Amigos+Page+To+Stage

Religion over Evolution Amigos Page To Stage: Ms.Ferhani/ Mr.Batt

SETTING: It is 2005 in south-central Pennsylvania. It's a really hot sunny day outside. There's a really big school and inside there are a lot of students looking for classrooms and talking to their friends. The walls of the school are painted with very bright colors. The bright colors on the walls make the school seem brighter and prettier. There are many signs with quotes saying things like "NEVER GIVE UP". The school is really clean and you can barely notice the dust on the floors, everyone is wearing uniforms including the teachers. There are a lot of janitors cleaning around the school checking that everything is clean and organized.

CHARACTERS: AFIZAH- An 18 year old high school student. She is muslim and came to the United States when she was 14. She knows how to speak English fluently. Likes to learn about many different ideas even if her parents don't agree with her. Her name means a person who knows the recital of the Qur'an.

AASIM- Afizah's father, also very religious man. He is muslim too and came to the United States 8 years ago. He learned English and speaks it fluently. He loves his family and came to the U.S so he could have better oppertinuties. The meaning to hi names is a a person who keeps away from sins.

JONATHAN- Science teacher in Afizah's school. New teacher that came from Chicago. Loves his job and enjoys hearing other ideas and been able to teach them to his students.

FRANK- School principal he is really tall and bold. He tries to keep everything in order. He is always tired and doesn't like it when parents come and complain.

(//as the curtains open there's a really big classroom with rows of desks. The classroom is very hot and some students are coming in and sitting down. There's a teacher writing on the board//.)

JONATHAN: (//loud and clear to all students//) Come in and take a sit. (//the rest of the students from the class come in and take a sit//) Today we will be learning about a theory called evolution. Many of you might have heard about it. It's a really interesting theory actually.

AFIZAH: (//rising her hand//) Um, excuse me I have a question?

JONATHAN: Yes Afizah?

AFIZAH: I have not heard about evolution and I was wondering if you could explain what that theory is all about.

JONATHAN: (//smiling at AFIZAH//) Well I was going to get to that. Ok, evolution is a scientific theory that says that the human race descended from a lower class of animals. Basically it starts like this: billions of years ago the Earth was created. The Earth was too hot so there weren't any lives in existance. It took a long time but finally bacteria started to create in rocks and was the only source of life in Earth. After the Earth started cooling down and animals started to develop. As thousand of years passed by, the animals became more complex. So...( //Jonathan is interrupted by AFIZAH//) Yes Afizah?

AFIZAH: (//confused//) So what your basically saying is that we were once bacteria?

JONATHAN: Exactly! And as millions of years passed by, the animals became more complex and then as millions of years passed apes were developed. And from apes the first humans started to descend. Many people say that apes are our "cousins". So basically every living thing on Earth were once bacteria.

ALL STUDENTS: Coooool!!!!

JONATHAN: (//Smiling very happy to hear his students reaction//) Yes I know it is really cool. You know scientists even have proof that this theory is actually right. They have found many fossils that are million of years old. The first humans were called Homo Sapiens and they developed about 100,000 years ago.

AFIZAH: That is really interesting. (//there's a bell which means that it's time for the students to go home//)

JONATHAN: Class you are dismissed and remember that by tomorrow I want to know the topics you are going to choose to do your science project. And I just wanted to let you all know that we will continue talking more about evolution during this semester.(//as Jonathan finishes all the students start getting out of the classroom except for AFIZAH//)

AFIZAH: (//goes up to Jonathan//) Um, excuse me teacher?

JONATHAN: Yes Afizah?

AFIZAH: The theory you taught us today was really interesting and I was wondering if I could do my project based on that.

JONATHAN: Afizah I think that's a great idea. I'm pretty sure you would do an excellent job. And if you need help you can always come in and ask me, ok?

AFIZAH: (//really happy//) Thank you. (//starts to walk to the door//)

JONATHAN: Oh Afizah I almost forgot I have some textbooks about evolution at home. If you want to you could come by tomorow afterschool and pick them up here.

AFIZAH: That would be great. Thank you so much.

JONATHAN: Your welcome. Glad I can help. Oh and the principal told me to tell you that your dad is coming to pick you up. So you don't have to take the bus.

AFIZAH: Ok thanks.

(AFIZAH //gets out the room. As she gets out shes surprised to see her father outside the classroom waiting for he//r.)

AASIM: (//kind of tired//) Hi sweetie.

AFIZAH: Hi dad. (AFIZAH //and AASIM take a sit on the benches outside the classroom and start talking//.)

AASIM: So I heard you guys are going to start working on a science project this week. What are you going to do for your project? You know if you want to I can help you choose something.

AFIZAH: Thank you father but I already chose my topic. The new science teacher helped me.

AASIM: Ohh that's great. So what is your project going to be about?

AFIZAH: (//very exciting//) It's going to be about evolution. I have never heard about that theory but it was really interesting so I decided to do my project based on evolution.

