Plainfield schools officials denounce criticism of assembly involving Nation of Islam members
By MARK SPIVEY
STAFF WRITER
PLAINFIELD - City schools officials are denouncing criticism of a recent Plainfield High School assembly that featured two leading figures with the local Nation of Islam chapter.
Nation of Islam is a national black religious movement with Plainfield roots that date back decades, as current national movement leader Louis Farrakhan launched a resurgence of the organization here during the late 1970s. Local chapter leaders, including Nation of Islam Minister Mustapha Muhammad, have spoken at civic and schools functions for years.
Plainfield High School on Park Avenue.
Muhammad, who spoke at the high school's assembly late last week, could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday. But several schools officials all described the assembly as a secular anti-violence program coordinated by members of multiple religions, an affair organized to encourage sophomores at the school to stay out of gangs and become more active in community affairs.
"We don't do anything to compromise the law as it pertains to the separation of church and state, and we don't promote any religion within our building,'' Plainfield High School Principal Brian Bilal said. "What hurts the most with this whole thing - and this is just me personally speaking - is that what makes America great is that you have choices, and one of those choices is religion ... but nowadays, if a person chooses the religion of Islam, often times they're frowned upon based on the actions of extremists - which is awful.''
Bilal said the assembly was organized by members of the school's guidance department, which vetted all speakers via references indicating that they had spoken at similar venues before. The principal said he personally had not fielded complaints or concerns about the assembly, but recently became aware that someone sent interim Schools Superintendent Anna Belin-Pyles an e-mail claiming that the event featured Nation of Islam "recruitment'' and prayer.
"It's absolutely false,'' Bilal said. "And for someone to cause this type of commotion, to me it seems like a bias attack on the Nation of Islam.''
Bilal added that he is not a member of the Nation of Islam. One student asked not to attend the assembly and was excused, he added, noting that the request was not believed to have been made on religious grounds.
PHS Principal Brian Bilal.
"I didn't know, didn't ask and didn't care what religion the (assembly speakers) were,'' Bilal said, noting that he only was concerned about their message and experience level. "And it wouldn't have mattered if I did.''
Belin-Pyles could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday, but Bilal characterized her response as "very supportive.'' So too was the reaction of Robert Graham, the vice president of the Plainfield High School PTO.
"I think it's being overblown,'' Graham said when asked about the matter being addressed by several schools officials during Tuesday night's Board of Education meeting. "I'm glad people are willing to be a big voice in the community and be proactive about stopping violence here. That is only going to help the community as a whole.''
The high school has lost two students to violence during the current school year: 17-year-old senior Spencer Cadogan, shot and killed on West Front Street in November, and 16-year-old sophomore Shawane Lovely, shot and killed on John Street in January.
Board attorney Bob Pickett said Wednesday that any legal concerns about the assembly likely are unfounded.
"We don't know all the details about what exactly occurred, but based on what we were told last evening, I see no problems with it at all,'' Pickett said.
Multiple board members also were resolute in their support of the assembly and its value to students.
"I think things can get blown out of proportion sometimes ... there was no recruiting, no one saying 'you can come on down to the mosque when we're done here,''' Board President Lisa Logan-Leach said. "I think with these programs you have to have people from all walks of life.''
"If I was a Muslim, I think I would be completely offended by this,'' board member Renata Hernandez added, noting that one complaint she was aware of focused mostly on the speakers' attire. "This was something that was supposed to be positive,'' Hernandez said. "Someone took their free time to give these kids some hope.''
Mark Spivey covers Plainfield, North Plainfield, Warren, Watchung and Green Brook. 908-243-6607; mspivey@njpressmedia.com