Students Discuss Koran Book After Battle

Aug. 25 -- The new freshman class arrived on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus last weekend — bright, shiny 18-year-olds required to unpack their bags and open their minds.

On the first day of college, amid familiar activities, students got some firsthand lessons in the power of religion and ideas. This university assigns a specific summer book to incoming students. The required reading this year was Approaching The Qur'án, The Early Revelations, with excerpts from and commentary on Islam's holy book.

Christian Group Sues

Christian groups immediately charged the book was biased.

"It doesn't provide any insights whatsoever into what could have caused people to act in the name of Allah on Sept. 11," said Terry Moffitt, chairman of the Family Policy Network.

On Monday, this scheduled discussion of the book went ahead just hours after a federal lawsuit by the Family Policy Network failed for the second time.

That pleased Johnny Gilbert, a freshman. It was the first time he'd read anything about Islam, and he wanted to talk about it.

"I feel like I learned a lot, because, I mean, I really didn't know that much about Islam before I began," Gilbert said. "I knew they worshipped Allah, and prayed five times a day. That was about it."

The Family Policy Network sued to stop the discussion, claiming the book presents only a positive view of Islam.

But federal Judge N. Carlton Tilley Jr. ruled that no person reading this book "would believe … the university is suggesting … a particular interpretation of Islam." A federal appeals court agreed.

Changed to Optional

Even ahead of the decision, the university had softened the assignment from required to optional. It was enough of a concession for the president of the Family Policy Network, Joe Glover.

"This is one of those rare cases where a loss is a great win," Glover said. "Everything has changed. Nothing is now required."

The conflict was an education for the university's chancellor, James Moeser.