Group, protesters clash at rally against CAIR speakers in schools

A planned press conference and rally in Hillsborough County turned into a debate over one organization's role in public schools.

The "Education Coalition" is upset that Hassan Shibly from the Council on American Islamic Relations was allowed to speak to students in Hillsborough County last year.  The group held a press conference on Tuesday to make their opposition known.

Terry Kemple is a school board candidate and one of the leaders of this group.

"This is not anti-Muslim," Kemple said. "This is talking about organizations that have been linked to terrorism, and the reason it came up is because the Council on American Islamic Relations has been linked in the Holy Land Foundation trial to the funding of terrorism."

However, protesters who showed up on Tuesday disagreed, saying the group has an anti-Muslim agenda.

"In the 21st century we have morons like this spewing hate, trying to make sure people's voices don't get heard in America, and that's not what America is about," protester Kelly Benjamin said.

The "Education Coalition" does have some school board support.  Board member Stacy White supports what the group is trying to do.

"I think that a crafted policy could protect our children from all sorts of groups who wish to advance an agenda of radicalism, propaganda, and indoctrination," White said.

White though can't point to any other time, except for the Shibly speech, that it's been a concern for the district.  He simply said it's important now because it's before the board.

The "Education Coalition" did go inside to speak to the school board about putting greater regulations on speakers that come into Hillsborough County schools.