Wylie East High investigates unapproved group handing out Qurans and hijabs on campus
A Wylie ISD high school is under scrutiny after a video circulated online showing a student claiming a group was on campus handing out Qurans and hijabs to students.
The incident happened on Monday during the lunch period at Wylie East High School.
District officials said they became aware of the situation Monday night when the video began circulating. They said the group was not approved in advance and acknowledged that school protocols were not followed.
Student video sparks controversy
The video shows the Wylie East High School Republican student club president describing what he said was a group handing out religious materials to students.
"Today, there was an organization called Why Islam? That had a huge table booth in our in front of our school today, and they were giving out hijabs to girls throughout the high school, and they were giving out Qurans, and they also had pamphlets about sharia law, and other Islamic things, and they were giving out these bags," he said in the recording.
Students describe what they saw
Student Kennedy Wiliams said she saw the table on Monday and witnessed some of the activity. She said the people handing out materials looked like students.
"It felt very OK," Wiliams told CBS News Texas. "It felt like any other club we have, like we have a Christian club, we have a republican club, and they all do the same thing, so I didn't find anything wrong with it."
District acknowledges oversight failure
On Tuesday, the district told parents and staff that a student club invited an outside organization to campus without the required approval, acknowledging that protocols weren't followed and taking responsibility for the lapse. Officials stressed it was not part of any coordinated religious or political effort.
In a separate statement to CBS News Texas, the district said, "During the lunch period, four women representing the organization Why Islam were present on campus. We reviewed security footage -- fewer than 50 students visited their table. Most students appeared to take a piece of candy, approximately four students received Henna designs, and about a dozen tried on a scarf or hijab. The table also included informational pamphlets and copies of the Quran. A few students voluntarily picked up materials, and the representatives provided Why Islam-branded bags for those who accepted the items."
Students question reaction to incident
"It seemed like also it was only people of the religion that were going up to the table," Wiliams said. "I find it really weird that they are kind of pissed about it since we're forced to have the ten commandments in every single classroom, which each to their own, but I know parents of my friends, are like there's nothing wrong with it, it's just a religion, and they weren't forcing it on anyone too, they were just handing it out to whoever wanted to."
District officials confirmed that Wylie East High School does have the Ten Commandments displayed inside classrooms. Officials said the matter remains under investigation and declined an interview on Tuesday.