An Eastern Carolina congressman says a local community college should not accept a grant that would explain the Muslim culture.

Craven Community College in New Bern says it will accept the National Endowment for the Humanities' grant. "Bridging Cultures Bookshelf: Muslim Journeys" would provide 25 books and a DVD to the college.

"It is appalling to me that a federal agency like NEH is wasting taxpayer money on programs like this," said Jones. "It makes zero sense for the U.S. government to borrow money from China in order to promote the culture of Islamic civilizations," said the Republican from the third district.

The NEH is collaborating with the American Library Association. It says it wants to provide resources "to enhance libraries' collections and their capacity to engage audiences" in an attempt to give the public trustworthy resources about Muslim beliefs and practices.

But in a letter to college leaders, Jones says if Craven accepts the grant, then he wants the college to give equal exposure to books about Christianity. He says the Craven-Pamlico Christian Coalition is offering to donate 25 books about Christianity and the county's "rich Judeo-Christian heritage".

Craven says it's one of seven institutions in the state to receive the grant. "Anytime we have an opportunity to apply for a grant that can get us money or resources that can enhance, say, our library collection, that's really an important resource to us" says college spokeswoman Judy Eurich.

WITN, 10 January 2013

See also JDNews.com, 10 January 2013

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College life is a wonderful experience for almost everyone. College life is the time when people get an opportunity to learn about the practical life, their career options, and entering into the world of the workforce. It is a time when people make new friends and it is the most important and critical stage of learning. Nowadays, most colleges have coeducation where boys and girls study together. But unfortunately it is very common in those coeducation colleges for students to, instead of concentrating on their classes and learning new things, go through their college years having fun and actively participate in dating activities.

College dating is precarious and is playing its part in spoiling the future of the new generation, and is in turn likely to take control and play a detrimental part in the country’s development. If the new generation will not concentrate on their studies, then how will they be able to compete with the world and play their part in the development of the country in the future?

We know that college life is that stage at which one decides which profession he will go into. Also, college life is the time when the character of a person develops. In addition to studies, extracurricular activities are also very important for character development. But this doesn’t mean that one should be dating. One should use his college time only for discovering himself, not the mate. In the future there will be enough time to discover the mate that one wants. College dating is becoming a serious problem in Islamic society and parents are worried about their children and want a possible solution to this problem.

Islam is the religion of truth and guidance. Islam has provided all of the information and solutions to the problems of daily life. In Islam, before marriage, relationships and dating are strictly prohibited. Non-permissible males are strictly forbidden to make any kind of relationship with non-permissible females before marriage. If someone does engage in a relationship before marriage, it is Haram in Islam. There are several social disadvantages of college dating for young generations. Coeducation is the most important cause of dating activities and students waste their precious time in dating. Therefore, some students spoil their whole future due to college dating. It is a fact that college life is most precious for the career and future success of any student. Students can enjoy a bright future by focusing on their studies, and similarly, they can also spoil their future by being involved in dating activities. Therefore coeducation is not suitable for students. It is important to eliminate the concept of coeducation everywhere in the world. Coeducation is most common in Europe and, therefore, rape cases are also most common in European countries.

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The former principal of an Islamic college in Dundee has lost his claim he was unfairly dismissed for being a white Christian.

Professor Malory Nye had insisted he was forced out of his £67,000-a-year post at the Al Maktoum College because of his race and religion.

The institution offers post-graduate courses in Arab and Muslim studies and Mr Nye claimed senior figures wanted a Muslim in charge.

His wife Isobel Campbell-Nye, who was head of the English department, has also lost her unfair dismissal case.

The couple, who live in Perth, took the college to an employment tribunal earlier this year. They alleged there had been serious problems in the running of the institution.

However, employment judge Alan Strain ruled in the college's favour. A detailed written judgment will be released later, but the tribunal office in Dundee has confirmed all of the pair's claims have been rejected.

A spokesman for Al Maktoum College said: "The college welcomes the judgment of the employment tribunal.

"The ruling makes it clear that the college at no time engaged in any discriminatory activities or took any decisions based on grounds of race, sex or religion.

"The college continues to place diversity, religious pluralism and multiculturalism at the core of its higher education programmes as well as its day-to-day activities. We are now keen to move on."

During the tribunal, Mr Nye said the college had been "decapitated" and "left in chaos" after his departure.

He claimed there had been tensions in the administration team between people who were loyal to him and those loyal to Abubaker G Abubaker, the director of operations.

He said Mr Abubaker had tried to undermine him by writing letters of complaint to Lord Elder, the college's chancellor.

Mr Nye and his wife were suspended last June and dismissed just under a year ago.

In his evidence to the tribunal, Lord Elder denied any racial or religious motive for his actions.

He spoke of academic issues and internal staffing problems and said it had been "simply impossible" to consider Mr Nye continuing as principal.

He also said there had been issues of conduct and behaviour with Mrs Campbell-Nye and he believed she had gone beyond her job remit and was acting as her husband's chief of staff.

Al Maktoum College was founded in Dundee in the late 1990s with the support of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, deputy ruler of Dubai.

The Herald, 1 November 2012

When they launched their employment tribunal claim last year the Nyes were adopted as a cause célèbre by the right-wing press. The Daily Mail's RightMinds blog featured a piece by columnist David Thomas entitled "Christian couple sacked from Muslim college shows our cowardly appeasement to other religions" which attacked "gutless capitulation" to non-Christian faiths. It remains to be seen whether these papers will give equal coverage to the news that the tribunal has found in favour of the college.

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A mum was turned away from a college parents' evening – because she was wearing a veil.

Maroon Rafique was refused entry to Manchester College by senior staff who told her there was a ban on face coverings. The mum-of-two, from Whalley Range, said she was left stunned and dismayed. She had to phone husband Abdul, who attended the meeting with their 18-year-old son Awais, while she sat in the lobby of the college's Northenden campus. Bosses at the college said that all students and visitors are asked to keep their faces visible for "safety and security" reasons.

Mrs Rafique, 40, who has worn the full veil, or niqab, for seven years, said:

"I'm born in this country and British. Why should what I wear offend anyone? I didn't want to make any fuss. All I wanted was to find out the information to help my son go to university. I offered to sit at the back or at the front, anywhere where I wouldn't be seen, if they thought I was going to offend anyone. I was really upset because whenever I've visited the college before and there's never been a problem, in fact the tutors have been welcoming and friendly."

Mrs Rafique, who is married to double-glazing firm boss Abdul, 40, and has a younger son, Ibrahim, 12, added: "I do get abuse every now and again in the street – which I just have to deal with. However, I was very surprised when I was treated this way by the college."

Business student Awais, 18, who hopes to take an accountancy course at Manchester University, said: "It was really embarrassing when they told her she couldn't come in. We've never, ever been told about any rule about what parents can wear."

A spokeswoman for Manchester College said Mrs Rafique's concerns were being taken "very seriously" following the incident. She added:

"The Manchester College provides a safe and inclusive environment that fosters development and achievement. "We apply a single dress code to all college users, including learners and visitors. At all times we need to be able to identify all individuals easily in order to maintain safety and security and therefore we ask that faces are clearly visible whilst indoors. Our dress code is reviewed through our quality improvement group and we will take this situation into account at the next review."

Manchester Evening News, 24 June 2012

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