Maine School Official Cites Islamic Beliefs in Debate Over Dogs in Portland Classrooms; Policy Not Yet Changed
A teacher at Ocean Avenue Elementary asked to foster puppies in class. An assistant superintendent told a policy committee some Muslim families object to dogs, and the committee took no vote.
A school district in Maine is weighing a change to its classroom pet policy after a teacher asked to foster puppies, and an administrator raised religious objections, Fox News reports.
How it started. A teacher at Ocean Avenue Elementary School in Portland asked permission to foster puppies in her classroom so students could interact with them during reading and playtime.
What the administrator said. At an Oct. 14 policy committee meeting, Dr. Abdullahi Ahmed, the assistant superintendent for student, family and community partnerships, said some Islamic traditions consider dog saliva impure and that some people have had negative experiences with dogs. He said he had consulted local Muslim religious leaders who opposed keeping dogs as classroom pets. He also said Muslim community members are not opposed to animals and that Islamic tradition values "compassion for animals." Ahmed suggested accommodations such as keeping dogs in a separate room.
Where it stands. The committee discussed whether any revised policy should cover only dogs or other classroom animals, and whether to offer opt-in and opt-out arrangements. It did not vote on any change at the Oct. 14 meeting, according to the report, which cites a National News Desk story.
The pushback. Moms for Liberty co-founder Tina Descovich told Fox that dogs "have been enriching the lives of school children across America since its founding" and called the objections "silly."
No response yet. Fox says it asked Ahmed and Superintendent Ryan Scallon for comment and had not heard back at publication. The district has not changed its policy, and families who prefer accommodations or object to them have not been quoted in the account we read.