Temecula Anti-Islam Group Descends on High School

A Temecula-based anti-Islam group handed out fliers to students at a Murrieta high school.

About a dozen members of Concerned Citizens for the First Amendment perched themselves on the sidewalk outside Murrieta Valley High School Tuesday, handing out fliers to students walking by.

A person unaffiliated with the group stood across the street from the high school, holding yellow signs that read, "Islam = Hate," and, "Say No 2 Islam."

The letter handed out was the same one the group gave to students outside Chaparral High School in January. To read about that, click here.

Seventh grade students in the Murrieta Valley Unified School District learn about the history of Islam as part of Social Studies. The letter accuses teachers of lying about Islam.

"Did you know you were subjected to some really serious brainwashing when you were in the seventh grade, and that it is continuing even today?" the flier stated. "That means you have been fed a bunch of lies. Lies can mess up your life forever. Do you like being lied to?"

The group could not be reached for comment by publication time. The event did attract media such as ABC 7.

The group also informed school district officials the day before that they planned to hand out the fliers, said Karen Parris, spokeswoman for the Murrieta Valley Unified School District.

The district sent a phone message home to parents, telling them about the outreach.

"Under the first amendment, the group has the right to express their views on Islam and the building of mosques in the United States. Our students have the right to refuse the fliers or to accept the fliers, to engage in conversation, or to continue walking," the message stated. "School staff and Murrieta police will be on hand to ensure that this is a peaceable exercise, as promised by the Concerned Citizens for the First Amendment."

School officials also advised the students and gave them the choice of taking an alternative route to leave the school, the message stated.

Many students crumpled up the fliers and threw them on the ground, according to a parent who was present.

"It really was a non-event," Parris said.