L.A. Schools to Replace Challenged Koran

A translation of the Koran that includes commentary deemed anti-Semitic was removed from Los Angeles public school libraries and will be replaced with a more acceptable edition, according to a February 11 agreement by school officials and local Muslim and Jewish leaders. A review panel of educators and religious experts will convene to find a suitable replacement for the 1934 book, The Meaning of the Holy Quran (Amana Publications), by Abdullah Yusef Ali, reportedly the most popular English translation of the Muslim holy text. In January 2002, nearly 300 copies were donated to the schools by L.A.'s Omar Ibn Khattab Foundation to promote religious tolerance after the September 11 terrorist attacks on America. The district removed the books last month after a history teacher discovered footnotes that described Jews as "arrogant" and "men without faith."

The settlement was praised by all parties, including Dafer Dakhil, head of the Omar Ibn Khattab Foundation. "We do not condone anything that is detrimental to understanding. If the books are offensive, they should be removed," Dakhil told Reuters. The incident sparked widespread debate about the role of religious texts in schools and First Amendment issues. One observer noted that many religious books, including the Old and New Testaments, have references to other groups that could be considered offensive.