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In Virginia's Bible Belt, an Arabic lesson ignites anger
School system cancels day of classes in wake of threats
W Islam Lesson Dispute Ledb
In this Tuesday, Dec. 15, parent Kim Herndon talks about her outrage over a school assignment as she addresses a crowd at Great News Ministries church in Greenville, Va. Augusta County's public school system closed on Friday, Dec. 18, 2015, prompted by security concerns due to thousands of angry emails and social media postings after a teacher's lesson on Islam at Riverheads High School the previous week - photo by Associated Press
VERONA, Va. — With the nation already on edge after the attacks in California, a teacher's lesson on Islam in Virginia's Bible Belt sparked an angry meeting of outraged parents that mushroomed into a national denunciation of the educator in the form of thousands of angry emails and social media postings. As a result, an estimated 10,000 students in Augusta County's public school system got a one-day jump on the Christmas break as a precaution. The cancellation of classes Friday also wiped out a holiday concert and weekend sporting events.
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