ROISD trustee defends Sharia Law comment

RED OAK – Red Oak School Board Trustee Penny Story, place 5, defended her comments this past Friday night regarding a remark she made about Sharia Law.

A special ROISD school board meeting was called, as some on various social media outlets said they were shocked at her remarks.

The statement was made at the Red Oak ISD School Board meeting on July 27, when Story thought her mic was turned off and said, “You don’t understand this is Sharia Law face coverings. 

“This is ridiculous,” during a discussion regarding face coverings for students under COVID-19 rules.

“We are here tonight because there has been a flurry of public comments, good and bad, about my simple, non-judgmental statement ‘Sharia Law face covering,’ Story said at Friday night’s meeting. 

“A comment I made basically to myself during a lengthy school board discussion about which of many governmental rules to follow for face masks.”

She reminded those at the meeting her campaign for school board trustee was, and still is, ‘Back to the Basics.’ 

“This includes the Constitution of the United States, which is the law of the land including the Bill of Rights, which are the first 10 Amendments of the Constitution. They guarantee US citizens certain personal rights.”

The Place 5 Trustee went on to remind the Texas Constitution Bill of Rights includes the freedom of speech and press too.

“This flurry is curious to me in view of the fact that in our community and some attending ROISD, we have supporters of Sharia Law and face coverings,” Story said. “Superintendent Sanford, in the letter you posted, you state ROISD is proud of our diversity and we are unified in our thoughts and actions that we are all one. We take pride in knowing that our strength and love is found in our diversity.”

School Board President John Anderson, who had explained before Story made her comments that he wanted everyone to be on the same page saying, “Under Texas law, it does not provide for a recall of trustees, and trustees themselves may not remove a fellow trustee from office. A school board member may be removed from office initiated by the county or district attorney… The reason I read these to you is the reality the board has little to no power to do anything over another board member who sits on the board,” was also targeted in the Place 5 trustees’ remarks. 

Story said to Anderson, “You state my comment did not reflect the opinions, beliefs, or values of Red Oak ISD, and that any inappropriate, offensive, or demeaning comments or actions by any Red Oak ISD board of trustees member is unacceptable. Mr. Anderson, because we have members of our community and students attending ROISD who support Sharia Law and face coverings, how is my simple, non-judgmental comment ‘Sharia Law face covering’ inappropriate, offensive, demeaning, and unacceptable?”

Story’s opponent in the November election, Clifford Wherley, commented, “My initial reaction to her comments was shock and disbelief. I could not understand how anyone could say or believe that making face mask mandatory is the same as Sharia law face coverings.”

Wherley said he was surprised Trustee Story did not apologize for her comment, instead talking about her having the right to free speech and how she did not say anything wrong. While the challenger said he does agree with Story when it comes to free speech, he added he believed her comments were insensitive.