US - A Franklin County Children Services worker who is accused of violating the rights of a Muslim family said agency files contain references to their religion because it was a source of conflict between the parents and children. Amber Spires told jurors in U.S. District Court that Naim and Hadiya AbdulSalaam's strict practices were an issue with their children, especially their 16-year-old son, Mandela, who was the first to be placed in foster care, in 2003. "That was part of the argument between Mandela and the family," Spires testified yesterday in the trial of a lawsuit against her. "They are strict, and they are Islamic." Mrs. AbdulSalaam's attorney, Michael Moore, asked Spires whether she would have noted that a family was "strict Christians."... The caseworker testified that the three teenage daughters told her that their mother and stepfather had stripped Mandela and beaten him until he lost control of his bowels. "His sisters specifically told me that he had been disciplined for being a bad Muslim," Spires testified. She also said that, during her first meeting with the girls in May 2003, one asked whether she could remove her headscarf. Spires said she asked whether their mother allowed that, and she explained that she would be truthful if Mrs. AbdulSalaam asked about it. After the agency accused the parents of not providing proper education and medical care and forcing the girls to work long hours in the home and family store, the three girls also went into foster care, in July 2003. Spires said Mandela told her the girls also were beaten. Full Story>>
Kids beaten for being bad Muslims, caseworker says http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/03/02/kids-beaten-for-being-bad-muslims-caseworker-says.html?sid=101
