Renowned journalist Randa Habib, who heads the AFP bureau in Amman, reported in a column she writes for The Jordan Times a very disturbing situation. Here is an excerpt:

One of my readers called to tell me about this shocking problem: she works for a Christian who is in the field of education, but her boss is being refused any supply of books from departments that depend on the Ministry of Education. Why?

Well she is told that they will never provide books to this "kafer" (non-Muslim) whom they described as filth." My reader, a Muslim herself, was appalled and told those men that their attitude has nothing to do with Islam and its precepts of tolerance. But her speech had no effect on them. On the contrary, they criticized her for working for a non-Muslim.

My reader was very distressed when she called me, and told me that her boss is in fact thinking of emigrating. When I suggested that a complaint be filed, my caller expressed skepticism over the outcome. "Someone higher up in the Ministry of Education must know that such things are happening," she said. Do they?

The most disturbing part for me is that the bigot in this instance happens to work at a department related to the Ministry of Education, of all places. What kind of education is this person trying to instill in the youth of the kingdom? An education of intolerance, bigotry and hatred? Should I begin worrying about upcoming generations? Will this bigot’s brainwashing techniques ever reach them? It really disturbs me to see this happening in Jordan, which, in my opinion, remains a model of co-existence between Christians and Muslims. Hat tip: [Jordanblogger]