Test calling ISIS terrorists sparks trouble for NJ school superintendent

🔴 School official apologizes, says quiz question is offensive

🔴 Parents tell superintendent apologizing is "unacceptable"

🔴 Why is question calling ISIS a terrorist group offensive?

WAYNE — Parents are holding a school superintendent's feet to the fire after he apologized for a test question that called ISIS an Islamic terror group.

The multiple choice question was part of a quiz in a seventh-grade class at Schuyler-Colfax Middle School in Wayne, according to the group Teaching While Muslim.

It asked students to identify a "terrorist group" with the "goal of global rule under strict Islamic Sharia law."

The correct answer was the Islamic State — more commonly known as ISIS.

Superintendent says sorry for "offensive" question

Superintendent Mark Toback sent a letter to the school community on June 20, two days after the quiz.

"I sincerely apologize," he said.

An investigation found the question was made using software used in the class, according to Toback.

“The question was offensive and contrary to our values of respect, inclusivity, and cultural sensitivity," said Toback. He said the school values all students and continues to provide cultural sensitivity training to its teachers.

READ MORE: New sex assault charges with another victim for NJ teacher

Parents tell superintendent apologizing is "unacceptable"

Toback got strong blowback from angry parents at a July 11 school board meeting.

"You can speak to the wording or other things but to apologize for something that is truly effectively factual is unacceptable. ISIS is a globally recognized terrorist organization. As is Hamas, as is Al-Qaeda," said one woman to applause.

Other parents said they weren't comfortable sending their children to Wayne schools because students experienced anti-Semitic bullying and were physically attacked for being Jewish.

"Do not apologize for teaching facts. Stand by the truth. Stand by what you know is right. And be strong. Protect our community," another woman said to Toback.

SEE ALSO: ‘I have not resigned,’ Menendez says after NBC News claim spreads

Why ISIS quiz question is "problematic"

Toback apologized after a non-profit, Teaching While Muslim, said the question was problematic because it associated Islam with terror groups.

The group said in social media posts that it never said ISIS wasn't a terrorist group. TWM said the question should have been reworded to say that ISIS wasn't practicing true Islam or Sharia.

"By claiming that any terrorist organization is aiming to achieve global rule under Islamic Sharia Law, the question gives credit to this claim. It suggests that the goal of Sharia law and those who follow Sharia 'strictly' believe in the actions of these terrorists," said Teaching While Muslim.

Instead of saying that the terror group had the "goal of global rule under strict Islamic Sharia law," the non-profit said the question should have said that ISIS is "falsely claiming to be following Islamic ideology."

What about Al-Qaeda?

According to the Brookings Institute, ISIS aims to implement its interpretation of "Islamic law known as Sharia, which it regards as the only legitimate basis for governance."

While the correct answer for the quiz was ISIS, another option was Al-Qaeda. That also could have been correct.

According to a 2019 report from the Department of State's Bureau of Counterterrorism, the terror group responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks aimed to "establish a pan-Islamic caliphate governed by its own interpretation of Sharia law that would ultimately be at the center of a new international order."

Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom