Gov. Abbott demands Cy-Fair ISD leaders to cancel Islamic Games of North America

Texas Governor Greg Abbott is taking a hard stance against an annual sporting event called the Islamic Games of North America, which he claims is being sponsored by a group designated as a terrorist organization. However, officials from Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (ISD) are pushing back, stating that there's no evidence of any event currently scheduled or hosted.

The Islamic Games bills itself as promoting youth fitness and unity, open to all faiths, and has been held annually for 35 years with no reported issues. Its Houston-area event is set for this fall at a yet-to-be-determined location. The group's New Jersey chapter is reportedly affiliated with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which Abbott has designated as a terrorist organization in Texas.

Abbott wrote to Cy-Fair ISD officials, claiming that the games are being held at Bridgeland High School and stating that radical Islamic extremism is not welcome in Texas schools. However, district leaders have called this "a disappointing gesture instead of an earnest attempt to obtain facts." They noted that CAIR New Jersey was not involved last year when the Islamic Games were held at a district facility.

Cy-Fair ISD has 15 different religious groups using its facilities every week and doesn't distinguish between religions. The district's policy is to follow state laws, including those prohibiting discrimination. In response to Abbott's letter, CAIR denied being a sponsor of the event, with their national office stating that the group is not involved in promoting terrorism.

Abbott's actions have sparked debate about freedom of expression and the role of government in regulating events. Professor Josh Blackman from South Texas College of Law noted that such letters are often meant to "shine a light on certain topics" rather than sparking litigation. The incident highlights tensions between groups with differing views, particularly regarding Islamophobia and hate speech.

For now, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD remains committed to following the law and not discriminating against any group. However, Abbott's stance has raised questions about how far the state will go in regulating events perceived as promoting extremist ideologies.

I'm kinda bummed by this whole thing. It feels like Texas is trying to create a vibe of fear around an event that's meant to be inclusive and fun for everyone. The Islamic Games have been going on for 35 years with no issues, so it's weird that Abbott's being all dramatic about it . I get that people might have different opinions, but this feels like a power play rather than a genuine attempt to keep the community safe.

And can we talk about how ridiculous it is that CAIR is getting lumped in with terrorism just because of their affiliation? That's not fair, and it's a great example of how Islamophobia can sneak into our everyday discourse . The fact that Cy-Fair ISD is standing up for what they believe in and following state laws is totally the right move .

This whole incident is making me think about how we need to have more nuanced conversations around freedom of expression and extremism. It's not always black and white, you know?

ugh this is so sad ... i cant even imagine being in a situation where ppl are being singled out just cuz of their faith or who they associate with. 35 yrs of events and no issues, yet texas gov thinks otherwise? its like, what even is the evidence here that's supposed to be so bad? sounds like abbot is trying to stir up some drama instead of focusing on actual problems . its not ok to dictate how ppl can express themselves or gather together just cuz of politics... that goes against freedom of expression & hate speech laws we gotta stand with our rights, not against ppl who wanna come together for a good cause

this is getting out of hand... texas governor just because some people might think cair is bad news? we got more important things to worry 'bout than some sports event... and even if it was scheduled @ a school, shouldn't they be able to hold it without being bullied by politicians? this feels like an easy way for abbott to get attention instead of actually doing his job... and now the district is having to deal with all this drama just because of one guy's opinion

This is getting out of hand . I mean, seriously, a sporting event that promotes youth fitness and unity is being targeted because it's associated with an organization that's been designated as a terrorist group? Come on, Governor Abbott... you're not even giving the games any chance to prove themselves before shutting them down completely .

I think what's really going on here is that people are getting their knickers in a twist over something they don't fully understand. The Islamic Games have been around for 35 years with no reported issues, and yet Abbott is still painting the entire event with a broad brush of extremism . It's just not right.

And let's be real, folks... if you're really that concerned about radical Islamic extremism in Texas schools, then what's wrong with actually having an open and honest conversation about it? Instead, Abbott is resorting to intimidation tactics and trying to silence an organization that's simply advocating for peaceful coexistence . Give me a break!

omg u wont bliev wht this texas gov is doin he thinks the islamic games r bing sponserd by a terrorist orgn and thats why he wanna cancel it lol but its not even comin 2 houston this fall!!! they just dont want 2 be bullied by ppl whos got some serious issues abbott's all about stirrin up drama instead of gettin 2 the facts and its so unfair cuz theres 15 diff relig groups usin cy-fair isd facilities every wknd and they dont even care wut u r lol it just shows how much ppl r still divided on this islamophobia stuff

I think this is a total overreaction from Governor Abbott. I mean, come on, 35 years of peaceful events and now he's going nuclear? It's like, chill out, dude! If the Islamic Games are really just about youth fitness and unity, then what's the harm in having it at Bridgeland High School? The fact that CAIR is involved doesn't mean they're promoting terrorism. It's not like they're putting up a sign that says "Join us for radical Islamic extremism!" The district has 15 different religious groups using their facilities every week, and they don't discriminate based on religion. This whole thing feels like an Islamophobic power play to me .

