabia, of course, it all started with 9/11.
When it became clear that 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi citizens, critics in America looked to Saudi schools and asked if they taught the kind of hatred espoused by the hijackers.
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The all-girls' high school is pretty typical for Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh. Poured-concrete walls, dusty bougainvillea, iron gate, padlocked door. Inside, a covered courtyard keeps out the late-spring heat. On the wall hang hand-drawn posters sporting logos and slogans.
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(NPR's Morning Edition), July 14, 2009 · Of the 19 hijackers in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, 15 were Saudis. Since then, textbooks used in schools across Saudi Arabia have come under harsh criticism for teaching religious intolerance that can lead to violence.
Now, the country has revised its textbooks and is undergoing a massive education reform program. But critics wonder if those efforts go far enough.
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The current school year at the Islamic Saudi Academy (ISA) in Virginia began with fewer textbooks after US pressure groups accused the school of inciting violence through its curriculum, a development that raises concerns about the future of Islamic education at the institute.
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RIYADH, April 15 (Reuters) - Accused of promoting the religious radicalism that inspired the Sept. 11 attacks, Saudi Arabia has stepped up efforts to reform its school curriculum, but clerical opposition means change will be slow, analysts say.
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An interview with Faith in the Media program participant Asma Alsharif, Saudi contributor to Arab News and Reuters, reveals new insights gained following the program's December conference. Along with her partner Kelly McEvers--a regular contributor to NPR-- Alsharif is covering the changes to the curricula in Saudi schools following criticisms that the curricula and textbooks have encouraged violence.
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(2).JPG) “I'm having a blast,” said American journalist Christopher Quinn. “What a great opportunity to have interaction with fellow reporters from around the world. To be able to hear, almost instantaneously, from others about perceptions and shared problems in reporting about religion has 24 karat value.” |
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