A school opening this month in Florida is named for a Jewish high priest, is directed by a rabbi, will have kosher food and will teach Hebrew. It's also a public school, funded by public tax dollars and following state curriculum guidelines.

Ben Gamla Charter School, billed as the nation's first publicly funded Hebrew-English school, has prompted fears of religion creeping into public schools and has even drawn criticism from groups that defend Jewish causes.

Similar criticisms have been raised against Arabic-language charter schools elsewhere, with some saying those schools teach Islam. (...)

New York City has a new public high school centered on Arab language and culture due to open next month. The Khalil Gibran International Academy has prompted concerns that Islam will seep into the curriculum. Critics have even suggested it could become a breeding ground of militant Islam.