This is so ridiculous... like, what's next? The Governator is gonna start regulating every single cultural event that's even remotely associated with a "suspicious" group? I mean, come on, Abbott needs to get his facts straight before he starts making inflammatory statements. 35 years of the Islamic Games have gone by without any reported issues and now suddenly they're a threat? It just goes to show how easily politicians can be manipulated into fueling Islamophobia and hatred towards a community that's already marginalized enough. We need more people like Professor Blackman speaking out against these kind of actions, not less. Let's focus on promoting unity and understanding instead of spreading fear and division!

This is so concerning ... The whole thing just seems like a huge overreach by the governor ... I mean, if there's no evidence of any issues, then why threaten to pull funding from a school just because someone claims it's sponsoring an "extremist" group? And what even is the definition of "radical Islamic extremism"? It's like they're speaking a whole different language ... And now Cypress-Fairbanks ISD has to deal with all this drama, and their policy is basically just to follow state laws ... Can't we just let people have a good time at events without having the government breathing down our necks?

I think it's CRAZY that Texas Governor Greg Abbott is trying to shut down the Islamic Games of North America event at Bridgeland High School ! The fact that he's basically accusing a group called CAIR (which is actually a pro-Muslim org) of being a terrorist organization is just OUTRAGEOUS . I mean, come on, you can't just lump an entire org into one label and expect everyone to believe it! It's like calling out all Muslims as extremists, which is just NOT TRUE .

And what really gets my goat is that CAIR has been hosting these events for 35 YEARS with NO reported issues . You'd think the gov would be more interested in finding evidence of a problem rather than just trying to silence them. It's all about fear-mongering and Islamophobia, imo . We need to stand up for freedom of expression and not let politicians dictate what we can and can't do !

omg, can you even believe this ?! so texas governor is basically saying that if you wanna hold a sports event that's open to all faiths and promotes youth fitness, you gotta prove it ain't sponsored by some group he thinks is a terrorist org... meanwhile, the school district is like "hey, we don't know nothin' about this event" and they're not gonna discriminate against anyone based on their religion or whatever.

i mean, come on Abbott! you can't just send out these letters without doin some real fact-checking first. it's like you're tryin to stir up drama instead of gettin' the facts straight. and what's with this whole thing about CAIR? i know they've had their share of controversy, but designatin them a terrorist org is just plain crazy .

anyway, this whole thing is kinda sad 'cause it highlights how people can get so worked up over stuff that's not even relevant . let's all just take a deep breath and focus on bein kind to one another instead of tryin to police each other's events, you know?

I think this is getting pretty crazy . I mean, come on Greg Abbott, you can't just label an organization like CAIR a terrorist group and then claim they're sponsoring some sports event without doing your due diligence. It's like throwing mud at people without even checking if it sticks.

And what really gets me is that Cypress-Fairbanks ISD is just trying to do their job and follow the law, but Abbott's letter is making it seem like they're the ones being extremist or whatever. Like, the district uses their facilities every week for 15 different religious groups, no drama, just coexisting .

I'm all for freedom of expression and all that, but this feels like a case of politicians trying to score points rather than actually addressing any real issues. It's like Abbott is using fear-mongering tactics to control the narrative instead of having a rational conversation about how to handle these kinds of events .

can u believe this? texas gov is just making a huge deal out of nothin. like, what even is the Islamic Games of North America? never heard of it and i'm pretty sure its not even sponsored by that CAIR group abbot's so obsessed with. does anyone else think its kinda shady how he's trying to shut down an event just because of politics? btw, if texas schools are open to all faiths, why is abbots being so discriminatory?

this is getting ridiculous, like what even is the criteria for them to determine if something's "extremist"? and CAIR being labeled a terrorist org? that's just so blatant it's scary. what's next, banning Ramadan food sales in Texas schools? or kicking Muslims out of voting booths? the gov't needs to chill and focus on actual issues rather than playing politics with people's lives and freedoms...