2 dozen public schools in Virginia closed after a homework assignment drew fury from parents
Cheryl LaPorte, a world geography teacher at Riverheads High School, assigned her students homework using a standard workbook on world religions that asked students to copy religious calligraphy.
The assignment read: "Here is the shahada, the Islamic statement of faith, written in Arabic. In the space below, try copying it by hand. This should give you an idea of the artistic complexity of calligraphy."
The cancellation of school on Friday essentially started the district's winter break early.
School administrators released a statement to parents saying that while there was no specific threat to students, schools were closed on Friday.
They cited a risk of harm to officials as the reason for the closure. "Some communications posed a risk of harm to school officials," the school's statement read, according to WHSV-TV, a local news station. "Others threatened significant protests on or near school property. Those communications are in the hands of the sheriff."