Leland Saunders of Farmersville stepped up to the podium at a Wylie Independent School District board meeting and delivered a pointed rebuke after an outside Islamic outreach organization was allowed to distribute religious materials during school hours at Wylie East High School.
The controversy stems from a February 2 event in which a group called Why Islam set up what witnesses described as a large promotional booth during the school’s lunch period to mark World Hijab Day. According to reports, the organization handed out copies of the Quran, provided hijabs to female students, and distributed pamphlets discussing Sharia law.
Why Islam is owned by the Islamic Circle of North America. Critics point to content on the group’s website that challenges core Christian doctrine, including statements rejecting the divinity of Jesus Christ and criticizing what it refers to as Pauline theology. A review by The Christian Post noted that the site includes language stating that Jesus is “not the Son of God” and features a full page dedicated to disputing New Testament teachings.
While district officials later characterized the situation as a “procedural breakdown,” Saunders argued that the issue goes far beyond paperwork.
“Public schools serve students from many different religious backgrounds, and students who have no religious beliefs at all,” Saunders told the board. “Because of that, I believe our schools must remain neutral when it comes to religious promotion during the school day.”
His remarks quickly spread online, drawing national attention.
Saunders also questioned whether equal treatment would truly be applied across faiths. If one religious organization is permitted to distribute materials on campus, he asked, would every other religious or ideological group be granted the same opportunity? And if not, how would that comply with equal treatment standards?
The incident first gained traction after Marco Hunter-Lopez, president of the school’s Republican Club, posted video highlighting the outreach effort. He said that while colleges and various secular clubs frequently appear on campus, he had never seen a Christian church allowed to hand out Bibles in the cafeteria. According to Hunter-Lopez, the group was actively distributing hijabs, Qurans, and pamphlets about Sharia law to students.
In response to the backlash, Wylie ISD acknowledged that established protocols for guest speakers and student club interactions were not followed. A staff member was briefly placed on leave before returning to work. School Board President Bill Howard issued an apology and pledged to rebuild trust with families.
A 12-year-old from Farmersville, Texas, pushes back after Muslims handed out “hijabs, Qurans and Sharia law pamphlets” at his public school.
“Even if participation was voluntary, handing out religious texts during school hours crosses the line” pic.twitter.com/7oiXRG0DPt
— Chaya’s Clan (@ChayasClan) February 20, 2026
Still, for many parents, the controversy has raised deeper questions about where the line stands between education and religious advocacy in public schools.
For Saunders, the message was straightforward. “This is about maintaining neutrality, fairness, and a religious boundary from education and religion,” he said.
His remarks have fueled a broader debate — not only about one event in one Texas school district, but about how public institutions navigate faith, free expression, and equal treatment in an increasingly diverse society.