AASIM: (//furious//) Your science teacher taught you that?

AFIZAH: Yes. What's the matter, are you ok?

AASIM: (//stands up from his sit//) You are not going to do your project based on evolution. Evolution says that we descended from a lower class of animals and that's not even true.The Qur'an says that God created us and everything in the world. Evolution is contradicting the Qur'an. And you are a good muslim so you are going to follow the Qur'an. I don't know how teachers can teach such a stupid idea to their students. I told your mother it was a really dumb idea to send you to this school. I knew that it would have been better if we home schooled you. See know they are even brainwashing you!

AFIZAH: (//kind of confused but sad at the same time//) But I think evolution is very interesting and the teacher told me he was even going to let me borrow some textbooks he has.

AASIM: (//yelling//) Well I say you're not. And I'm going to talk to that teacher now!

(//AASIM goes to the door. There are no more students in the hallway. The school is quiet.// //AASIM// //goes and knocks on the door. The door is slowly opened//.)

JONATHAN: ( //surprised//) Well hello. Please come in. How can I help you?

AASIM: (//yelling and furious//) How do you even dare to teach my daughter about that ridiculous idea?!

JONATHAN: (//confused//) What are you talking about?

AASIM: Don't pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about.

AFIZAH: He's talking about how you taught us about evolution.

AASIM: Yes I am talking about that. You know is against our religion to teach that to our kids. You have no **authority** in teaching that to my daughter.

JONATHAN: Oh I'm sorry I really didn't know...

AASIM: Listen I want these problem fixed right know. I want you to call the principal of the school.

JONATHAN: Um, ok. ( //walks to where the phone is and starts to dial numbers//) Yes hello Mr. Frank? Yes I have a parent here in my classroom that needs to talk to you right away. No he says it can't wait. Ok we will be waitig for you. Ok bye. ( //puts the phone away//) He says hes coming right away. We just need to wait some minutes.

AASIM: Yeah sure.

(//There are a couple minutes of silence//. //Finally their is a knock on the door and JONATHAN goes to open the door. He is a tall skinny and bald man comes in. He looks really tired and sleepy//.)

FRANK: So what did you want to talk to me about Mr. Aasim?

AASIM: This irresponsible teacher taught my daughter about evolution. You know it's agaisnt our religion for our children to learn about that! And I want something to be done. This public school is a **public good** for everyone and I want it to be used the right way. I think that if you have to fire the teacher then you should.

FRANK: Listen I'm afraid I can't do that. The teaching of evolution is required to be taught for this curriculum during the whole spring and half of the summer curriculum. The students have to take this class because it's really important and it expands the way the kids view the world and the living things on Earth.

AASIM: Well my daughter cannot learn this and it would be disrespectful for her to learn this when our religion says a different thing.

FRANK: (//trying to be as nice as possible eventhough inside hes not//) Listen I'm sorry. But one thing I'm sure of is that I am not going to fire any teachers. I can't be firing teachers, maybe we could figure something out.

AASIM: Well maybe we could talk about it because this is as you can see a really big problem for us.

AFIZAH: (//sad and mad at the same time//) But Dad I really want to learn about this. You can't take away my education like this.

AASIM: Listen Afizah you are going to do what i tell you to do. What you are talking about is not knowledge. It's called betraying your own religion and people. You know that me and your mom want the best for you but not this, we can't let you betray you religion.

AFIZAH: But I though that we came to the U.S so I could have better opportinities and education, because you want me to be someone successful in life.

AASIM: Of curse I brought you here so you could have a better education and opprtunities, but we can't let you get brainwashed.

AFIZAH: Okay then.

FRANK: (//speaking really fast in a tone that suggests that he wants to get out of there as soon as possible//) So what do you think we should do. You know that if you don't want her to learn this you can just take her out of the school.

AASIM: (//thoughtfully//) Yes I know but I don't want to take her out of this school. Listen do you think that maybe during this time that they are going to be learning about evolution maybe she could go somewhere else, like maybe the library or something.

FRANK: The thing is that she needs this points so she can graduate high school.

JONATHAN: Well maybe I could give her some extra things to do like extra credit or something. We might have an afterschool program that offers extra credit points and maybe she could attend.

AASIM: Yes I think that that would be great!

FRANK: ( //happy that the discussion is finally over//) Yes that would be great. Thank you Jonathan I totally forgot about that afterschool program.

AASIM: So I think that this is going to be the solution then.

FRANK: Yes but maybe it's not going to be that easy, but I know Afizah and I know she is going to work really hard. I'm pretty sure she is going to make it and she is going to graduate.

AASIM: OK then. Thank you for listening.

FRANK: Ok I'll see you tomarrow Afizah.

AFIZAH: Ok see you tomorrow.

( //AASIM takes AFIZAH and head for the door. As AFIZAH is leaving we see her mouthing the word "thank you" to JONATHAN and FRANK//.)