How dangerous is it to learn about Arab culture?

This isn’t a rhetorical question, it’s being debated in the Mansfield (Texas)school district.

The school district received a $1.3 million Foreign Language Assistance Program federal grant that is being used to integrate Arab culture classes into elementary schools.

This decision ignited a firestorm of protests from parents. Almost 200 parents to show up the Mansfield school board meeting to voice their opinions. Some gave their support while most others expressed concern.

“We don’t want to discriminate against the entire Middle East . . . but [9-11] is hard to forget. They said they aren’t going to teach religion, but I don’t see how you can teach that culture without going into their (Arab) beliefs.”

While Islam does play a large role in Arab culture it is unclear how the classes woulf be taught.

Some parents welcomed the new language course. They were happy to know their children would be educated about a culture which Americans are mostly ignorant.

Meanwhile many federal agencies face a desperate shortage of proficient Arabic speakers. Five years after 9/11 the FBI only had 33 agents with such skills.

The school board has made it very clear that the classes will be optional not mandatory.

What do you think, what are the implications of teaching Arabic culture to young minds?