WRAL Exclusive: Video of Controversial Enloe High Speaker

Robert Escamilla, former Enloe teacher

A Wake County high school teacher was suspended in February for scheduling a presentation to several social studies classes that involved a Christian speaker, who then passed out religious tracts to students that criticized Islam.

Robert Escamilla has since been transferred from Enloe High School to Mary E. Phillips High School, an alternative school for problem students. Students and parents have lobbied to school board to allow him to return to Enloe High.

The speaker was evangelist Kamil Solomon, head of Kamil International Ministries Organization. The group says it is devoted to "teaching the truth about Islam," and Solomon handed out pamphlets that included the heading "Why Women Should Not Marry Muslims."

Wake County school officials said the talk denigrated Islam and should never have been allowed. Escamilla defended the presentation, noting he has brought in a range of speakers in recent years to discuss various religions and offer different ideas for students to examine.

WRAL has obtained a tape of Solomon's Feb. 16 presentation at Enloe High from an attorney for the Wake County Board of Education. The video is being offered here for people to review and make their own conclusions. WRAL takes no position on the statements made in the video.



59 Comments


Golo

Welcome to GOLO, where WRAL.com visitors can comment on stories and create profile pages, blogs and photo galleries.

You must be a registered WRAL.com user to use these tools. Click here to register or log in.

View Comments View Comments

Ask Anything
  1. Nicholas Sparks
    10 questions with Nicholas Sparks

    Author Nicholas Sparks answers your questions about battling writer's block and writing romantic story lines.

  2. John Paul Womble
    10 questions with John Paul Womble - The Alliance of AIDS Services

    John Paul Womble answers your questions about contracting AIDS and myths surrounding the disease.

  3. Cam Ward
    10 questions with Hurricanes' Goalie Cam Ward

    Cam Ward answers your questions about winning the Stanley Cup, superstitions on game days and smack talk on the ice.

Multimedia
  1. 49th Annual WRAL-TV Tower Lighting_01
    49th Annual WRAL-TV Tower Lighting

    WRAL-TV's tower has been changed into a 300-foot Christmas tree, with 2,805 colored lights and three stars on Monday, Dec. 1, 2008.

  2. Drought Map
    A year of N.C. Drought Maps

    View a time lapse animation of drought conditions during the last year.

  3. APTOPIX ROMANIA WEATHER
    The week in photos

    A look at the top news, politics and sports stories of the week through the lenses of Associated Press photographers.

  4. APTOPIX Holiday Shopping
    Gallery: Black Friday shopping

    A look at shoppers across the country on Black Friday.

  5. 2008_American_Music_Awards_Arrivals
    The week in entertainment

    A look at the top entertainment stories this week through the lenses of Associated Press photographers.