Arabic calligraphy lesson causes school security lockdown in Virginia

The students will do a similar exercise when they study China next term

Highly stylised Arabic text is believed to have roots in the 10th century (Rex Features)

A school was closed after a lesson in Arabic calligraphy prompted a wave of anti-Islamic complaints from parents.

The school in Virginia in the US was sent "concerning" messages from across the nation after a geography teacher showed students the Islamic declaration of faith, according to local media outlet the News Leader.

Cheryl LaPorte, who was giving a lesson on the Middle East at Riverheads High School in Virginia, showed students the shahada - the statement of belief in Allah and Muhammad - so that students could try it for themselves and understand the complexity of calligraphy.

Some students refused to complete the assignment and parents organised a protest at the world geography lesson.

The criticism forced the school to close down with all students still inside. Other schools had extra security posted at them.

The local authority said the move was "based on concerns regarding the tone and content of those communications," according to a statement.

Kimberly Herndon, who organised the protest, accused the lesson of being an attempt at "indoctrination".

"She gave up the Lord's time. She gave it up and gave it to Mohammed," she said.

The students were not asked to translate the statement or recite it, but to try writing the curves and dots themselves.

According to News Leader, the lesson was also found to be in line with Virginia Standards of learning for the study of monotheistic world religions.

Riverheads High School was closed by the local public authority after the "tone and content" of emails sent to the school were seen as a security risk (Google Street View)

Students will also do a similar exercise when they study China.

But after "voluminous" calls and emails to the school, a meeting was attended by about 100 people where several parents called for Ms LaPorte to be fired.

Eric Bond, Augusta County superintendant, said the lesson was an objective study of a historical tradition and belief system.

"Neither these lessons, nor any other lesson in the world geogrpahy course, are an attempt at indoctrination to Islam or any other religion, or a request for students to renounce their own faith or profess any belief," he said in a press statement, according to the News Leader.

"Each of the lessons attempts objectively to present world religions in a way that is interesting and interactive for students."

Islamophobic incidents in the US have risen since the Paris shootings and San Bernardino shootings, according to Al Jazeera.

Islamic calligraphy is believed to have historical roots in Persian culture from the 10th century.