Tennessee’s taxpayer-funded school choice program is channeling public dollars to Islamic schools while the state simultaneously faces ongoing battles over alleged religious indoctrination in public school curricula.
Parent-Led Opposition Transforms Tennessee Education Policy
Michelle Edmisten launched a grassroots movement in October 2016 when she addressed the Sullivan County school board, objecting to how Islam was presented in social studies textbooks. Her concerns about religious neutrality in public education sparked the formation of Sullivan County Parents Against Islamic Indoctrination (SCPAII). The formal complaint triggered a district review committee and eventually reached the Tennessee State Board of Education, which drafted new standards reducing Islamic content in curricula.
ENGLAND: Primary school pupils forced to take a trip to a mosque and learn about Islam and the Quran. Little girls forced to wear a hijab.
This is abuse! pic.twitter.com/1UaQ76Hhpk
— Dr. Maalouf (@realMaalouf) April 28, 2025
Advocacy groups including ACT for America and the American Center for Law and Justice mobilized alongside concerned parents, pressuring policymakers to review how world religions are taught. These organizations argued that standard social studies instruction about Islam crossed the line from education into indoctrination, threatening Judeo-Christian values in Tennessee classrooms.
School Choice Creates New Funding Concerns
The controversy has expanded beyond public school curricula to encompass Tennessee’s school choice initiatives, which allow public funds to support private education. Parents and legislators now question whether taxpayer dollars are indirectly funding religious instruction through voucher programs. This development adds complexity to the church-state separation debate, as school choice policies intersect with concerns about government funding of religious content.
The Islamic Takeover of America is underway
– Mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan, Muslim
– Mayor of Dearborn, Michigan, Muslim
– Mayor of Richardson, Texas, Muslim
– Vice President of the Minneapolis City Council, Muslim
– US House Representative Ilhan Omar, Muslim
– US House… pic.twitter.com/mngYZeuRRE— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) September 19, 2025
The Tennessee General Assembly continues considering legislation to monitor and potentially restrict religious content in both public curricula and school choice-funded institutions. These legislative efforts reflect ongoing constituent pressure from advocacy groups and concerned parents who view any instruction about Islam as threatening their values and constitutional protections.
Muslim Students Face Increased Discrimination
The American Muslim Advisory Council released data in 2025 showing nearly half of Muslim students in Tennessee experience faith-based bullying. AMAC executive director Sabina Mohyuddin calls for greater protection and inclusion, highlighting how curriculum controversies have created hostile environments for Muslim families. The organization documents systematic discrimination and marginalization affecting student safety and educational experiences.
Education experts warn that removing Islamic content from curricula undermines religious literacy and educational integrity. Civil liberties organizations caution against censorship and scapegoating, noting that teaching about world religions represents standard social studies practice rather than indoctrination. However, school officials face mounting pressure from organized opposition groups demanding curriculum restrictions and enhanced oversight of religious instruction.
Sources:
Fearing Islamic Indoctrination Tennessee Parent Objects to Social Studies Textbook
The Backlash Against Teaching About Islam
Tennessee Lawmakers Approve Plan to Quell Fears of Islamic Indoctrination in Classrooms