Attending
public schools my whole life has affected my perspective and views in more ways
than one, and definitely for the better.
Being Muslim, there are many rules in my religion, and they are very
important to follow. Thankfully my
parents did a great job of teaching me right from wrong, what I am allowed to
do and what I am not without sending me to a private Islamic school. They trust me to do what they have taught me
and stay away from trouble and that’s what makes me so confident in how I act
and the things I do. It also makes them
proud and able to trust me.
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| Taken from: ACLU |
Many of the Muslim girls my age
have attended and graduated from an Islamic school. This has its advantages, but I also feel like
the parents enroll their kids in those types of schools for the wrong
reasons. They force their children to go
to private Islamic schools just to keep them away from the rest of the world;
afraid they will do something to go against our religion. Eventually of course, the students become
comfortable with where they’re at, but they also start to wonder about other
people’s lives and what they are missing out on, sometimes causing them to get
into even more trouble by going behind their parents’ back.
My high school held multiple dances
over the years and my mom allowed me to go to them. Many Muslim mothers would not allow their
daughters to go if given the opportunity, assuming it will be something too out
of the ordinary, and unnecessary. It was
obvious to me that I could not dance with any of the guys and I had to stay out
in the open where everyone else was.
Whenever my Muslim friends would find out I went to a dance they’d say
things like “you’re so lucky you went to the dance” or “how did you get your
mom to let you go?” like it was something so unusual to them. But to me it was just normal, it was high
school and I paid extra attention to everything that went on. And with all the events, the games, and the
people I hung out with, I had the chance to learn about so many different
things and learn to love people no matter what! People loved me in return; I
was voted “most friendly” and prom queen my senior year. I had the perfect high school experience and
I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Having been able to spend my whole
life with people of different races and religions made me a better, more
accepting person. There will always be
symbols and situations where two people or groups of people have different
thoughts or opinions. It’s all about
understanding each other and seeing why the other person thinks the way they
do. I’ll always listen to what someone
else has to say because it may also help me think in a different, better
way. But no matter what I’ll always be
one with positive thoughts and ideas.
