An elementary school in Indiana reportedly removed a mention of Allah in its holiday show after protests from a national conservative Christian group.
Lantern Road Elementary Principal Danielle Thompson told IndyStar.com that school officials in Fishers, Ind., attempted to teach inclusiveness through the second-grade program that included portions on Christmas, Hanukkah, Ramadan, Las Posadas and Kwanzaa.
"It went off last night without a hitch," Thompson told the Web site. "Several families thought it was a nice program."
Thompson said officials removed the phrase "Allah is God," however, after the American Family Association complained about the program on its electronic newsletter. The alteration was made because no other deities were named in the program.
Shariq Siddiqui, executive director of the Muslim Alliance of Indiana, told the Web site that the decision to remove the word Allah was most certainly not inclusive.
"It's unfortunate if that was removed from the program just because of Islamophobic feelings," Siddiqui told the Web site. "Schools are a place where we should learn more about each other rather than exclude each other based on stereotypes and misconceptions."
Siddiqui said "Allah" is the Arabic word for God and is used by Jews, Christians and others in Arabic-speaking nations.
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